Contracts

Reading Your Contract

A clause-by-clause tour of the Short-Stay Cleaning Services Agreement, so you can read any host or agency contract with a steadier eye.

This is an editorial, not legal advice. It explains what each clause is for, so you can read any host or agency contract with a steadier eye. It can't tell you what the law requires of you or what to sign. For that, check the official sources linked at the end and consider independent legal advice and an accountant.

Each clause below has three parts: what it does, a flag for wording cleaners often meet in other people's contracts, and a note on how the idea shifts in the US, UK and EU.

Jump to a clause

Parties
The property
The services
Fees and invoicing
GST
Payment terms
Access and keys
Consumables, linen and equipment
Damage, breakage and maintenance reporting
Lost property
Insurance
Work health and safety
Cancellations and same-day changes
Confidentiality and guest privacy
Independent contractor status
Term and termination
Disputes
General
Signatures

The clauses

Clause 1 — Parties

This clause says who is actually making the deal: the host (or agency) and you, with names, ABNs and contact details. It also covers the case where the host is a property manager acting for an owner. In turnover work that matters because the person who messages you at 7am about a late check-out is not always the person who owes you money.

Elsewhere: the ABN becomes a taxpayer ID. In the US that's an EIN, or an SSN or ITIN shown on a Form W-9; in the UK a UTR (plus a VAT number if registered); in the EU a national tax number plus a VAT number if registered.

Clause 2 — The property

The address, bedrooms, bathrooms, maximum guests and special features such as a spa, BBQ or pets. It sounds like admin, but it sets the size of the job. A two-bedroom unit and a five-bedroom house with a spa are very different turnovers, and the fee should match.

Elsewhere: no real difference. Only the formatting changes: Letter paper and MM/DD/YYYY in the US, A4 and DD/MM/YYYY in the UK and EU.

Clause 3 — The services

This is the heart of the job: you clean after each stay, to a written Scope of Works, inside a check-out to check-in window. It also says what happens when you can't finish in time, and that extras like oven or carpet cleaning are add-ons the host agrees to first. If it isn't in the scope, it isn't in the price.

Elsewhere: the idea is the same everywhere. The US edition suggests the host may describe what a finished clean looks like, but not direct your working methods.

Clause 4 — Fees and invoicing

It sets your standard fee per turnover, the add-on rates, how often you invoice (per clean, weekly, fortnightly or monthly) and what an invoice should show. Clear fees and a clear invoice rhythm are what make it easy to chase a late payment later.

Elsewhere: the US edition has the cleaner give a W-9 before the first payment, and a host may issue a Form 1099-NEC at year end (see the IRS instructions). The UK and EU editions show the UTR or tax number and VAT details on each invoice.

Clause 5 — GST

This clause says whether the prices include GST, exclude it, or carry none because you aren't registered. It stops the common argument over whether "$80" meant $80 or $88. The ATO's page on tax invoices explains what a tax invoice includes.

Elsewhere: GST becomes VAT in the UK and EU (only if you're registered, and EU small-business exemptions differ by country) and "sales tax, if any" in the US, where cleaning is taxed in some states and not others. The official VAT and state revenue pages explain the detail.

Clause 6 — Payment terms

How many days the host has to pay, how, and what happens if they're late. It includes a pause option after written notice, and the sensible habit of paying the undisputed part of an invoice on time. For a solo cleaner, this is the clause that decides whether the roster pays your rent.

Elsewhere: the US edition has a late fee blank and mentions state limits. The UK edition points to the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998 for business-to-business late interest. The EU edition says interest follows the law of the country named in the contract.

Clause 7 — Access and keys

How you get in (key, lockbox, smart lock code or in person), how you keep codes private, and what happens if a key is lost. It also confirms you only enter for agreed cleans. Keys are trust made physical, and a lost key can turn into an expensive re-keying conversation.

Elsewhere: the UK and EU editions mention optional "care, custody and control" or key cover in the insurance clause. The US edition mentions an optional janitorial or fidelity bond, which covers theft by a cleaner.

