What Are Your Payment Terms?

Nobody signs a cleaning contract because they are excited about the invoicing. They sign it because they want a clean building and a supplier who won't cause them headaches. But the payment side matters more than most people admit, because a cleaning contract is a monthly, ongoing relationship, and the way money moves between us and you sets the tone for everything else. Get it clear at the start and you never think about it again. Leave it vague and you end up chasing statements, querying charges, and wondering why the number on the invoice doesn't match what you thought you agreed. So here is exactly how we handle payment at Gloucestershire Cleaning Company, written plainly, with no small print buried at the bottom.

When and how we invoice

We invoice monthly in arrears. That means we send the invoice at the end of each calendar month for the work carried out during that month, not up front. You pay for cleaning that has actually happened, in a building you have actually seen the results in. We think that is the fair way round for a service you receive continuously.

Your invoice arrives by email, usually within the first two or three working days of the new month, as a PDF you can forward straight to your finance team or drop into your accounting software. Each one shows the contracted monthly figure, the sites covered, the service period, our VAT number, and any agreed extras carried out that month listed as separate lines. If we sent three cleaners in for a one-off deep clean of your kitchen area on top of the regular contract, you'll see that as its own line with its own price, not folded silently into the total. You should always be able to read an invoice from us and understand every number on it without picking up the phone.

For clients with several sites, we can consolidate everything onto one monthly invoice with a per-site breakdown, or issue a separate invoice per site if your cost centres need it that way. A property management firm we look after has six buildings across Gloucester and Cheltenham billed to four different budgets, and each budget holder gets only the lines that concern them. Tell us how your accounts are structured and we'll match it.

Our standard payment terms

Our standard term is 30 days from the invoice date, commonly written as Net 30. The clock starts on the date printed on the invoice, so an invoice dated 31 May is due by 30 June. For most businesses this lines up neatly with a monthly payment run and nobody has to think about it.

We know 30 days doesn't suit everyone, so we are genuinely flexible. Some clients prefer Net 14 because their own procurement rules require it, and that is no problem. A few larger organisations, particularly those in the public sector or with centralised finance departments, run on Net 45 or Net 60, and we can accommodate that too when it's agreed in writing before the contract starts. What we ask is simply that the term is set out clearly at the beginning, in the contract, so there is never a mismatch between what your accounts payable team expects and what our accounts team expects. A payment term surprise three months in helps nobody.

If you are a small business or a start-up and cash flow timing is tight, talk to us. We would rather agree a realistic term you can actually meet than impose a standard one you'll struggle with and then feel awkward about.

How you can pay us

We keep the ways to pay simple and give you a proper choice. Different finance teams like different methods, and we don't force one on you.

We don't add a surcharge for choosing one method over another. The price you agreed is the price you pay, whether that lands with us by Direct Debit or by cheque in the post.

What the price includes, and what counts as an extra

A lot of billing disputes in this industry come from a fuzzy line between "included" and "extra". We try to draw that line brightly. Your contracted monthly figure covers the specification we agreed: the rooms, the frequency, the tasks on the schedule, all the labour, and our own equipment and consumables unless we've agreed you supply them. Regular office cleaning to a fixed weekly rota sits inside that number and never moves without a conversation.

Extras are things outside that specification that you ask for on top. A one-off carpet extraction, a spring deep clean, cleaning up after an office move, or an emergency callout on a bank holiday would each be quoted separately and only go ahead once you've said yes. We will never carry out chargeable extra work and then present you with a bill you didn't authorise. If we notice something that needs doing beyond the regular scope, we tell you, we price it, and you decide.

The same honesty applies the other way. If your office is shut for a week over Christmas and we don't attend, we don't bill you for cleans that didn't happen. Your invoice reflects reality. If a change to your building means the regular job now takes less time, we'd rather adjust the price than quietly keep charging the old rate.

