How to Choose a Commercial Cleaning Company Melbourne — 7 Things to Check

Melbourne commercial cleaning contracts range from $120/week for a small office to $5,000+/month for large facilities. The price range is wide, and so is the quality. Here’s how to evaluate a commercial cleaner before you sign anything — and the specific questions that separate professional operators from underprepared ones.

1. Public Liability Insurance — Minimum $10 Million

Ask for a current certificate of currency before the first meeting is done. Any legitimate commercial cleaning company carries public liability insurance — minimum $10 million coverage is standard for Melbourne commercial work. The certificate should show the policy provider, the coverage amount, and the expiry date.

If a company can’t produce this on request within 24 hours, walk away.

2. Police Checks and Staff Vetting

Commercial cleaners typically work in your facility after hours, unsupervised. Ask specifically:

• Are all cleaners required to provide a National Police Check before starting?
• How recent must the check be? (12 months is standard)
• Is the check performed by the company or self-supplied by the worker?

For sensitive environments — aged care, schools, government buildings, medical facilities — police checks are non-negotiable and should be a documented requirement in the service agreement.

3. Safe Work Method Statements (SWMS)

A SWMS (Safe Work Method Statement) outlines how cleaning tasks with potential hazards are performed safely. This matters for:

• Working at heights (window cleaning, high dusting)
• Chemical handling (industrial degreasers, disinfectants)
• Wet floor risk management in public areas

Ask: “Do you have current SWMS documentation for the tasks involved in our clean?” If they don’t know what this is, they’re not compliant.

4. WorkSafe Compliance and Workers Compensation

Confirm the company holds a current WorkSafe registration and workers compensation insurance. If a cleaner is injured on your premises and the company isn’t properly covered, your business could be exposed to liability. Ask for documentation — reputable operators keep this on file and share it without hesitation.

5. ABN and Business Structure

Verify the company’s ABN via the ABN Lookup at abr.business.gov.au. Check:

• The business is registered and active
• The GST registration status (registered businesses should issue proper tax invoices)
• The trading name matches who you’re contracting with

Avoid companies that insist on cash payments only or can’t provide proper invoices — this is a compliance red flag and can create problems if you ever need to make an insurance claim related to their work.

6. References From Comparable Melbourne Businesses

Ask for references from businesses similar to yours in size and type. A company that cleans small offices may not have the systems or staffing for a 3,000m² warehouse, and vice versa. Relevant reference questions:

• How long have they been cleaning your facility?
• How responsive are they when something is missed?
• Have they ever had staff issues that affected service delivery?
• Would you renew with them?

7. Contract Terms — Specifically Exit Clauses

Read the contract before signing, particularly:

• Notice period to terminate: 30 days is standard; anything beyond 60 days warrants negotiation
• Price escalation clauses: annual CPI increases are normal; discretionary increases are not
• What constitutes a service failure and what remedy is provided (re-clean? credit?)
• Who is responsible if a cleaner damages property during the clean

View Deep Clean King’s commercial cleaning services for Melbourne businesses →