Hiring the cleaning: a firm, a self-employed cleaner or resident rotas

Cleaning is the number one recurring expense in buildings without a lift — and the service people complain about most.

The three options

• A cleaning company: invoice, insurance, cover for absences. For a small stairwell (two days a week), €150–300 a month depending on the city.
• A self-employed cleaner: usually cheaper and more personal. Insist on an invoice and proper registration — the "off the books" person who cleans cheaply is an ENORMOUS employment risk for the community if there is an accident.
• Resident rotas: free in theory. In practice: the eternal "I did it twice", the flat that never cleans, and a stairwell worse than before. It only works in very small, very close-knit buildings.

What to ask for in the quote

Frequency and specific tasks (sweeping and mopping the entrance and stairs, glass, the lift, touch-ups), whether products are included, holiday cover, and the price including VAT.

The contract

Month to month or with a short notice period: flexibility is worth more than a small loyalty discount. And changing supplier, when the time comes, is a simple majority at a meeting.