Choosing the wrong commercial cleaner costs money, time, and headaches. A bad hire shows up late, cuts corners, doesn't communicate, and is awkward to exit when you're locked into a 12-month contract. This guide gives you the 7 questions that separate reliable Hornsby cleaners from the rest.
These aren't trick questions — a professional cleaning company answers all of them without hesitation. If you get evasion, vagueness, or defensiveness on any of these, take your business elsewhere.
1. Are your staff police-checked?
Commercial cleaners often work after hours with unsupervised access to your premises. A police background check is the minimum standard — not a premium add-on. Ask to see evidence of the check policy, not just a verbal assurance. At Pro Commercial Cleaning Hornsby, all staff are police background checked before their first shift, and we can provide certificate confirmation on request.
Red flag: any cleaner who treats this as an unusual question.
2. What insurance do you carry?
You need two types of insurance from any commercial cleaning company in Hornsby:
**Public liability insurance** — covers damage to your property or injury to a third party caused by the cleaner. The minimum acceptable level is $10M, but $20M is standard for reputable providers.
**Workers compensation insurance** — covers the cleaner if they're injured while working on your site. Without this, you could be exposed to a workers comp claim even though you're not the employer.
Ask for certificates of currency — not a statement, the actual current document. If they won't provide it, walk away.
Red flag: "fully insured" without providing documentation.
3. Can you provide local references?
A cleaner who has been operating in Hornsby for years will have local business references. Ask for 2–3 references from businesses similar to yours — ideally the same industry and similar size. Contact them directly. Ask specifically about consistency (does the quality drop after the first few weeks?), communication (do they respond quickly to issues?), and reliability (do they show up on time?).
Red flag: only testimonials on a website, no direct references available.
4. Do they do a site inspection before quoting?
An accurate quote is only possible after seeing your premises. A cleaner who quotes over the phone or email without visiting has no way to accurately price the job — they're guessing, and the guess will either be too high (you pay too much) or too low (service suffers after the contract starts).
A site inspection also lets you assess the cleaner's professionalism: do they ask the right questions? Do they understand your specific needs? Do they notice potential challenges (difficult access, specialist surfaces, high-risk areas)?
Red flag: a quote provided without any site visit or detailed questionnaire.
5. What products do you use — and can you prove it?
For standard commercial cleaning, this matters less — but for medical centres, childcare facilities, food preparation areas, or any environment with vulnerable occupants, the products must be appropriate.
Medical and childcare sites require TGA-listed (Therapeutic Goods Administration) disinfectants. Food areas may require food-safe cleaning agents. Ask for the product name and ARTG registration number. If the cleaner can't tell you what they're using, they don't have a documented system — which is a compliance problem, not just a preference.
Red flag: "we use commercial grade products" without specifics.
6. What are the contract terms?
Reputable commercial cleaners in Hornsby offer month-to-month contracts with 30 days written notice to cancel. Annual lock-ins with early termination fees exist primarily to protect the cleaner's revenue — not to benefit your business.
Before signing, confirm:
- Notice period to cancel
- Whether there are cancellation fees
- How price increases are communicated and how far in advance
- What constitutes a breach that allows you to exit immediately
The best cleaning relationships don't need lock-ins — if the service is good, clients stay.
Red flag: annual contract with heavy penalty clauses for early exit.
7. How do they handle complaints and quality issues?
Every cleaning company will have an off day at some point. What separates good from bad is how they respond. Ask specifically: "If I'm not happy with a clean, what happens?" You want a clear answer — re-clean within 24 hours, no charge, no argument.
Also ask how they manage staff consistency. Frequent staff changes mean your cleaner doesn't know your site, what's important to you, or where things are. Higher-quality providers assign the same team to a site and manage handovers properly.
Red flag: vague answers, defensiveness, or "we never have complaints."
The Shortlist Process
Once you've identified candidates, follow this process:
- Call 3–4 companies and ask the 7 questions above. Eliminate any that can't answer clearly.
- Invite 2–3 survivors for an onsite inspection and quote.
- Compare quotes — not just price, but what's included, frequency, and contract terms.
- Check references for your top 2.
- Start with a trial period of 4–8 weeks before committing to a longer arrangement (a good cleaner will agree to this).
Price Is Not the Most Important Factor
The cheapest quote in Hornsby is often cheap for a reason — lower insurance coverage, casual staff without checks, or service levels that drop significantly after the first few weeks. The business that wins on price often loses on reliability.
A cleaning contract is a long-term relationship. A cleaner who is $20 cheaper per visit but misses cleans, doesn't respond to complaints, or has no insurance will cost you far more in stress and admin than the saving is worth.
Look for value — a competitive price with transparent terms, documented insurance, and clear accountability.
