---
title: "Cleaning contract for common areas: what it should include"
description: "What belongs in a common-areas cleaning contract for an SVJ: scope of work, frequency, inspection, complaints, liability for damage, insurance and termination."
url: https://uklid123.cz/en/blog/smlouva-o-uklidu-spolecnych-prostor-svj
language: en
updated: 2026-11-05
publisher: Úklid 1-2-3 (info@uklid123.cz, +420 608 486 486)
---

Businesses, SVJ and rentals

# Cleaning contract for common areas: what it should include for an SVJ

An overview for SVJ committees and managers: which points to put in a building cleaning contract so it is clear what is cleaned, how it is checked and how to end the contract.

Úklid 1-2-3 editorial team · Published 5 November 2026 · Last reviewed 5 November 2026 · 7 min read

## In short

- The most important part of the contract is the annex setting out the scope of work: which areas, which tasks and how often.
- Agree how inspections will work, the deadline for reporting defects and the deadline by which the contractor will remedy them.
- The Civil Code regulates compensation for damage and termination, but the contract should describe these matters specifically for your building.
- Without an agreed notice period, a contract for an indefinite period can be terminated at the end of a calendar quarter with at least three months' notice.
- Specify who supplies cleaning products, where they are stored and how keys and chips are handed over and returned.

A contract for cleaning common areas should set out the precise scope of work (which areas and which tasks), the frequency and dates, the method of inspection and complaints, who supplies products and water, liability for damage and proof of insurance, the handling of keys, the price or the way it is determined, and the rules for termination. Most disputes arise from an unclearly described scope.

This article deals only with the content of the contract. Who pays for cleaning in the building, how it is allocated and how to commission it is covered in the article [Cleaning common areas in an SVJ: who pays and how to commission it](https://uklid123.cz/blog/uklid-spolecnych-prostor-svj) . This is general information, not legal advice; please have your specific contract and your association's bylaws reviewed.

## What kind of contract it is and who signs it

Cleaning can be agreed as a contract for work. The [Civil Code](https://www.zakonyprolidi.cz/cs/2012-89) in Section 2587 regards as work, among other things, “maintenance, repair or modification of a thing, or an activity with another result”. Under Section 2590, the contractor is to perform the work “with the necessary care at the agreed time”. The parties may also choose a different type of contract – what is actually written in it matters more than its name.

The statutory body, that is, the committee, acts on behalf of the homeowners' association (SVJ), unless the bylaws stipulate that this is the chairperson (Section 1205). Under Section 1208(d), the general meeting approves the type of services and the method of allocating their costs to the units. [Act No. 67/2013 Coll.](https://www.zakonyprolidi.cz/cs/2013-67) expressly lists cleaning of common areas in the building among the services and, in Section 3, provides that the association decides on the scope of services. Before signing, therefore, check that cleaning as a service and its allocation have been approved by the general meeting in accordance with your bylaws.

## What the contract should contain: an overview

- The contracting parties, the address of the building and contact persons on both sides.
- The scope of work as a separate annex (areas, tasks, frequency).
- Cleaning days and time window, the procedure on public holidays and replacement dates.
- The method of inspection, reporting of defects and the deadline for remedy.
- Products, equipment, water, electricity and a place to store them.
- Keys, chips and access to technical rooms.
- Liability for damage, proof of insurance and, where applicable, a contractual penalty.
- The price or the way it is determined, invoicing and extraordinary work.
- Duration, termination, withdrawal and handover on termination.

## Scope of work: an annex against which cleaning can be checked

The contract should not simply say “cleaning of common areas”. Under Section 2615 of the Civil Code, work is defective if it does not conform to the contract. What is not in the contract is therefore difficult to complain about. Set out the scope area by area and state the frequency for each task.

| Area | Task | Frequency (example wording) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Entrance and vestibule | sweeping, mopping, wiping the entrance door and glass, shaking out or vacuuming the doormat | every week on Tuesday |
| Staircase and landings | sweeping or vacuuming, mopping, wiping banisters and handrails | every week |
| Lift | mopping the cabin floor, wiping the control panel, mirror and doors | every week |
| Letterboxes, switches, door handles | wiping | every week |
| Windows in corridors, window sills | cleaning windows and frames | twice a year, date by agreement |
| Cellar corridors, pram room | sweeping, removing cobwebs | once a month |
| Bin area | sweeping, mopping | by agreement |

The table is only an illustration of the structure; a more detailed breakdown of tasks and frequencies can be found in the article [Cleaning the entrance and staircase in an apartment building](https://uklid123.cz/blog/uklid-schodiste-bytovy-dum-vchod) .

### What to exclude expressly or agree separately

- winter maintenance of the pavement and entrance (gritting, snow clearing),
- extraordinary cleaning after a move, a flat renovation or an accident,
- removal of items left in common areas,
- cleaning windows at height, where a platform or work at height is required,
- machine cleaning of floors and impregnation.

For each item, state whether it is included in the price or ordered separately, and how.

## Frequency, dates and replacement cleaning

State a specific day and time window, for example the morning. Residents then know when the floor is wet, and the inspection has something to go by.

- Who announces a change of date and how far in advance.
- By when missed cleaning will be made up (for example within two working days).
- What applies when a public holiday falls on the cleaning day.
- Whether, and under what conditions, extra cleaning can be ordered.

