Residential
A flat you can move into with a suitcase
On handover day the resident checks the joint under the skirting, the glass against the sunlight and the inside of the kitchen units. I clean in an order that assumes exactly that.
- Not finished until it passes the handover inspection
- Coordinated with the residents’ committee or the managing agent
What is included
Flats and common areas
- Flat-by-flat cleaning before handover to residents
- Kitchens: inside the units, worktops, sink and taps
- Bathrooms: tiles, grout, sanitaryware and mirrors
- Windows, shutters, tracks and balconies
- Stickers and protective film off aluminium and glass
- Entrance lobby, letterboxes and glass doors
- Stairwells, from the top floor down
- Lifts, car and door tracks
- Underground car park: pressure washing and bay markings
- Stores, bin rooms and plant roofs
Coordination
In an occupied building, half the job is coordination
When the work is in a building people live in, cleaning cannot block the entrance or hold the lift for two hours in the middle of the day.
I agree the sequence with the residents’ committee or the managing agent in advance — when the lift is in use and where waste is collected — and tell residents before, not after.
- Working hours agreed with the residents’ committee
- One waste route, covered and signposted
- Stairwells kept passable at every stage
- Work at height with barriers and signage
Frequently asked
Residential — the recurring questions
Do you work for a single flat owner, not just contractors?
Yes. A lot of my work is one flat after a renovation, whoever did the building work. Describe the size of the flat and what was done, and I will come back with a price.
What about common areas in the middle of a redevelopment?
That is a large part of what I do. Periodic cleaning of stairwells and lobby while the works continue, then a full handover clean at the end.
Does the flat need to be empty before you arrive?
Empty is better — I work faster and reach every corner. If there is furniture I will cover and move what I can, but I will say in advance what I will not be able to clean underneath.
What if a resident finds something after handover?
If it is on the cleaning list, I come back and deal with it — the same day or the next, at no extra charge. That round is priced into the quote, so nobody has to argue about it on handover day.
Do you bring your own water and power?
No. I need a water and power connection on site. If there is none, tell me and I will bring tanks and a generator as an extra.
Handover to residents coming up?
Send the number of flats and the handover date, and I will build a programme that finishes before it.