Switching Janitorial Vendors: A Property Manager's Field Guide

Switching cleaning vendors feels risky. It doesn't have to be. Done right, you transition in 2 weeks with zero gaps. Done wrong, you miss a night, hear from tenants, and explain it to ownership.

Week 1: Quiet prep

• Walkthrough with new vendor, confirm scope and pricing
• Sign agreement (with additional insured endorsements)
• Get certificates of insurance filed with your risk team
• Coordinate key and access transition dates

Week 2: Parallel shadow

Ideal: overlap one shift. New vendor shadows the existing crew on their last night. They see every supply closet, learn every access pattern, meet the building engineer. Costs you one extra shift. Saves a lot of first-week friction.

Transition day

Existing vendor's last night. Keys returned in a documented handoff. Next night, new vendor starts. No gap.

What to tell your existing vendor

Give written notice per your agreement (usually 30 days). Don't over-explain. Most cleaning contracts are month-to-month. A clean, professional notice is all you owe.

Week 1 of new service

Expect a couple of small issues — someone doesn't know where the supply closet is, a light gets left on. Report them to the account manager directly. Fixed by night 3. By week 2 you've forgotten you switched.