## Quality inspection and complaints

Inspection works only if it is simple and both parties know it in advance. Several elements help:

- A record sheet on the notice board or in an app, in which the cleaner enters the date and the tasks performed.
- One contact person for the SVJ (a committee member or the manager) who reports defects. Complaints from individual residents should be sent through that person.
- Written reporting of a defect, ideally with a photograph, the date and the place.
- A deadline by which the contractor will remedy the defect, and confirmation of the remedy.
- A regular joint inspection of the building, for example once a quarter.

For a contract for work, the law assumes that the customer takes over the work either with reservations or without reservations (Section 2605). It is therefore worth describing in the contract how and by when reservations are to be raised.

The contract may include a contractual penalty, for example for repeatedly missed cleaning. Beware of Section 2050: if a contractual penalty is agreed, the creditor has no right to compensation for damage arising from the breach of the obligation to which the penalty relates. Link the penalty therefore to obligations such as meeting deadlines, not to damage to property.

## Liability for damage and insurance

Under Section 2913 of the Civil Code, a party that breaches an obligation under a contract must compensate the resulting damage. Under Section 2914, it is also liable for damage caused by an employee or other assistant. The contract should supplement this with practical matters:

- how damage is reported and documented (photographs, a record),
- that the contractor will provide proof of liability insurance and give notice of any lapse,
- whether the work may be passed to a subcontractor and under what conditions,
- who is liable for injury to a third party on a wet floor and how a mopped area is marked.

Devote a separate clause to chemicals. The contractor should use products in accordance with the label, ventilate during work and wear gloves. Products containing chlorine must never be mixed with acidic products or with ammonia, and new products for stone, wood or linoleum should first be tested in an inconspicuous place. More in the article [Which cleaning products must never be mixed](https://uklid123.cz/blog/nebezpecne-kombinace-cisticich-prostredku) .

## Keys, products and access to the building

- A handover protocol with the number of keys and chips and the signatures of both parties.
- A ban on copying keys and an obligation to report loss without undue delay, including who pays for replacing the lock.
- Who supplies products, mops and bin bags.
- From which tap and socket water and electricity are taken.
- Where equipment is stored; the room should be lockable and out of the reach of children.

## Price, invoicing and extraordinary work

The contract must determine the price sufficiently; under Section 2586, an agreed method of determining it is also enough. State for what period invoices are issued, what is included in the flat fee and how extraordinary work is ordered and charged. We also recommend a clause on how, and with how much notice, the price may change. Current prices can be found in the [price list](https://uklid123.cz/cenik) , and the scope of the service on the page [cleaning of common areas](https://uklid123.cz/sluzby/uklid-spolecnych-prostor) .

## Duration, termination and withdrawal

For a contract for an indefinite period which obliges a party to repeated performance, under Section 1999 the obligation may be terminated at the end of a calendar quarter by notice given at least three months in advance. This applies where the parties have not agreed otherwise, so it is better to write the notice period expressly, for example one to three months from the first day of the following month.

In the event of a material breach of the contract, the other party may, under Section 2002, withdraw without undue delay. For repeated performance, under Section 2004(3), withdrawal has effect only for the future. So that it is not disputed what is “material”, describe specific cases in the contract, for example repeated missed cleaning even after a written notice.

Also add the procedure on termination: return of keys and chips, clearing of the storage room and settlement of the final period.

## Frequently asked questions

### Does the contract for cleaning have to be approved by the general meeting of owners?

Under Section 1208 of the Civil Code, the general meeting approves the type of services and the method of allocating their costs to the units. The contract with the contractor is then usually signed by the statutory body, that is, the committee or the chairperson. However, who may conclude the contract, and up to what limit, is also governed by the bylaws of the particular association. This is not legal advice, so please check the procedure in your bylaws or with a lawyer.

### How long a notice period should be agreed?

For contracts for an indefinite period involving repeated performance, the law provides for termination at the end of a calendar quarter, given at least three months in advance, unless the parties agree otherwise. For an SVJ, it is usually practical to agree the notice period expressly and to make it equally long for both parties, so that the committee has time to find a new contractor and the contractor has time to reassign staff.

### What should we do if cleaning is repeatedly not carried out in accordance with the contract?

Report defects in writing through a single contact person, stating the date, the place and including a photograph, and request a remedy within the deadline set out in the contract. If the problem recurs, proceed under the contractual penalty or under the agreed grounds for termination or withdrawal. This is why it is useful to have the scope of work in an annex and to describe specific cases of material breach in the contract.

### Should the cleaning contractor have liability insurance?

The Civil Code provides that anyone who breaches an obligation under a contract must compensate the resulting damage, including damage caused by their employees. Liability insurance can help ensure that compensation is actually paid. It is therefore sensible to state in the contract that the contractor will provide proof of insurance and give notice if it lapses. Request the scope and limit of the policy in writing.

## Sources

- [Zákon č. 89/2012 Sb., občanský zákoník – Zákony pro lidi](https://www.zakonyprolidi.cz/cs/2012-89) (checked 5 November 2026)
- [Zákon č. 67/2013 Sb., kterým se upravují některé otázky související s poskytováním plnění spojených s užíváním bytů a nebytových prostorů v domě s byty – Zákony pro lidi](https://www.zakonyprolidi.cz/cs/2013-67) (checked 5 November 2026)

Prepared by the Úklid 1-2-3 editorial team with the help of AI and verified against the sources listed. Manufacturers' instructions and regulations change: always follow the current wording of the source and the product label. This article is general information, not professional or legal advice. This article was translated from Czech with the help of AI. The sources are in the original language.

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