Clause 8 — Consumables, linen and equipment

Who supplies cleaning products and equipment, who pays for toilet paper, soap and coffee, and who washes the linen (and for what fee). Laundry is often the hidden half of a turnover, so this clause is where "$70 a clean" quietly becomes a loss.

Elsewhere: the independent-status wording in all three regional editions says the cleaner brings their own products and tools unless the parties agree otherwise in writing.

Clause 9 — Damage, breakage and maintenance reporting

You report damage or maintenance problems you find, with photos, within an agreed time, and you own up promptly to anything you break. Normal wear and tear, and damage that was already there, is not on you. Your arrival and departure photos are the evidence that protects you.

Elsewhere: the US, UK and EU editions say the host's property insurance is the first source of cover for property damage, unless the cleaner's negligence caused it. All three have a blank for the reporting time.

Clause 10 — Lost property

What to do when you find a guest's things: photograph them, tell the host quickly, keep them secure, and never keep or give away anything. Money, jewellery, medication and documents are reported straight away and left untouched where possible. Clear rules here protect you if an item goes missing later.

Elsewhere: the same common-sense approach, with a data twist. In the UK and EU, photos with a guest's belongings in them can count as personal data, so the editions say to use them only for the Services.

Clause 11 — Insurance

Which policies you hold (for example public liability or cover for your own tools) and which the host holds (building, contents and public liability for guest use). Each side also promises to tell the other if cover ends. Insurance is what sits behind the promises in the damage clause.

Elsewhere: the names change. The US uses commercial general liability, an optional bond and workers' compensation. The UK has public liability and employers' liability (see the HSE page). The EU speaks of civil liability insurance, with employer insurance and social contributions set nationally.

Clause 12 — Work health and safety

Both sides agree to keep the job safe: the host warns you about known hazards (slippery floors, pets, pest treatments, asbestos), you use chemicals as labelled, and either of you can stop work over a safety concern. Injuries and near-misses are reported the same day. A clean is not worth a fall down loose stairs.

Elsewhere: the safety regulators change by country. The US has OSHA, the UK has the HSE, and EU countries have their own national bodies. Safe Work Australia and your state regulator cover the Australian side.

Clause 13 — Cancellations and same-day changes

What happens if the host cancels at short notice, asks for an early check-in or late check-out, or a guest complains. It also covers what you do if you're sick. For cleaners, this is where a cancelled booking either costs you nothing or costs you a morning's pay.

Elsewhere: the regional editions keep the same idea and leave the notice period and percentage as blanks, so you set what suits your own work. The UK edition suggests you aren't obliged to accept work outside confirmed bookings.

Clause 14 — Confidentiality and guest privacy

You keep guest names, bookings, belongings and security details private, you don't photograph guests, and you don't post about the property on social media. This continues after the contract ends. Guests are trusting a stranger with a home for a few days, and cleaners see a lot.

Elsewhere: privacy law is the big shift. The UK has UK GDPR, the EU has GDPR, and the US has a patchwork of state laws, with California's CCPA the best known. In the UK and EU, names, door codes tied to a stay and room photos can count as personal data.

Clause 15 — Independent contractor status

This clause records that you run your own business: you decide how the work is done, you can work for other clients, you invoice for a clean (not hours), and you bring your own gear. It also says a label doesn't decide status; the real working relationship does. The Fair Work Ombudsman and the ATO both publish guides on the difference.

Elsewhere: the US layers an IRS test, a Department of Labor test and stricter state tests such as California's ABC test. The UK has employee, worker and self-employed (and IR35 only if a company sits in between). The EU uses national tests, plus a platform work directive if you find jobs through an app.

Clause 16 — Term and termination

When the agreement starts, whether it has an end date, how much notice either side must give, and when it can be ended immediately (serious breach, serious risk, insolvency). On ending, you're paid for work done and you hand back keys and codes. Most disputes get worse when the exit is unclear.

Elsewhere: the regional editions use the same shape, with notice periods left blank. The UK and EU editions add that you aren't owed work outside confirmed bookings.

Clause 17 — Disputes

A calm path for when something goes wrong: talk first, then mediation with a mediator you both agree on, then the courts or other bodies if needed. It points small businesses to the ASBFEO for free or low-cost help. A path in the contract beats arguing by text at midnight.

