Tips for Setting a Cleaning Service Cancellation Policy

What Is a Cleaning Service Cancellation Policy?

Whenever clients need to reschedule or cancel a cleaning project, professional cleaners should have already informed the client of their cleaning service cancellation policy.

Cancellation policies are meant to cover the lost costs of the canceled cleaning for a professional cleaner.

Cancellation Fee for Cleaning Service

These policies can include a cancellation fee of 10% to 15% or a set rate.

A common practice among cleaning services is to set their cancellation fee at a 15% rate. However, having a set percentage for your cancellation fee is not always profitable. A cancellation fee with a fixed percentage rate can actually cost you potential revenue instead of helping protect your business from loss.

Having a set cancellation fee of $30 to $50 can benefit your cleaning business in the long run. Say your client has booked a 3-hour cleaning, and your overall cleaning service fee is $50 an hour. If your client then cancels and you have a set cancellation fee of $30 to $50, you will be able to make up to $27.50 more than if you charged 15%.

The cancellation fee breakdown above shows just how much you can protect your business when a client cancels their cleaning service. Depending on the type of cleaning service you offer, your pricing may vary.

Why Should You Have a Cleaning Service Cancellation Policy?

A cleaning service cancellation policy will hold your clients accountable. When the cancellation policy is communicated up front and made clear to the client, then they are expected to uphold the terms and conditions within the policy.

Additionally, a cancellation policy will ensure that you are still being covered for the time lost. Every cancellation without a backup policy will cost you revenue. As a way to protect your business from this, forming a clear and straightforward cancellation policy is crucial.

What Should Be Included in a Cancellation Policy?

A cancellation policy is not a long legal document. It is simply a short statement that you ask clients to sign as a form of agreement to pay a reasonable fee per cancellation.

Key aspects of a cancellation policy:

• Clear and simple language
• The time frame of cancellation (24 hours notice or 72 hours notice, for example)
• Cancellation fee amount
• Place for signature

Remember that your cancellation policy does not need to be overly stated. It can also include a small statement about repeat cancellations and you having the right to decline future service from them.

If you are unsure of how to phrase your policy, feel free to utilize the following cleaning company cancellation policy template:

If you need to cancel, please let us know by phone up to 72 hours before your scheduled appointment. All cancellations will require a $50 fee. After 3 consecutive cancellations, we will have a right to decline future service.

5 Ways to Create a Foolproof Cancellation Policy

It is important that your clients are aware of the cancellation policy right away so that if there are any future cancellations, they are not surprised by the fee.

1. Know Your Business’ Worth

Your time is your money. Being upfront about your cancellation policy when a client books with your cleaning service will immediately let them know that you take your business seriously and that your service is of value.

2. Communicate Your Policy Right Away

Being transparent from the start will ensure that your clients are completely aware of your cancellation policy. Also, it will leave little room to debate whether or not they were familiar with your cancellation policy and its fee.

3. Have Your Policy Visible

Visibility is key when it comes to your cleaning service cancellation policy. Whether you operate through social media, a website, or a referral, having your cancellation policy easy to find will ensure that clients are aware of the terms and conditions of scheduling.

Also, when clients are scheduling a cleaning appointment with you, the cancellation policy should be visible or mentioned during this time. This will give you another opportunity to make your cancellation policy known.

4. Clearly State Your Fees

Use simple language to get your message across. Elaborate wording can get confusing and deter clients from fully reading the cancellation policy. With your fees, make sure the context around them makes sense. If you are charging a $30 cancellation fee, just simply state so.

Try not to overcomplicate the message by saying something like “when you cancel, you will be charged a $30 cancellation fee for a 3-hour job at a rate of $50 an hour.” Too many numbers can become misleading. Keep the message direct and your fees properly labeled.

Furthermore, if you have a hard time simplifying your cancellation policy to a simple statement, you can provide the information in the format of a table or bulleted list. You want your clients to take your cancellation policy seriously, and having a confusing message may discourage clients from upholding the policy.

5. Have Clients Sign

Before accepting any cleaning job, make sure to have your clients sign the cancellation policy agreement you have made available.

Depending on how you go about your scheduling, this can be done digitally as the client schedules their appointment. For example, it can be a box that is checked to signify the client agrees to the terms and conditions. Or, it could be a place where clients can type in their name as a form of a signature.

Frequently Asked Questions About Cleaning Service Cancellation Policies

Setting up a cancellation policy and having clients adhere to it is a common question in the cleaning industry. The following are four commonly asked questions regarding a cancellation policy for a cleaning service.

How do you inform clients of a cancellation policy?

Your cancellation policy should be visible to the client right away. If you have a website, include your cancellation policy on the homepage at the bottom or as a separate page in your navigation menu. The key to doing so is to have your cancellation policy readily available to view.

If your cleaning business operates only through social media or word-of-mouth referrals, you can mention the cancellation policy when a client is asking to schedule a cleaning. This timing fits since they are interested in scheduling your cleaning services.

When mentioning your cancellation policy to a new client, keep it casual. You do not want to come off too strong or aggressive when informing your clients of the cancellation fee. Doing so could turn customers away.

Do I still have to pay my employees if a client cancels?

Most cleaning services have a team of three or four, and if you are not able to perform a cleaning project due to a cancellation, it is your responsibility to make sure your employees are being paid fairly.

Setting a cancellation fee will help you from having to cut other finances to cover your employees’ lost pay.

How do I cancel a cleaning client who doesn’t follow the cancellation policy?

If you have a client that consistently cancels their cleaning appointment outside of your set cancellation policy, you do have a right to decline their future service.

When informing a client that you no longer will have them as a customer, it is important to remind them of the cancellation policy, what exactly they have not followed on the policy, and how many times they have broken the policy expectations.

Assuming you have had your client sign an agreement to the cancellation policy, there should be no room for debate on whether or not you choose to keep them as a client.

Is it legal to charge a cancellation fee for a cleaning service?

Legally, you may charge a cancellation fee for a cleaning service. Make sure the fee is reasonable when compared to your average pricing.

For example, if your client is scheduled for a $150 cleaning project, a cancellation fee of $100 may be a bit steep. Aim for a $30 to $50 cancellation fee depending on the cleaning project.

Manage Your Cleaning Team With Efficiency

Once you have your cleaning service cancellation policy in order, feel free to use the Taskbird app to help you organize your cleaning projects and staff.