LCS logo as white text
Northampton Town FC logo
Principle Partner of Northampton Town FC

Switching cleaning provider? Everything you need to know

Office building with full cleaning specification graphic LCS - The Cleaning Company

Overcoming Cleaning Contractor Frustrations & Comparing Providers

Why are so many cleaning contractors unreliable?
Other cleaning companies rely on guess work or the data supplied by the current contractor to calculate the requirements for the site meaning the customer gets the same service repackaged. This does not offer a real solution as the root cause of the issues have not been addressed. Many then rely on temporary or undertrained staff, with little management oversight. Without strong supervision or a robust spec, quality quickly slips—especially in busy offices where attention to detail matters.

What makes LCS better than national cleaning companies?
We're based in Northampton and you’ll deal directly with our local team, not a call centre. Our clients often tell us that being able to speak to someone who knows their site makes a huge difference.

How are you different from cheap or one-man-band cleaners?
We offer a managed service with trained staff, cover for sickness and holidays, and regular audits. While a solo cleaner may be cheaper, our structure means you get consistency and accountability.

Can you take over from our current contractor without disruption?
Yes, we specialise in smooth handovers, including TUPE where needed. We’ll plan the transition around your operational hours and ensure a seamless start without affecting your day-to-day.

How quickly can you start after I make an enquiry?
Most new contracts start within 1–2 weeks following a site visit and proposal approval. This may vary depending on TUPE or site-specific requirements.

Can I move our current cleaning staff over to LCS under TUPE?
Yes. If TUPE applies, existing cleaners have the legal right to transfer to us on the same terms. We’ve handled many of these transitions across offices and schools.

Who manages TUPE if our cleaners are being transferred?
We handle all TUPE administration and communication, in line with employment legislation. That includes timelines, consultation, and the legal paperwork.

What happens if transferred cleaners aren’t up to standard?
We provide additional training and support where needed. If issues persist, we follow a structured performance process in line with HR best practice and your expectations.

Can you improve service without increasing our budget?
Often, yes. We regularly help clients achieve better standards by refining specs, introducing better routines, and improving supervision—without raising costs.

Do you work with businesses that have had bad past experiences?
Absolutely. Many of our long-term clients came to us frustrated by inconsistent cleaning. We rebuild confidence through transparency, reliability, and results.

LCS's Quoting, Specification, and Setup Process

What’s included in your site visit and survey?
We assess the space, room type, number of staff, footfall, floor type as well as your budget and any specific cleaning needs. This lets us create a tailored cleaning plan—not just a price per square foot.

Can you tailor the cleaning schedule to our building?
Yes, every cleaning schedule is built to fit your site, from boardrooms and open-plan offices to washrooms and kitchen areas.

How do you decide how many hours our site needs?
Every proposal starts with a detailed site survey which will take into consideration each individual room size, room types and floor type. The findings from this survey are run through our bespoke software to build a fit for purpose cleaning specification and tell us exactly how many hours and any equipment needed to deliver this. We can tailor this cleaning specification up or down depending on the customer budget. Our software has been developed in house and removes the need for any guesswork.

Do you provide a detailed cleaning specification?
Yes. Our proposals include a full breakdown by task, frequency and area. This becomes the working standard for the cleaners and our managers.

Can I see a sample quote before committing?
As each of our proposal and bespoke, we are unable to provide a sample quote.

What format is your proposal delivered in?
Our quotes are delivered in person so we can fully explain the solution we are proposing.

Do you charge extra for equipment or materials?
No—unless clearly stated, all regular materials and equipment are included in the contract price. That means no unexpected add-ons for vacuums, chemicals or cloths. Our customers only have to pay for consumable items such as toilet paper, hand towels and bin bags for example.

What’s your minimum weekly cleaning time?
Our typical starting point is 10 hours per week, which suits most small-to-mid-sized office spaces. Smaller jobs may be considered but are assessed individually.

Do you offer fixed-term or rolling contracts?
All of our contracts are for a 3 year fixed term as standard, however this can be amended depending on the size of the contract.

Can I change our cleaning schedule if our needs change?
Yes, we’ll review the spec with you and adjust it if your office usage, headcount, or priorities evolve.

The Cleaning Company Service Delivery & Operations FAQs

Who manages your cleaning team on our site?
Each site is supported by an area manager who handles audits, communication and support. They’re your go-to for any queries or adjustments.

Are your cleaners trained before starting with us?
Yes, every cleaner receives induction training covering health and safety, cleaning methods, and customer expectations.