Elsewhere: the US has state small-claims courts, with limits that vary a lot. The UK has the county court small claims track (England and Wales), the simple procedure (Scotland) and a separate route in Northern Ireland. The EU relies on national courts, with the European Small Claims Procedure for cross-border claims up to EUR 5,000. The EU's old online dispute platform closed on 20 July 2025.

Clause 18 — General

The housekeeping: this document is the whole agreement, changes must be in writing and agreed by both sides, the law of a named state applies, and if one part fails the rest stands. It's dull to read, but it's where one-sided powers like changing the rules at will usually hide.

Elsewhere: in the US you name a state (and venue county), in the UK you tick England and Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland, and in the EU you name the country where the property is. The EU edition also adds a language clause saying which translation prevails.

Clause 19 — Signatures

Both sides sign and date, and each keeps a copy. A signed contract is the version that counts, so make sure the one you sign is the same one you've read, with every blank filled in or struck out.

Elsewhere: the same everywhere. Date formats follow local habit, and the US, UK and EU templates each carry their own cover line and a "Wrong edition?" pointer for cross-border hosts.

Ten red flags at a glance

Unlimited indemnity. You promise to cover any loss, with no cap and no link to fault.
Unpaid cancellations. The host cancels late and you get nothing for the slot you held.
Payment on "guest satisfaction". Your fee depends on reviews or ratings you don't control.
Payment in 60 days or more. Long terms, or "pay when paid" by the owner or guest.
Unilateral variation. The other side can change rates, scope or terms without your agreement.
Restraint of trade. You're barred from working for other clients, or nearby, after the job ends.
Automatic renewal. The contract rolls over for a long term unless you give notice at the right moment.
Liability for guest damage. You're responsible for damage or loss that you didn't cause.
Contractor label, employee control. They set your hours and methods but call you a contractor.
Blanks and "reasonably requested" extras. Open-ended tasks, rates "to be agreed" and unfilled gaps.

Words you’ll meet

Showing 25 of 25 terms

Assignment: one party handing its rights or duties under the contract to someone else. Check whether your consent is needed.
Breach: failing to do something the contract says, such as not paying on time or not turning up.
Confidentiality: a duty to keep certain information private, like guest details and door codes.
Consideration: what each side gives in return. For you it's the clean; for the host it's the payment.
Counterparts: a clause allowing each party to sign a separate copy, which together form one contract.
Entire agreement: a clause saying the written contract is the whole deal, replacing earlier promises not in it.
Force majeure: events outside anyone's control, such as floods or fires, that excuse a party from performing.
Governing law: the state or country whose law is used to read the contract and settle disputes.
Indemnity: a promise to cover someone else's loss or costs. Check whether it has a cap and applies only where you were at fault.
Independent contractor: someone who runs their own business and supplies services, as opposed to an employee.
Insolvency: being unable to pay debts as they fall due. Many contracts allow immediate termination if it happens.
Limitation of liability: a clause capping what one party can be made to pay if something goes wrong.
Liquidated damages: a fixed sum agreed in advance as the cost of a breach, such as a set fee for a missed clean.
Mediation: a structured talk with a neutral person who helps both sides reach their own agreement.
Notice period: the warning time one party must give before ending the contract or changing something.
Novation: replacing one party with a new one, with everyone's agreement, so the new party takes over the contract.
Public liability: insurance covering claims by others for injury or property damage arising from your work.
Restraint of trade: a limit on who you may work for, or where, during or after the contract.
Set-off: deducting money you owe from money you're owed, such as taking a claimed breakage out of your invoice.
Severability: if one clause fails or can't be enforced, the rest of the contract still stands.
Subcontractor: someone you engage to do part of the work. Check whether the host must agree first.
Tax invoice: an invoice with details set by tax law, used by GST-registered businesses. See the ATO's guide.
Termination for convenience: ending the contract without any fault, usually by giving notice. Check who can use it and what you're paid.
Variation: a change to the contract terms. Look for wording that says both sides must agree in writing.
Warranty: a promise that something is true or will be done to a standard, such as work done with due care.

Official sources

Checked October 2026. These guides explain the topics; they don't replace advice for your situation.