Most cleaning responsibilities become clear when a business moves into new premises. However, what happens when something goes wrong? Who pays to clean the lobby, windows or washrooms? Is carpet cleaning part of the tenant’s daily services, or is it included in the building outgoings? Responsibility varies by lease, property type, and whether areas are private or shared. Agreeing facility cleaning responsibilities helps both parties control costs, maintain required standards and avoid conflict.
Refer to the commercial lease first
Look to the lease first; arrangements vary by property. For instance, if tenants lease the entire building, they may manage most routine services. Alternatively, they could occupy a single suite in a multi-tenant building where the landlord or property manager arranges cleaning for common areas.
Clauses related to maintenance, outgoings, services or make-good provisions may outline who appoints the contractor, which areas are cleaned, how much it costs and what standard applies. Tenants should review their lease obligations rather than assume these services are included in the rent.
Retail tenants in Victoria should also consider whether their lease is affected by the Retail Leases Act 2003. According to official guidelines, retail tenants are not responsible for paying outgoings unless those categories are specifically listed in the lease agreement. Professional advice should be considered if this wording is unclear.
Day-to-day cleaning services tenants often manage
Cleaning responsibilities that fall on tenants usually include areas they exclusively occupy or control. Office suites may consist of workstations, meeting rooms, kitchenettes, internal washrooms, reception areas and flooring. Retail cleaning duties often extend to sales floors, counters, storerooms and back-of-house spaces.
Tenants are commonly responsible for these areas because they determine how the space is used. Staffing levels, hours of operation, foot traffic, and workplace activities should be considered when determining frequency. A part-time office workspace will have different needs from those of a busy doctor’s surgery, an educational facility, or a retail store.
Cleaning services can be provided by an in-house team or an appointed contractor (building rules apply). Service agreements should outline what’s included, such as day-to-day cleaning, periodic deep cleaning, replenishment of consumables, spill response or post-event cleanups. Regular schedules and record-keeping will show the cleaning expectation is met.
Cleaning services landlords often manage
Landlords often manage day-to-day cleaning services outside leased areas. These may include building entrances, foyers, lifts, stairwells, hallways, shared washrooms, car parks and outdoor spaces. Centralising these services also enables consistent cleaning standards and prevents multiple tenants from appointing contractors for the same spaces.
Some landlords absorb these costs while others may include them in the rent or recover them as a standalone outgoing. Either way, tenants should request a service schedule, so they understand exactly what they are paying for.
Landlords or building managers may also take responsibility for window washing (external windows and difficult-to-access glazing), façade cleaning and pressure washing. Specialised cleaning tasks may require certified contractors, special access or equipment plus thorough planning.
Grey areas involve shared spaces
Responsibility for cleaning often becomes confusing when a shared space isn’t explicitly defined in the lease. Shared kitchens, rubbish disposal points or laundry facilities could create this conflict. If there is a private entry but it opens into a public foyer, the areas may overlap.
Creating a responsibilities schedule could help clarify what areas require servicing, how often, who pays and who’s responsible. Complaint escalations, emergency spill response, and work outside the normal scope should also be considered. The responsible party should address complaints within a reasonable timeframe. Tenants should take care to report spills or leaks immediately.
Cleaning responsibilities that involve both parties
Window cleaning can involve both parties, as tenants generally maintain internal windows. At the same time, landlords manage external windows and high-access glazing. However, who’s responsible will ultimately be decided by the lease conditions and any building access policies. Some buildings may require tenants to use an approved contractor, even if they pay privately.
Carpet cleaning responsibilities could be shared as well. Routine vacuuming may be included in a daily service, while extraction and stain treatment may be scheduled separately. Damage caused by tenants will normally be the tenants’ responsibility unless the lease states otherwise or it occurred before occupation.
Tenants may be responsible for emptying their internal bins and taking general waste to a loading dock or central rubbish room. A landlord or property manager may then organise shared waste collection services and/or contract cleaning for bin rooms and exterior waste facilities. These costs may be recoverable as outgoings from tenants.
Cleaning responsibilities at lease end
Once the lease term is over, tenants should refer to the make-good provisions. Make-good commonly requires tenants to restore the premises (remove all belongings and fitout elements) and repair damage before departing. Guides from the Victorian government state it’s important to understand your responsibilities early.
Preparing a condition report, dated photographs, and service records may assist both parties when proving the premises’ condition at the start and end of the lease. Cleaning responsibilities may become stressful if left until the final days of the lease. Agreeing and documenting expectations early gives everyone ample time to inspect the property.
Prevent cleaning responsibilities from becoming a dispute
Tenants, landlords, and property managers should clearly define responsibilities from the start of the lease. Consistent language should be used to describe private vs common areas, building rules and cleaning service agreement. Frequencies, standards, access, costs and escalation procedures should all be documented.
Documenting regular inspections will also prevent disputes about cleaning. Property managers, tenants and cleaning providers can use these to identify problem areas, adjust service schedules and ensure agreed standards are being met. Providing copies of inspection and corrective action reports also improves accountability when issues arise.
Commercial cleaning responsibilities that both parties can agree on
Every commercial cleaning responsibility should be detailed in the lease, the building body corporate rules, and the cleaning schedule. Tenants will normally clean exclusive areas while landlords arrange for cleaning of common areas and building-wide services.
To keep cleaning responsibilities hassle-free, both parties should familiarise themselves with their lease, provide written instructions to their cleaning contractor and maintain open communication.
If you’re searching for commercial office cleaning in Melbourne that understands both sides of the leasing agreement, talk to GJK Facility Services. For over 40 years, we’ve serviced businesses with a national footprint using our Discover, Design and Deliver approach. Cleaning services are tailored to each facility’s unique needs, while our broader facility management services cover the commercial, education, health, government, industrial and transport sectors.
Whether your business is a landlord, property manager, or tenant, we’ll assess your site, identify your operational needs, and design a facility management program that keeps your people safe, your facility presentable, and your operations running efficiently. Contact us today for commercial cleaning services you won’t be disappointed with.
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