How to Get an Airbnb Cleaning Contract
Whether you’re a seasoned Airbnb host or just starting out, you know the importance of keeping your property clean. After all, cleanliness is not just next to godliness — it’s next to 5-star reviews on Airbnb. In the past, many Airbnb hosts simply hired someone off Craigslist or re-usable website like Thumbtack or Task Rabbit and paid by the job for house cleaning. With no way to control when or whether a job was the same or to get a fair price, not to mention the general risk involved in hiring a stranger off the internet, it came without much thought to using a contract for cleaning. Recently, a lot of people have decided to try either short-term renting through Airbnb or long-term renting through sites like Padmapper, Apartment Finder, Apartments.com, or Zillow. With others doing the same, the demand for most types of vendors (like house cleaning) went up. There are also more companies competing directly for the business of Airbnb hosts, like Airbnb Cleaning. These Airbnb-focused cleaning services often will also offer add-ons like laundry, laundry pickup/delivery and other concierge services. As a result, the cost of cleaning has gone up, but so has the potential for hosts to get better service. In the old days of domestic help, people would have a regular housekeeper who would come to the job regularly and be on call for periodic house calls, or what some have called "house calls." That’s essentially where things are trending with Airbnb cleaners today. Airbnb hosts can get access to a team of scheduled housekeepers ready to take a house call at a moment’s notice. Depending , of course, on how busy they get, they can charge how they want. That’s where the business model of cleaning for Airbnb’s gets tricky, because most Airbnb hosts don’t keep odd hours, but rather, work 9-5 jobs plus they also happen to keep rental properties. So how do they pay a regular cleaning crew to take house calls during the night and weekends? And charge an hourly rate for cleaning as well? The answer is they have to do it via a contract, and have a party they are beholden to for payment. That’s why most Airbnb cleaning companies are set up as LLC’s and require signed contracts for services. Cleaning companies also need 1099 tax forms for free-lancing cleaning crews. Air BnB hosts need the same, but they must always use a civil statute code for their contracts and agreements. Standard cleaning agreements come in two basic forms. Airbnb hosts use these contracts to protect themselves from unscrupulous cleaners. Monied and charismatic scammers can screw over homeowners of any demographic, so that’s where these contracts come in. They also protect the cleaner from a bad draw, like the one we discussed recently with Honey Fund. For now, if you are reading this and trying to differentiate between the two types of airbnb cleaning contracts, note that the first type has sub-services (a checklist and breakdown of the cleaning areas and prices) and the second one does not (it’s a basic flat rate cleaning for an 800 square foot apartment).
Elements of an Airbnb Cleaning Contract
The contract between you and your Airbnb cleaning service tells them what they are required to do for your home. Having a great cleaning service is so important because they are the ones that keep your home looking beautiful for your guests and make sure everything is cleaned and sanitized thoroughly and with care. Your contract will most likely include: – Services Offered – Schedule – Pricing – Cancellation Policies – Liability Insurance
Services Offered If it’s not a standard offered by the service, then you’ll want to lay out exactly what duties they are responsible for. For example, say a guest spills soda on the carpet between bookings and it really stains. Did your cleaner miss it when they were cleaning? Did your cleaner use the correct products to clean it? If not, will they be responsible for the cost of having it cleaned and repaired?
Schedule Is the service coming every other week? Once a month or every other month? Is it flexible if you have a lot of bookings in one month? When will they come? You may need to add part of this schedule in the contract as well. We usually only use our cleaners when we don’t have guests and need a deep clean. So, I contact them in advance, when I know we will have some days without guests and arrange for a time that works for me and them.
Pricing Is the pricing standard across your bookings? Or does it change based on their availability and your frequency of booking? Also consider whether they price includes supplies or if you are responsible for providing them. You may also want to require payment in advance.
Cancellations How late can you cancel a request for a booking? What if there is an emergency? Does the service charge a fee?
Liability If there is damage to the home, who is liable? What if the service damages something in the home or injures themselves while working? Is the service required to have insurance? The best way to determine exactly what should be included in the contract is to think through all of the potential issues that could come up and how you would like to handle them with your service.
