What to check before choosing a staffing agency for cleaning

Who employs the workers

Ask whether the agency employs the workers it supplies and pays them. This affects who carries out right-to-work checks, who pays holiday pay and who is responsible for the worker's employment rights.

A clear answer in writing avoids confusion later about who is responsible for what. It also shows whether the agency understands its own obligations, which is a useful sign in itself.

If the agency uses subcontractors or other agencies to supply workers, ask how it checks them. You want to know that the same standards apply to every worker, wherever they come from.

• Who employs and pays the workers
• Who handles holiday pay
• Responsibilities confirmed in writing

How right-to-work checks are done

Ask how the agency checks that workers have the right to work in the UK, and when. Checks should be completed before a worker's first shift, with follow-up checks where permission is time-limited.

Ask how records are kept. You do not need copies of workers' documents, but you should be confident the agency has a clear process.

Ask how the agency confirms a worker's identity on arrival at your site, for example through a name on the booking and a photo. It helps your team know the person who arrives is the person who was booked and checked.

• Checks before the first shift
• Follow-up checks where needed
• A clear record-keeping process

Insurance the agency holds

Ask which insurance the agency holds, such as employers' liability and public liability insurance, and ask to see the certificates.

Check the dates on the certificates and that the cover suits the work you need. Insurance protects both you and the workers if something goes wrong.

• Employers' liability insurance
• Public liability insurance
• Certificates and dates checked

How quotes and confirmation work

Ask what the agency needs from you to give a quote, and how quickly it confirms bookings. A good agency explains its charges clearly and confirms bookings in writing.

Check what the quote includes, such as holiday pay and employer costs, so there are no surprises on the invoice.

Ask how the agency matches workers to your site: by travel time, experience and the tasks involved. A good match on the first booking saves time for everyone.

• What a quote needs
• How quickly bookings are confirmed
• What the charge includes

How replacements are handled

Ask what happens if a worker cannot attend or does not suit your site. Find out how quickly a replacement can be arranged and how you should report a problem.

Ask too whether you can request the same workers again. Continuity matters in cleaning, because a worker who knows the site works faster and needs less supervision.

• Replacement process
• How to report a problem
• Expected response time

Hours, invoices and data protection

Ask how hours are recorded and approved, and how invoices relate to approved hours. Approving hours each week before invoicing is a simple and reliable system.

Finally, check that the agency is registered with the ICO for data protection. An agency handles personal data about its workers, and registration is a basic sign that it takes this seriously.

Ask how the agency handles complaints and how quickly it responds. A clear process, with a named contact, is a good sign that problems will be dealt with rather than ignored.

• Hours approved before invoicing
• Invoices that match approved hours
• Registration with the ICO

Questions

What is the most important question to ask a staffing agency?

Who employs the workers, because it decides who carries out right-to-work checks and who handles employment responsibilities.

Which insurance should a cleaning staffing agency have?

Typically employers' liability and public liability insurance. Ask to see the certificates and check the dates.

How should hours and invoices work?

Hours are recorded for each shift, approved by you each week, and invoiced to match the approved hours.

Why check data protection registration?

Agencies handle workers' personal data. Registration with the ICO is a basic sign of good practice.

Related guides

• How to write a cleaning specification for your premises
• How to brief a temporary cleaner on their first shift
• Building an office cleaning schedule for a hybrid office