Cleaning Subcontractor Agreement Template

Taking on more cleaning jobs than your crew can handle is a good problem – until a hired cleaner misses a shift, damages a client's floor, or starts working for your client directly. The right paperwork keeps those surprises from costing you.

What This Agreement Does

A cleaning subcontractor agreement is a written contract between a cleaning company (the contractor) and an outside cleaner or cleaning business (the subcontractor) that takes on some of the company's jobs. The client usually hires and pays the cleaning company under a separate cleaning service agreement. The company then hands part of that work to the subcontractor and pays them for it.

The agreement spells out what the subcontractor must clean, when, for how much, and under what rules. It also confirms that the subcontractor runs their own business rather than working as your employee.

When a Cleaning Business Uses One

Most cleaning companies turn to subcontractors when demand outgrows their team. Common situations include:

• Landing a large commercial account you can't staff right away
• Covering overflow during busy seasons, such as peak move-out periods
• Offering specialty work your crew doesn't do, like carpet or window cleaning
• Serving clients in an area outside your usual routes

Signing the agreement before the first job – not after – gives both sides a clear record of what was promised.

Key Terms to Include

A solid agreement covers who, what, where, when, and how much. Most versions include:

• Party details – names and contact information for your company and the subcontractor, plus the client if you choose to name them
• Scope of work – the specific tasks, rooms or areas, and any checklists the subcontractor must follow
• Location and schedule – service addresses, days, time windows, and how often each site gets cleaned
• Payment terms – the rate, invoicing schedule, due dates, and payment method
• Supplies and equipment – who provides cleaning products and tools, and any products that are off-limits
• Insurance and licenses – the coverage and permits the subcontractor must carry
• Term and termination – the start date, end date or ongoing term, and the notice needed to end the deal
• Dispute resolution and governing law – how disagreements get handled and which state's law applies
• Signatures – both parties sign and date the agreement

ConsumerShield's template on this page walks you through each of these terms, so nothing important gets left blank.

Choosing a Payment Structure

Pay disputes cause more friction than almost anything else, so it helps to pick one clear structure. Cleaning businesses typically pay subcontractors a flat fee per job, a recurring flat fee paid weekly or monthly for ongoing sites, or an hourly rate billed through invoices.

Whichever you choose, state when invoices are due, how many days you have to pay, and whether you'll hold back part of the payment until the work is approved. If the subcontractor drives between sites, you may also want to say whether mileage or travel time is covered.

Protecting Client Property and Relationships

Cleaners often work in homes and offices when no one else is there. That level of trust calls for a few extra clauses.

An access and security clause limits how keys, door codes, and alarm details can be used, and it requires the subcontractor to report lost keys or damage right away. A confidentiality clause keeps client names, schedules, pricing, and property details private.

Many cleaning companies also add a non-solicitation clause, which stops the subcontractor from taking on your clients directly for a set time after the agreement ends. Whether these limits hold up, and for how long, varies by state.

An indemnification clause – a promise to cover the other side's losses – typically makes the subcontractor responsible for damage or injuries caused by their own work. Pairing it with a general liability insurance requirement means there's money behind that promise. If the subcontractor handles cleaning chemicals, you might also require them to follow federal chemical hazard communication rules and train their own workers.

Keeping the Independent Contractor Line Clear

Calling someone a subcontractor on paper doesn't settle the question. The IRS looks at the whole working relationship – how much control you have over the work, who supplies the tools, how the person gets paid, and whether they're free to work for others. Its guide to independent contractor status explains these factors in plain terms.

If you direct a subcontractor's every step, provide all their supplies, and bar them from other clients, the relationship may start to look like employment. That can bring tax and benefit obligations you didn't plan for. Generally speaking, a cleaning subcontractor agreement works best when it sets results and standards while leaving the methods to the subcontractor.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

A few gaps show up again and again in cleaning subcontracts:

• Writing a vague scope like "general cleaning" instead of listing tasks and areas
• Skipping proof of insurance before the first job
• Leaving out what happens if a client complains or the work must be redone
• Forgetting to update the agreement when rates, sites, or services change

A clear, signed agreement lets you grow your cleaning business without handing over control of your reputation. Bringing in outside help for other kinds of work too? Browse subcontractor agreement templates on ConsumerShield for trades beyond cleaning.