How to hand over keys to a cleaning company: safely, by agreement and without worry

You can hand over keys to a cleaning company safely if you agree in writing in advance who will receive them, how they will be kept between visits and when they will be returned. Hand over only the key to the flat, not the whole bunch, and never with a key ring showing the address. Where possible, use a temporary code or a lockbox with a code. Confirm the handover with a short record and ask about liability insurance.

Before you hand over the keys: what to clarify

Letting a stranger into your flat when you are not at home is a matter of trust, but above all of agreement. Concerns ease when you know in advance how everything will work and what happens if something goes wrong.

Before the first cleaning, clarify with the company:

• who exactly will be coming and whether it will always be the same person or also a stand-in,
• where and how the company will keep the key between visits and who will have access to it,
• whether the key stays with the company or whether you will have it put back in an agreed place after each cleaning,
• what the company's procedure is if a key is lost and who will pay for replacing the lock cylinder,
• whether it has liability insurance and with what limit of cover.

You will find further questions worth asking before you place an order in the article how to choose a cleaning company.

Ways to hand over keys and codes

There is no single right way. It depends on how often the cleaning takes place, whether someone is usually at home and what kind of lock you have.

Do not leave a key under the doormat, in a flower pot or in the post box. These places are easy to find and anyone could find the key there.

The key to the flat, not the whole bunch

Hand over only what is really needed for the cleaning: the key to the flat, and if need be to the building entrance or the cellar, if those are to be cleaned. Keep your car, post box or cottage keys at home. Do not write an address or name on the key; it is enough for the company to have a marking that reveals nothing.

What to put in writing: a key handover record

It does not have to be a complicated contract. A short record signed by both parties is enough, or an e-mail that the other party confirms. Include in it:

1. The date of handover and the names of both parties.
2. The number and type of keys, chips or cards handed over. Do not write the lock or lockbox code itself in the record; communicate it separately.
3. Where the key will be kept and who will have access to it.
4. When and how the keys are returned: when the cooperation ends, on your request, or possibly after each cleaning.
5. What happens in the event of loss: who will report it without delay and who will pay for replacing the lock.
6. A telephone number the cleaner can call if they cannot unlock the door or something happens in the flat.

When you get the keys back, have the return confirmed in the same way.

Handover notes for the first cleaning

A person who sees your flat for the first time does not know where things are or what matters to you. Short notes save phone calls and prevent misunderstandings:

• how to unlock and lock up, any peculiarities of the lock, and how to switch the alarm off and on if relevant,
• which rooms are to be cleaned and which are off limits (study, dressing room, child's room),
• sensitive surfaces and materials, for example oiled wood, marble or antique furniture,
• pets and how to handle them, whether to let them out or, on the contrary, shut them in,
• where the vacuum cleaner and cleaning products are and where waste belongs,
• what to do when leaving: close the windows, switch off the lights, lock all the locks.

Put valuables, documents, cash and medicines aside before the cleaning, ideally in a locked drawer. This is not a sign of distrust but ordinary caution that protects both parties against misunderstandings. We write in more detail about preparing your flat in the article regular home cleaning: what to prepare before the first visit.

Who is liable for damage

Under the Civil Code, if a party breaches an obligation under a contract, it must compensate the other party for the resulting damage (§ 2913). Anyone who uses an employee or another helper in their activity must compensate for damage caused by them in the same way as if they had caused it themselves (§ 2914). An agreement that in advance excludes or limits compensation for damage caused intentionally or by gross negligence is disregarded under § 2898.

In practice, it matters whether the company has liability insurance. According to the Czech Insurance Association, business liability insurance covers damage caused in connection with business activity, including a service provided, up to the agreed limit of cover; the scope is determined by the insurance terms and their exclusions. Ask, therefore, whether the insurance also covers the loss of keys and damage in the customer's flat. You can also ask your own insurer how it would deal with damage to your household caused by a third party.

This is general information, not legal advice. Check your specific situation in the contract, the company's terms and conditions or with a lawyer.

Personal data and a camera in the flat

A company that has your key also knows your address, your schedule of absence and possibly access codes. This is personal data. According to the guide of the Office for Personal Data Protection, it should be kept only for as long as necessary for the given purpose, and you have the right to find out what data the controller processes about you. Under the conditions laid down by the regulation, you can also request its erasure. Ask where the company stores codes and addresses and who has access to them.

If you have a camera at home, the Office states that GDPR obligations do not apply to purely personal or household activities, and therefore not to reasonable protection of your own home with a camera either. However, the Civil Code protects the likeness and privacy of every person (§ 84 and § 86). For that reason, tell the cleaner about the camera in advance and openly, and agree on what it records and why. Here too, this is not legal advice; in unclear cases, turn to an expert.

Short-term rental

With a short-term rental flat, access is handed over repeatedly and often without meeting in person. A lockbox with a code or an electronic lock works well, where the cleaning has its own code separate from the guests' codes. Change the codes regularly and delete them once the cooperation ends. How cleaning fits in with guest arrivals is described in the article Airbnb cleaning between guests.

If you are considering regular cleaning, you will find the scope and procedure at Úklid 1-2-3 on the page home cleaning.

When the cooperation ends

1. Ask for the return of all keys, chips and cards as listed in the handover record.
2. Have the return confirmed in writing.
3. Delete temporary codes on the electronic lock and change the code of the key lockbox.
4. Ask the company to delete access codes and any data it no longer needs.
5. If a key is missing or you are not sure where it has been, consider replacing the lock cylinder.