Personalizing an Airbnb Cleaning Contract Template
The process of customizing an Airbnb cleaning contract template is crucial to ensure that the particularities of your property are covered in detail. For instance, the number of rooms, their sizes, the appliances they include, and the extent of services required pre and post-stay depend upon the specific amenities your property offers.
Similarly, you might have different expectations based on your property type or location. If your Airbnb is particularly high-end with luxury facilities, these should be spelled out in your contract to ensure the cleaning crew treats them with the necessary care. Alternatively, if your property consists of multiple units in a large building, you may need to specify that the cleaning team will be responsible for coordinating with on-site staff or other providers.
Additionally, the type and frequency of services will also affect your contract requirements. For a one-off service, your contract may require basic cleaning of all finished surfaces – desk and nightstands, window sills and air-conditioners, DVD players, wardrobes, and drawers, as well as a clean of the door, door knob and lock. You may also specify a touchpoint disinfecting of all lights switches and outlets, remote controls, door frame, open drawers or pockets, bedside lamps, power points, luggage racks, toiletries (and more).
For ongoing monthly, weekly, or end-of-stay services, you might include more specific cleaning instructions for each room, as well as optional extras, such as laundry, outside work, and garden maintenance, if applicable. The needs of your guests will also determine the content of your contract. For example, if you are accommodating primarily business travelers who require late check-in and early check-out, your contract will need to reflect this and ensure that cleaners are available at the right times to accommodate your guests’ schedules.
For an Airbnb, the same principle applies – you may want to adjust your contract to include the requirements of your guests, whether this be laundry, grocery shopping, or even providing a complimentary breakfast option. However, if your Airbnb is a standalone house or cottage, full cleaning and laundry services may be included as standard.
Ultimately, the most effective way to customize your cleaning contract template is to think about the specific features of your property and your guests’ experience.
Legal Areas for a Cleaning Contract
A variety of legal issues are important for the Airbnb host or landlord to keep in mind when selecting, negotiating or drafting a cleaning contract. The potential implications and risks may be both significant and costly if proper considerations are not made or badly underestimated.
Landlords and other property owners seeking to rent out their property through an online platform such as Airbnb should consider the laws of the region when negotiating or drafting a cleaning contract. This may include cleaning contractors being permitted or deemed to be independent contractors of the property owner or Airbnb host.
Not all laws governing the classification of employees versus independent contractors are the same and some are more onerous than others. The difference between being classified as an independent contractors and an employee can be significant from a tax liability perspective. It should be kept in mind that the difference between being deemed an employee or independent contractor may also impact the availability of certain labor protections.
For example, consider the meaning of "workplace safety" under Canada’s provincial Occupational Health and Safety ("OHS") laws. In Canada, every worker has duties and responsibilities under the OHS laws that vary by province. The obligations imposed on "an employer" are typically much greater than those imposed on independent contractors as opposed to employees.
To use the City of Toronto’s proposed by-law as an example, persons who own and operate short-term rentals must comply with all City bylaws . Under such a by-law, "short-term rental operator" means a natural person who is a host for short-term rentals in premises (e.g. a host on short-term rental platforms). Many by-laws are prepared or amended with small or large player compliance in mind. Regardless of the number of properties owned or rented out, compliance with a by-law will likely be expected and required. That is, a by-law such as this would likely be drafted broadly enough to apply to all short-term rental operators irrespective of the size of their business.
At present, there are a number of compliance measures being introduced across municipalities in Canada. This has been an increasing trend in recent years. Such measures may include registration systems, hosting platforms, terms and conditions, enforcement schemes, prohibitions, penalties and offenses provisions, in addition to providing wide powers to local authorities. A prohibition on short-term rentals may be found in connection with another by-law, for example, one prohibiting lodging houses.
Potential risks may be significantly understated by landlords and other property owners or Airbnb hosts when contemplating their obligations with respect to cleaning contract. Non-compliance with a by-law may result in the imposition of significant penalties in the event of a successful investigation. A conviction obtained through a prosecution may requite the payment of fines, a probationary period or both. An adverse certificate may be registered against the convicted party and published by the registrar and filed with the United Nations.
