How to choose a cleaning company: 10 questions to ask before you book

When choosing a cleaning company, check who provides the service (company ID (IČO) and details in ARES), what exactly is included in the price and how the price is calculated, what the cancellation conditions are, who is liable for any damage, how payment works, what receipt you will get and how complaints are handled. Ask for the answers in writing, ideally in the order confirmation or in the terms and conditions. Below are ten questions that are enough to ask before you book.

1. Who provides the service?

The website, quotation or order confirmation should state the name of the company or individual, the company ID (IČO) and the registered office. You can verify the details in the ARES register. The Ministry of Finance describes it as an information system that allows searching of economic entities registered in the Czech Republic; it takes data from, among others, the public register, the trade licensing register and the register of VAT payers, and it also shows data from insolvency records.

The Ministry also points out that the data in ARES is for information only. For official verification, the source registers themselves serve. For an ordinary check before booking, however, ARES is enough: you will find out whether the entity exists, where it has its registered office and whether the name matches the one who sent you the quotation.

2. How can you contact the company?

If you order via a website, e-mail or telephone, under Section 1820 of the Civil Code the business must, before the contract is concluded, provide you with, among other things, its identity details, the address of its registered office, a telephone number and an e-mail address. Make sure the contact really works and that you know where to turn if the cleaning is not done properly or you need to reschedule.

3. What exactly is included in the scope of cleaning?

Most misunderstandings arise from differing ideas about the scope. "Flat cleaning" may mean vacuuming and dusting, but also washing windows and cleaning the inside of cupboards and the oven. Ask for a written list of tasks, ideally room by room, and ask about whatever is important to you:

• windows and frames, windowsills, blinds,
• the inside of the fridge, oven, microwave and kitchen cupboards,
• limescale in the bathroom, grout, drains,
• balcony, cellar, common areas,
• upholstery and carpets.

For contracts concluded at a distance, the information about the content of the obligation that the business provides before the contract is concluded becomes, under Section 1822 of the Civil Code, part of the contract, unless the parties expressly agree otherwise. Keep the description of the scope saved.

4. How is the price calculated?

The price may be per hour, per square metre, per flat according to its layout, or a fixed price for a specific assignment. Ask what happens if the cleaning takes longer than expected and whether you pay for transport, parking, cleaning products or a weekend surcharge. For contracts concluded at a distance, the business must, under Section 1820 of the Civil Code, state the total price including additional costs.

Prices of services change, so always compare them according to the current price list and for the same scope. You can get an indicative idea in the price list or in the enquiry calculator.

5. What products and equipment will be used?

Clarify whether the company will bring its own products, vacuum cleaner and equipment, or expects to use yours. If you have sensitive surfaces (natural stone, oiled wood, lacquered kitchen doors) or there is an allergy sufferer, a small child or a pet in the household, say so in advance. You can ask that only a product supplied by you be used on certain surfaces.

6. Who is liable for damage?

If an item is damaged during cleaning, the general rules on compensation for damage apply. Under Section 2913 of the Civil Code, anyone who breaches a contractual obligation must compensate the resulting damage. Under Section 2914, a business is also liable for damage caused by its employee or another helper, just as if it had caused the damage itself.

Before booking, ask how the company handles damage in practice: whom to report it to, within what period, and whether it has liability insurance. Have the answer confirmed in writing. It is better to put away valuable or fragile items before the cleaning, or to point them out expressly.

7. What are the cancellation and withdrawal conditions?

Find out until when the appointment can be cancelled or rescheduled free of charge and how much a late cancellation costs. These conditions are usually set out in the terms and conditions.

For contracts concluded online, by telephone or away from business premises, a consumer can, under Section 1829 of the Civil Code, generally withdraw within fourteen days of the conclusion of the contract. However, exceptions apply to services. If the cleaning is to take place earlier, you must expressly request that it begin (Section 1824a, and for contracts concluded away from business premises Section 1827). If you withdraw after it has begun, you pay a proportionate part of the price (Section 1834), and if the service is fully performed with your prior consent and after you have been informed, the right of withdrawal lapses (Section 1837(a)).

8. How do you pay and what receipt will you get?

Ask whether payment is made in advance or after the cleaning, by bank transfer or by card. In Section 16, the Consumer Protection Act provides that, at the consumer's request, the seller must issue a document confirming the provision of the service, with the date, a description of the service, the price and identification details including the company ID (IČO). Always ask for a receipt; without one, it is harder to make a complaint.

9. How do you complain about unsatisfactory cleaning?

Under Section 13 of the Consumer Protection Act, the seller must inform the consumer about the scope, conditions and method of making a complaint. Ask specific questions: by when the defect must be reported, whether photographs are enough, and how the company will remedy the defect, for example by repeating the cleaning of the affected part.

If you cannot reach an agreement, you can use out-of-court dispute resolution at the Czech Trade Inspection Authority (ČOI). The ČOI states that the consumer must first try to resolve the dispute directly with the business and file the proposal no later than within one year of the date on which they first made their claim to it.

10. How will access and keys be arranged?

Agree who will be present, how keys will be handed over and returned, whether the company keeps the keys for regular cleaning and how it labels them. Also clarify how your personal data, such as your address and building entry code, will be protected. For regular cleaning, it is worth having one agreed contact person.

Warning signs

Be cautious if any of the following appear in a quotation:

• the name, company ID (IČO) or registered office is missing, or differs from the details in ARES,
• the price is only verbal and nobody wants to put the scope of cleaning in writing,
• advance payment is to go to the account of a person other than the provider,
• the terms and conditions are not available or cannot be found,
• you are pressured to decide by a deadline, without being able to read the conditions.

Checklist before booking

1. Verify the name and company ID (IČO) in ARES.
2. Save the contact details and the terms and conditions.
3. Have the scope of cleaning confirmed in writing, room by room.
4. Clarify how the price is calculated and all surcharges.
5. Agree whose products will be used and what to point out.
6. Ask about the procedure in case of damage and about insurance.
7. Read the cancellation conditions.
8. Agree on payment and ask for a receipt.
9. Find out how and by when to make a complaint.
10. Agree on the handover of keys and access.

You can find out how Úklid 1-2-3 deals with these points in the terms and conditions, in the description of how an order works, and in the frequently asked questions.

This article is general information, not legal advice. Check your specific situation against the current wording of the laws or with a professional.