A service-level agreement (SLA) turns a cleaning contract's vague promise of a "good standard" into measurable commitments — how fast issues are fixed, how quality is scored, and what happens if the standard slips. It sits alongside the contract and specification, not instead of them.
Download the template
Download the PDFA fillable SLA structure with the response-time bands, scoring method and escalation matrix below.
Service scope reference
State which specification and sites the SLA covers (reference your specification document by name and version, not a copy of it), so the two documents stay in sync as the spec is updated.
Response-time commitments
| Issue type | Example | Target response |
|---|---|---|
| Emergency | Spillage/hazard, biohazard, flood | Within 2-4 hours |
| Urgent | Missed visit, washroom consumables out | Same working day |
| Standard | Quality complaint, ad-hoc request | 1-2 working days |
| Routine | Non-urgent change request | 5 working days |
Quality scoring method
Set out how quality will be measured — typically a scored walk-round inspection against the specification (see our audit scorecard), at an agreed frequency (weekly, monthly or quarterly), with a minimum acceptable score (commonly 85-95% depending on site sensitivity) below which a remedial action plan is triggered.
Reporting and review cadence
- Inspection reports issued within an agreed number of days of each audit
- A monthly or quarterly performance summary against KPIs (see our KPI scorecard)
- A scheduled review meeting to discuss trends, not just isolated incidents
- A named point of contact for day-to-day issues and a separate escalation contact for unresolved ones
Escalation matrix
| Level | Trigger | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Day-to-day issue or query | Site supervisor / account contact |
| 2 | Unresolved after initial response, or repeat issue | Account manager |
| 3 | Persistent under-performance against SLA | Operations director |
Remedies for missed SLA
Decide up front what happens if the SLA is repeatedly missed — options range from a formal improvement plan with a review deadline, to service credits, to a right to terminate on shorter notice than the main contract term if performance does not recover. Whatever you choose, write it down before you need it.