Every price we quote is stated clearly as either including or excluding VAT, so there are no nasty jumps between the quote and the first invoice. We are VAT registered, our number is on every invoice, and VAT is shown as its own line so your finance team can reclaim it cleanly. A quote from us is a real quote, not a teaser rate that creeps up once you've signed.

Here is our promise on hidden costs, and we mean it literally: there aren't any. No setup fee. No admin fee. No fuel surcharge. No mysterious "materials levy" appearing in month two. The figure we shake hands on is the figure you pay every month. If the price ever needs to change, because you've added a floor, extended the hours, or taken on another unit, we agree the new figure with you in advance and put it in writing. Prices don't move on our say-so alone.

If a payment is going to be late

Cash flow gets tight sometimes. A big customer pays you slowly, a quarter lands badly, and suddenly the cleaning invoice is competing with everything else. We would far rather you told us early than went quiet. Pick up the phone, call us on 0800 069 9055 or email [email protected], and we will work something out, whether that's a short extension or splitting a larger balance across two months. We have run this business long enough to know that good clients hit rough patches, and a supplier who is reasonable in a hard month tends to keep that client for years.

To be straight with you about the formal side as well: our terms do allow for statutory interest on genuinely overdue accounts under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts legislation, and persistent non-payment can lead us to pause a service. But that is the exception, not how we like to operate, and in practice a quick honest conversation heads it off almost every time. We are not looking to catch anyone out.

Contracts, notice, and getting set up

Payment terms live inside a wider agreement, so it's worth knowing how the contract sits around them. Most of our work runs on a rolling monthly agreement with a straightforward notice period, typically 30 days, rather than a punishing multi-year lock-in with exit penalties. You stay because the building is clean and the invoices are painless, not because you're trapped. If you want a longer fixed term in exchange for a keener rate, we can do that too, and we'll spell out exactly what it means for both sides.

Getting set up is quick. We survey your site, send a written quote and specification, agree the monthly figure and the payment term, and set up your chosen payment method. From your first month you receive clear monthly invoices and, if you want them, service reports alongside. Whether you need a single commercial cleaning contract for one office or coordinated billing across a portfolio of sites, the admin should feel light. That is the point.

If you'd like a no-obligation quote with the payment terms laid out in black and white before you commit to anything, get in touch. Call the team on 0800 069 9055, email [email protected], or use our contact page and we'll come and see the building.

Frequently asked questions

Do I pay before or after the cleaning is done?

After. We invoice monthly in arrears, at the end of each month, for the work carried out during that month. You are never asked to pay up front for a rolling contract. One-off jobs may involve a deposit, which we agree with you before the work is booked.

What are your standard payment terms?

Net 30, meaning payment is due within 30 days of the invoice date. We are happy to agree Net 14, Net 45, or another term if it suits your finance process better, as long as it's set out in the contract from the start.

Which payment methods do you accept?

Direct Debit (our preferred option), BACS bank transfer, Faster Payments, all major debit and credit cards, and cheque. We don't charge a surcharge for any of them, so choose whatever your accounts team finds easiest.

Are there any hidden fees or setup charges?

No. There is no setup fee, admin fee, or fuel surcharge, and no charges appear later that weren't in your quote. The agreed monthly figure is what you pay, and any change is confirmed with you in writing in advance.

How are one-off jobs and extras billed?

Separately, and only once you've approved them. Extra work outside your regular specification, such as a deep clean or an emergency callout, is quoted on its own and shown as a distinct line on the invoice. We never add unauthorised charges to your bill.

What happens if I need to pay late one month?

Tell us as early as you can on 0800 069 9055 or [email protected]. We can usually agree a short extension or split a larger balance across two payments. We'd much rather have an honest conversation than let an account drift.

Can you bill multiple sites on one invoice?

Yes. We can consolidate several sites onto a single monthly invoice with a clear per-site breakdown, or issue separate invoices per site or cost centre if your accounts are structured that way. Tell us what suits your budgets and we'll match it.