How do you check that standards are being met?
We carry out regular site audits and track feedback trends. We use these to spot patterns, retrain where needed, and ensure high standards are maintained.

What happens if a cleaner misses something?
You can report it directly, and we’ll put it right promptly. Persistent issues are flagged internally and addressed through retraining or staffing changes.

What cover do you provide for sickness or holidays?
We have a relief cleaning team and float staff who step in when someone is unavailable. You won’t be left short-handed.

Do your cleaners wear branded uniforms and carry ID?
Yes. All staff wear LCS-branded uniforms.

Do you clean offices outside normal working hours?
Yes. Early mornings and evenings are common, and we’ll work around your business hours to minimise disruption.

Can you clean shared spaces like kitchens and washrooms?
Yes, and these are often prioritised due to hygiene needs. We clean with the appropriate chemicals and follow strict hygiene protocols.

Do you offer carpet, window or hard floor cleaning?
Yes. We can include these services as part of your contract or as one-off deep cleans when required.

Can I reach someone if there’s an urgent issue on site?
Yes. You’ll have the mobile number for your area manager and access to our head office during working hours.

Compliance, Safety & Reputation FAQs

Are your staff DBS checked?
Yes. Where contracts require it—such as schools —our staff are DBS checked before they’re assigned to site.

What training do your cleaners receive on health and safety?
All staff are inducted with training in manual handling, COSHH, PPE, and site-specific procedures. Ongoing training is delivered through regular refreshers and audits.

Do you follow COSHH regulations and keep records?
Yes. All cleaning products are COSHH assessed and recorded. We maintain up-to-date documentation for all chemicals used on each site.

Can you support us with audits or hygiene inspections?
Yes. We support clients preparing for workplace audits, inspections or accreditations by providing cleaning logs, RAMS, and evidence of service compliance.

What insurances do you carry for commercial work?
We carry public liability, employer’s liability and professional indemnity insurance. Specific policy limits and documents can be provided on request.

Do you help us meet workplace hygiene standards?
Yes. Our cleaning schedules are built around government guidance for hygiene in shared workplaces, helping reduce illness and improve wellbeing.

Do you work with offices that require strict access control?
Yes. We work with secure facilities where sign-in, ID checks and restricted access are part of the protocol. Our team is trained to operate within those frameworks.

Can you provide RAMS or H&S documentation for our files?
Yes. We provide RAMS, method statements, and health & safety packs as part of our contract onboarding.

What happens if something gets damaged during cleaning?
We follow a clear incident reporting process and resolve any damage fairly and quickly. Any claims are handled through our insurance where appropriate.

Value, Results & Local Presence Cleaning Contractor FAQs

How do you measure the success of your cleaning contracts?
We use audit results, client feedback, and service delivery metrics like complaint response time and site attendance logs. These help us constantly improve.

Can you provide local references or case studies?
Yes. We’ve worked with many well-known organisations across Northamptonshire and surrounding areas which we can share references or anonymised examples on request.

Do you review the cleaning spec with us regularly?
Yes. We conduct scheduled reviews to ensure the specification still reflects your needs, especially if office layouts or usage changes.

How often do your managers check in with us?
We always aim to carry out a formal monthly audit with ad hoc spot check carried out in between

What feedback or reporting do we get each month?
We always encourage client participation with out audits so we can take your feedback into consideration. Either way, a copy of the audit can be shared with you electronically.

What sort of clients do you work with in Northamptonshire?
We work with a wide range—from SMEs and multi-site offices to schools, surgeries and corporate head offices. Most are based in or around Northampton, Bedford and Milton Keynes.

Do you work with multi-site offices or regional chains?
Yes. We manage cleaning across multiple locations, offering a single point of contact and unified reporting.

How do you help us stay ahead of industry changes?
We keep up with HSE updates, product innovations and environmental trends. When relevant, we introduce new methods or services to your contract.

Can we trial the service before signing a full contract?
We do not offer trials. We are more than happy to share case studies and/or references.

Why should I choose LCS as our long-term cleaning partner?
Because we offer a local, accountable service that’s tailored to your site. Our clients stay with us because we solve problems, not cause them.

Book a free site survey!

If your current contract is vague, patchy or underperforming, we can help.
LCS logo as white text
Join our newsletter

Pages
Links
Socials
Watch our story
Visioned and Crafted by Green Ape Media
© All right reserved
crossmenuarrow-left