Cleaning Service Options for Airbnb
Once an Airbnb host decides to hire an outside cleaning service, there’s another important decision to make: whom to hire? It is imperative that consideration is given to suppliers to ensure that the cleaning services provided are of the highest quality, and come at a cost that is reasonable for the service. While most cleaning service advertisements are appealing, try to sift through your options by choosing a service that has the following qualifications: When contacting a potential cleaning service, ensure you ask them all the questions you need to and are satisfied with their response. Try not to feel pressured to hire one service over another. Always remember: if you hire a service that is less than ideal the first time, you may find yourself paying the price in a month or two when the host receives a negative review on Airbnb for cleanliness. Try to go in with the mentality that cleanliness is non-negotiable, and only settle for a service that demonstrates the qualities you’re looking for.
Template of an Airbnb Cleaning Contract
The following is a basic Airbnb cleaning contract template. You will want to modify or remove/revise any provisions that do not apply to your business, and you will also want to consult your attorney to ensure that the contract is appropriate and will provide you the protection you require from liability. Here is the basic sample contract:
Airbnb Cleaning Contract
This Cleaning Contract ("Contract") is entered into as of _______________ ("Effective Date") between __________________ ("Provider") and ________________________________________ ("Owner").
- Services. Provider agrees to provide cleaning services including without limitation, cleaning, laundry, and changing bed linens at short-term rental property located at __________________________ ("Property") for Owner and/or Property Manager (check one) __________________ ("PM").
- Duration. This Contract shall be effective on _________________________ and shall continue unless and until terminated by the Owner or Provider with _____________ days written notice.
- Compensation. Owner (or PM) agrees to pay Provider $________ per cleaning service. Payment shall be made at the time of service, and in no event shall it be more than ____________ days after a cleaning service is rendered unless otherwise agreed to by Provider and Owner.
- Independent Contractor. In performing its duties under this Contract, Provider is an independent contractor and not an employee or agent of Owner. At all times, Provider is solely responsible for providing all tools, equipment, labor and materials necessary to perform all cleaning services hereunder.
- Insurance. Provider shall maintain at its sole expense commercial general liability insurance in the amount of _______ and workers’ compensation insurance for all employees it provides to perform services to Owner.
- Access Requirements. Owner (or PM) shall provide Provider access to the Property as follows: ______________________________________ . If after giving at least 48 hours notice of the provision in this Section, Owner fails to provide Provider access to the Property as required herein, Provider shall not be required to perform services until such access is provided.
- Termination. Owner (or PM) shall have the right to terminate this Agreement immediately if Owner (or PM) determines, in its sole discretion, that Provider committed misconduct in the performance of services hereunder including without limitation: a material violation (or repeated minor violations) or breach of this Agreement; falsified claims for payment or otherwise; theft, misappropriation, embezzlement or concealment of funds; and/or illegal conduct including without limitation any disorderly conduct, or conduct constituting a misdemeanor or felony. Any termination shall be without any liability on the part of Owner (or PM) other than to pay for services actually performed (if any).
- Miscellaneous. This Cleaning Contract shall be governed exclusively by the laws of the State of ___________. This Cleaning Contract constitutes the entire understanding between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter. Each party represents that it is free to enter into this Agreement as presented, and neither party is subject to any restrictions or limitations which would prevent it from performing under this Agreement. This Cleaning Contract shall not be assignable by either party. Any amendment or modification of this Cleaning Contract must be in writing and signed by each of the parties hereto and state the date on which it became effective. A judgment rendered by any court shall be payable without recourse against Owner (or PM), its past, present and future partners, members, officers, directors, trustees, governors, managers, beneficiaries, employees, agents, successors and assigns, all of whom are released from all such liability. Any waiver or failure to exercise any right or remedy by Owner or Provider shall not be deemed a continuing waiver or a waiver of any rights or remedies of Owner or Provider.