The short version
Eight quick checks, about half an hour of your time, and you’ll avoid most of the headaches that come with a bad cleaner. A cleaning company holds your keys, your alarm codes and your reputation with clients, so it’s worth doing properly.
Here’s what to check, what to ask for, and what should make you walk away.
1. Check their ABN
Look the business up on the government’s ABN Lookup website. Make sure the ABN is active and the business name matches the name on the quote. If the details don’t line up, ask why before going any further.
2. Public liability insurance
Ask for a certificate of currency, not just a “yes, we’re insured”. Check the insurer, the amount and the expiry date. Many Sydney building managers ask for $10 million or $20 million in cover before a cleaner can work on site.
3. Workers compensation
Most NSW employers are legally required to hold workers compensation insurance through icare. If a cleaner is injured at your workplace and their employer isn’t covered, you can end up in a messy dispute you never signed up for. Ask for proof of cover.
4. Police checks
Anyone holding your keys or alarm codes should have a current national police check. Ask whether every cleaner is checked, not just the manager, and how often checks are renewed.
If they’ll be working at a school or childcare centre, also ask whether their cleaners hold a NSW Working With Children Check where it’s required.
5. WHS paperwork
Under NSW work health and safety law, both you and the cleaning company have safety duties at your workplace. A professional cleaner should be able to show you:
- Safe work procedures for the jobs they’ll be doing
- A risk assessment for your site
- Safety data sheets for the chemicals they use
- How they report and handle incidents
6. Award wages and who actually does the work
Cleaners in NSW are covered by the Cleaning Services Award. From 1 July 2026, the minimum base rate for a Level 1 cleaner is $27.08 an hour, before super, insurance, equipment and supervision are added.
If a quote looks too low to cover all that, ask how it adds up. Very cheap quotes often mean underpaid staff or long chains of subcontractors, and that usually ends with missed shifts. Also ask whether they subcontract, and if so, whether the same checks apply to whoever turns up.
7. Contract terms
Read the contract before you sign, not after something goes wrong. Check:
- The scope: every area, task and frequency in writing
- The notice period and any exit clause
- How price reviews work
- What happens when something gets missed
If you’re already stuck with a poor cleaner, our guide on how to switch commercial cleaners walks you through it.
8. References and proof of work
Ask for references from businesses like yours, and actually ring one or two. Then ask how they’ll prove the work gets done each visit. Photo reports, checklists or regular inspections are all good answers. “Trust us” isn’t.
Quick checklist
| Check | Ask for | Red flag |
|---|---|---|
| ABN | ABN Lookup result | Inactive ABN or a different business name |
| Public liability | Certificate of currency | “We’re covered” with nothing in writing |
| Workers comp | Proof of a current policy | No cover for their staff |
| Police checks | Confirmation for every cleaner | Only the manager is checked |
| WHS | Procedures, risk assessment, safety data sheets | No paperwork at all |
| Wages | How the rate covers award wages | A rate that can’t cover the minimum wage |
| Contract | Written scope and exit terms | Long lock-in with a stiff exit clause |
| References | Two or three similar clients | Nobody you can call |
Price matters too, of course. Our guide to what commercial cleaning costs in Sydney explains what a fair quote looks like.
How Keen2Clean4U stacks up
We’ve been providing commercial cleaning services Sydney businesses trust since 2005, and we’re happy to show you the paperwork.
- $20 million public liability insurance through QBE
- Police-checked, uniformed cleaners
- Australian-based staff with very low turnover, so the same crew every visit
- Photo reports after every clean, uploaded to your own dedicated server
- No lock-in contracts
- 2GB Australian Small Business Awards winner
Frequently asked questions
What insurance should a commercial cleaner have?
At minimum, public liability insurance and workers compensation for their staff. Ask for a certificate of currency. Many Sydney building managers ask for $10 million or $20 million in public liability cover.
How do I check a cleaning company’s ABN?
Search the business on the government’s ABN Lookup website. Check that the ABN is active and that the business name matches the name on your quote.
Do commercial cleaners need police checks?
It isn’t always a legal requirement for general office cleaning, but you should insist on a current national police check for anyone who holds your keys or alarm codes.
What is the minimum wage for cleaners in NSW?
Under the Cleaning Services Award, the minimum base rate for a Level 1 cleaner is $27.08 an hour from 1 July 2026, before casual loading or penalty rates.
Is it a problem if a cleaning company uses subcontractors?
Not automatically, but ask who will actually do the work and how they’re paid and supervised. The same insurance and police check standards should apply to whoever turns up.
Happy to show you our paperwork
Book a free onsite visit and we’ll bring our certificate of currency, answer every question on this list and give you a fixed monthly price. No lock-in contract.
Call us on 1300 798 801 or book a free onsite visit. We’re open 24/7 and service every major Sydney suburb.