Extra charges for cleaning: how to agree them before you start
Agree extra charges before you do the extra work, in writing, with the client's signature. Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, if a contract fixes no price a consumer need only pay a reasonable price, and what you say or write about your service can become part of the contract, so a clear signed note protects both sides.
Why extras cause disputes
Most arguments about extra charges start the same way. The quote covered a standard clean, the home or site turned out worse than described, and the cleaner either absorbed the cost or added a charge afterwards that the client did not expect.
Agreeing the extra before you start removes the surprise. It also gives you something concrete to point to if the client queries the final invoice.
What the law says about price and promises
Section 51 of the Consumer Rights Act 2015 applies where the contract does not expressly fix a price or say how it is to be fixed. In that case the consumer must pay a reasonable price for the service, and no more, and what is reasonable is a question of fact. That is the position you want to avoid, because you would be arguing about what is reasonable instead of pointing to an agreed figure.
Section 50 says anything said or written to the consumer, by or on behalf of the trader, about the service can be treated as included in the contract if the consumer takes it into account when deciding to enter into it. That covers your website, your quote and your messages. If you wrote 'price includes everything', expect that to be quoted back at you. The Act applies to consumers, so for business clients rely on the contract you agreed.
Write the extras into your terms
Your service agreement or terms should say that the price covers the agreed scope only, and list what is charged extra. Common examples are listed below. Choose the ones that apply to your work and put a price or hourly rate next to each.
Our guide to setting your scope of work explains how to describe what the price includes.
- Heavy soiling. Properties that need much longer than a standard clean, such as built-up grease or limescale.
- Added tasks. Oven, fridge, inside windows or cupboards, if not in the agreed scope.
- Waste and clearance. Removing rubbish, or clearing items before cleaning can start.
- Soiling you decide not to deal with. For example human or animal waste, mould or other health risks.
Stop, photograph, ask, then continue
When you find something outside the quote, stop before you start on it. Take photos of the area, tell the client what you have found and what it will cost, and ask for a yes or no. A text message works if they are not there, and a signed form is better still when they are on site.
Record the extra tasks, the time you estimate and the price, and note whether the client accepted or declined. If they decline, record what you will leave undone, so the sign-off sheet matches.
When to decline the job
You are not obliged to handle anything that looks unsafe or that you are not trained or equipped for. Decide in advance what you will not clean, such as bodily fluids, sharps or suspected biohazards, and say so in your terms so it is not a surprise on the day.
Check your insurance policy wording, because insurers commonly exclude or limit certain types of work. Where specialist cleaning is needed, it is reasonable to suggest the client uses a firm set up for that work.
What an extra work approval form should ask
A preview of our free Extra Work Approval Form for Cleaners. The complete, print-ready version is sent to you by email.
Job details
- Client name
- Property or site address
- + 3 more in the full form
What was found
- Reason for the extra workHeavy soiling · Extra tasks requested · Waste or clearance · Condition worse than described · Other
- Description of the condition or requestFree text
- + 2 more in the full form
The proposed extra
- Extra tasks to be carried outFree text
- Estimated extra time
- + 2 more in the full form
Client decision
- Client accepts the extra work and chargeYes / No
- Client declines the extra workYes / No
- + 2 more in the full form
The full form has 17 questions in 4 sections, a signed declaration and space for your business details. Get it free below.
Free template
Get the print-ready Extra Work Approval Form for Cleaners
The complete form, print-ready, with space for the original quote, what you found, the extra price and both signatures. Free, and yours to adapt.
Frequently asked questions
Can I charge more than the quote if the property is dirtier than described?
Only if your terms or an agreement with the client allow it. Section 51 of the Consumer Rights Act 2015 means a consumer pays a reasonable price where the contract fixes none, so agree the extra before you start rather than adding it afterwards.
Is a text message enough to agree an extra charge?
A dated message is useful evidence, and a signed form is stronger. Either way, state the extra tasks and the price, and keep the message.
Can I refuse to clean human or animal waste?
You can decide what work you take on and set that out in your terms before the job. Many insurers limit cover for certain types of work, so check your policy and suggest a specialist firm where the work is outside your remit.
Does this apply to business clients as well as householders?
The Consumer Rights Act sections discussed here apply to consumers. For business clients, the agreed contract carries more weight, so make sure it says what is extra and how it will be approved.
Sources
- Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 51: Reasonable price to be paid for a service, legislation.gov.uk
- Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 50: Information about the trader or service to be binding, legislation.gov.uk
- Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 49: Service to be performed with reasonable care and skill, legislation.gov.uk
The paperwork your cleaning business needs
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See the document packs, from £29 →These articles are general guidance for UK self-employed cleaners and small cleaning businesses, not legal or tax advice. Our forms are editable templates and a starting point: adapt them to your own jobs, your insurer's terms and your clients' requirements.