A contract renewal goes better when you walk in with a record of the work, not just a new price. Go through this a month or so before the renewal date. Print it, or save it as a PDF from your browser's menu.
1. Gather the record
- The cleans you were booked to do over the contract period, and how many were done.
- Any cleans that were missed or late, why, and what cover you sent.
- Every problem the client reported, how quickly you replied, and how it was put right.
- Anything you did beyond the spec, such as extra visits or one-off jobs.
2. Check the spec against reality
- Is the client still asking for what the contract says, room by room and how often?
- Has anything been added informally that you are not being paid for?
- Have their hours, floor space or number of staff changed?
3. Check your costs
- Wages: the National Living Wage usually goes up each April. Work out what the next year's pay will cost you on this site.
- Materials, equipment and travel to the site.
- Time spent on the site that you are not billing for, such as key collection or waiting for access.
4. Read the contract
- The renewal date, the notice period, and whether it renews on its own.
- How the price can change, and when you must tell the client.
- If the client might move to another cleaning company, TUPE may apply to the cleaners who work on the site. Check your contract and take advice if you are unsure.
5. Talk to the client before the renewal date
- Ask how they think it is going while there is still time to fix things.
- Put right anything they raise, and tell them when it is done.
- Find out who decides on the renewal. It is not always your day to day contact.
6. Make your proposal
- Lead with the record: cleans done, problems sorted and how fast.
- Explain any price change with the costs from step 3.
- Offer any change to the spec that would suit them better.
- Agree a date for the next review, so the conversation does not wait another year.
This checklist is general guidance, not legal advice. Tenvola keeps the record in step 1 for you, from your cleaners' check-ins and your clients' problem reports. See how it works.