Guide
Changing janitorial providers at a Stockton property, step by step
A change of cleaning company is mostly a handover of keys, codes, supplies and knowledge about the building. Taken in order, the rooms stay clean the whole way through.
Start with the agreement already in place
Before choosing any date, read the current cleaning agreement closely. Look for the notice period, how notice has to be delivered, the last day of service and anything it says about equipment or supplies left on site. Those terms set the earliest workable changeover.
Send notice exactly as the agreement specifies, and file a dated copy with the building records. If the incoming company is still being chosen, the Stockton provider selection steps come first. Ask the outgoing company to confirm its final service night and to list the keys, fobs and codes it holds, so the handover has a clear end point.
While the notice runs, the outgoing crew keeps cleaning to the current task list. Use that stretch to arrange the walkthrough with the incoming company and to gather what the building already knows: the rooms that draw comments, the restroom that runs short of paper first and the door that sticks.
Picking the first night
Set the new provider’s first visit for the night after the outgoing company’s last one, so the building never goes a night without service. A weeknight start works well, because your property contact is in the building the next morning to see the result.
Steer the start away from the building’s own crunch weeks. For a downtown Stockton office that might be a move or a large meeting; for a distribution building it is the busiest shipping stretch, when breakrooms and restrooms see the most traffic. A quieter week gives the new crew room to learn the building.
Confirm the chosen date with both companies and with whoever manages the alarm system, so the codes, the keys and the first night all line up on the same evening.
Keys, alarm codes and the way in
List every door the crew uses, the alarm panel and its arming steps, and who to call if something goes wrong after hours. Collect the outgoing company’s keys and fobs on its last night and match them against the list.
Issue the incoming company its own alarm codes and retire the old ones, so each code points to one provider. In a shared building, tell building management the new company’s name and hours. At a warehouse, settle which dock or side door the crew uses at night and whether any area stays secured while staff are away.
Supplies, closets and what stays behind
Whether the new company supplies consumables or restocks from yours, take a count of the towels, tissue, soap and bags on the shelf at the handover. Show the incoming crew where stock is kept and who orders more when it runs low, and note it on the task list.
Machines, carts and cleaning products the outgoing company brought leave with it, and items your property bought stay. Settling which is which before the last night keeps the janitor closet from turning into a dispute, and it shows the new provider what it needs to bring.
The first week on site
The walk through the building before the quote sets the janitorial task list the new crew follows. Before the first night, walk the building again with your property contact so the crew knows each room, each supply point and each door.
On the mornings after the first visits, check the busiest rooms first. At a facility with shift crews, the support rooms the shift-change cleaning guide describes are the place to look. Note what needs adjusting and pass it through your contact so the visit plan settles quickly.
Telling the people in the building
Let staff know the date of the change, the hours the new crew works and who to tell about a problem. A short note keeps people from being surprised by new faces in the evening.
In a multi-tenant property, give tenants the same details and a single route for comments, usually the property contact. If daytime upkeep is part of the change, say when porter rounds start, so tenants know who is on the floor during the day.
A few useful answers
Quick answers.
Before leaving a Stockton cleaning contract, what notice is owed?
Whatever your agreement sets. Read its notice clause, the way notice must be delivered and the final service date before choosing a start.
Do alarm codes get reissued at a cleaning changeover?
Yes. Give the incoming company its own codes and retire the outgoing company’s on its last night.
Who keeps the stock in the janitor closet after the handover?
Consumables your property bought stay and are counted at the handover. Machines and products the outgoing company brought leave with it.
Who should staff contact during the first week of a new cleaning provider?
Your property contact. Gathering comments in one place lets the visit plan be adjusted cleanly.
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