Switching cleaning company is low-risk when it is planned: the incumbent's cleaners normally transfer to the new provider under TUPE 2006, so the people who know your building stay, and a structured mobilisation means the clean is delivered to specification from day one. This guide covers notice, TUPE, mobilisation and how to switch without disruption.
Why businesses stay too long with the wrong cleaner
The commonest reason buyers tolerate a poor cleaning contract is fear of the switch — the disruption, the risk of a worse service, the awkwardness with staff on site. That fear is misplaced when the change is handled properly, because the two things buyers worry about most (losing the people and dropping the service) are exactly what TUPE and a planned mobilisation protect against.
How TUPE protects the switch
Under the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006, a change of cleaning contractor is a 'service provision change' — Acas's own textbook example is a company taking over an office-cleaning contract. That means the incumbent's cleaning staff transfer to the new provider on their existing terms, with continuity of employment preserved. The outgoing provider must supply Employee Liability Information at least 28 days before the transfer. Our contract mobilisation and TUPE service manages the whole process.
Serving notice on your current provider
Check your existing contract's term and notice period before you move — commonly 30 to 90 days — and serve notice in writing within its terms. Our guide to cleaning contract notice periods explains how to exit cleanly and avoid an unwanted auto-renewal. Line up your new provider so the start date follows the notice period seamlessly.
What a proper mobilisation looks like
Mobilisation is planned, not improvised: survey the site, confirm the specification, run the TUPE consultation with the transferring staff and their representatives, re-induct and train to a documented standard, set up the audit and reporting, and agree a start date. Do it well and there is no gap — the last clean under the old contract and the first under the new one are seamless.
Why the national alternative de-risks it further
If you run more than one site, switching is the moment to consolidate. Instead of managing several local firms, move to one contract, one documented standard and one account manager with national contract cleaning and multi-site cleaning under one agreement. The incumbent teams still transfer under TUPE, so you keep the familiar faces while gaining consistency and a single point of accountability. Start with a free survey and a fixed monthly quote.
Switching cleaning company — a typical timeline
| Stage | What happens | Typical timing |
|---|---|---|
| Review & decide | Check term, notice and current performance | Before serving notice |
| Serve notice | Written notice to current provider | 30–90 days before switch |
| TUPE & ELI | Consultation; ELI due 28 days before transfer | During notice period |
| Mobilisation | Survey, spec sign-off, re-induction, reporting | 2–4 weeks before go-live |
| Go-live | First clean to specification | Day one, no gap |