Switching supplier
How to change your commercial cleaning company without a gap in service
To change commercial cleaning company: check your contract's notice period and break clause, write a specification of what you actually need, tender it to three suppliers, agree TUPE and a mobilisation date, then serve notice in writing. Serve notice only once the replacement contract is signed — never before.
1. Read the contract before you do anything else
Almost every commercial cleaning contract runs on a fixed initial term followed by rolling renewal, with one to three months' written notice. Two clauses decide your timetable: the notice period and whether the agreement auto-renews if notice is missed.
Note the notice route as well as the length — some contracts require notice by recorded post to a registered office, and an email to your account manager will not count.
- Initial term end date and any auto-renewal date
- Notice period and the method of service required
- Early termination or break clause and any charge attached
- Equipment ownership — machines, dispensers and consumable stock
- Who holds keys, alarm codes and access fobs
2. Write the specification you actually want
The most common reason a switch fails is that the new contract copies the old one, including the parts that were not working. Before you tender, walk each site and write down what needs cleaning, how often, and to what standard.
A specification with areas, tasks and frequencies lets three suppliers quote the same job — which is the only way a price comparison means anything.
3. Tender to a short list, not to everyone
Three suppliers is enough. Ask each for a written scope of works, hours on site per visit, the labour rate assumption, the consumables position, and their TUPE position on your incumbent's staff.
Be sceptical of any price meaningfully below the others. Cleaning is a labour cost; a very low quote usually means fewer hours on site, which shows up as complaints within a month.
4. Settle TUPE before you serve notice
If a cleaning team is assigned to your premises, TUPE will normally apply when the contract moves. The incoming supplier must be given employee liability information, and affected staff must be consulted before the transfer date.
Agree in writing who runs the consultation and what the transfer date is. This is the single biggest cause of a chaotic handover.
5. Serve notice, then mobilise
Sign the incoming contract first, then serve notice in writing on the incumbent, quoting the clause and the end date. Keep the tone neutral — you still need their cooperation for keys, stock and staff information.
A four-week mobilisation typically covers site surveys, TUPE consultation, vetting, equipment placement and access arrangements, with the incumbent running until the agreed final day.
6. Audit in the first fortnight
Book the first audit within two weeks of go-live and score it against the written specification. Problems in month one are normal and fixable; problems still present in month three become the new normal.
Frequently asked questions
How much notice do I need to give my cleaning company?
Most UK commercial cleaning contracts require one to three months' written notice, served by the method the contract specifies. Check for an auto-renewal date — missing it can lock you in for another full term.
Can I switch cleaning companies mid-contract?
Only if there is a break clause, a material breach, or the supplier agrees to release you. Persistent failure against a written specification, evidenced by audits and logged complaints, is the strongest ground.
Does TUPE apply when changing cleaning contractor?
Usually yes. Where an identifiable team is assigned to your site and the same activity continues, TUPE transfers those employees to the incoming supplier on their existing terms.
How long does it take to change cleaning company?
Allow eight to twelve weeks end to end: two to three weeks to specify and tender, one to two weeks to award, then a four-week mobilisation running in parallel with the notice period.
Will the cleaning stop during the changeover?
It should not. The incumbent is contractually obliged to serve until the final day, and the incoming supplier starts the next working day. Fix the handover date in both contracts in writing.
Running a cleaning tender?
We'll quote against your specification — or write one with you if you don't have one yet.