By: Glen Wilson
10 June 2025
For your own peace of mind its worth being clear on the Terms and Conditions of your cleaning contract. These are some of our most common Q’s and A’s.
Q/ For how long is a Fenix quote valid?
A/ A Fenix quote is valid for 30 days from date of issue.
Q/ Do you do onsite quotes?
A/ Due to the cost of doing so, we rarely do onsite quotes for vacate cleans but history shows, where the questionnaire is completed accurately, our online quotes are quite accurate.
Q/ Is the amount quoted all I will have to pay?
A/ A Fenix quote is based on the information provided. If there are inaccuracies or omissions in this information, any variations may need to be quoted and approved on the day, prior to being carried out by our cleaners. In addition, credit card payments attract a fee of approx. 2.5% and accounts overdue by 30 days may incur additional costs.
Q/ Do I need to make payment before the cleaning?
A/ Full payment is to be made at the time of booking to secure the appointment in the schedule. Until this payment is made the booking is not guaranteed and without this payment Fenix will not attend. If for any reason the above requirement cannot be met, please contact us by replying to the quote email.
Q/ Can I postpose or cancel a job?
A/ Cancellation or postponement greater than 48 hours from the scheduled commencement of cleaning will result in a full refund. Cancellation or postponement less than 48 hours but before 6pm on the day before the scheduled commencement of cleaning may result in a cancellation fee of $50+GST. Cancellation after 6pm on the day before the scheduled commencement of cleaning may result in $106+GST attendance fee.
Q/ What is a Fenix Bond Back Guarantee (BBG)?
A/ Refer to Bond Back Guarantee
Q/ How clean will the property be after the cleaning?
A/ Fenix will make every reasonable attempt to carry out cleaning in a professional and efficient manner, however sometimes certain stains can’t be removed e.g., some types of stains from carpets, some types of stains from curtains and blinds, and mould from grout when it has permeated the surface. It should be remembered that a vacate clean is a detailed cleaning of the property it is not a restoration or replacement of old for new. Hence, tenants, property managers and owners are all encourage to apply the reasonableness test and don’t expect something you have not paid for.
Q/ Can you dispose of rubbish?
A/ Disposal of rubbish can be pre-arranged and will need to be quoted, approved, and paid for, in advance of the job.
Q/ Does the property need to be completely empty?
A/ For a vacate clean the answer is yes with the following exceptions. If the property is fully furnished or partly furnished or if prior arrangement is made to leave specific items on site. In either case, email advice is required specifying the items to remain and where it is to be left. Where the property is not fully furnished but some items are to be left on site, these items should be clearly labelled. Regardless, the cleaners will always leave in place toilet rolls, kitchen caddy, security system devices and electronics, communications (e.g., modem) and entertainment (e.g., Foxtel) equipment. If something appears to be of value the cleaners will try to contact you to check, otherwise they will either leave it on the back porch or discard it. Unless by prior arrangement, minor items of rubbish left in the property will either be disposed of in the appropriate wheelie bin or bagged and left on the back porch.
Q/ Do I need to be onsite during the clean?
A/ A tenant should leave the cleaners to their work – there is nothing more distracting than having a tenant, owner or property manager hovering over a cleaner while they are trying to do the job.
Q/ Do I need to attend after the cleaning?
A/ The tenant should attend at the end of the job to approve or otherwise. If the tenant can’t attend at the end of the job, a re-attendance will only be carried out at the request of the relevant property manager. If you can’t attend at the end of the job, all outstanding payments need to be made prior to the clean is commenced.
Q/ Can I have a say in Date and Time of the clean?
A/ Of course you can have a say. We ask at the beginning of the process for your preferred dates, and we will strive to schedule your job for one of those dates in your given priority order. If we can’t meet your date, we will let you know asap so can follow another course of action. Regarding start times, our cleaners begin work at 8am and as you can appreciate, we can’t have them sitting around waiting for a later start time. If you can’t make an 8am appointment, we recommend leaving keys onsite somewhere safe or we can arrange a late morning or afternoon appointment. Other than the first appointment of the day we will only be able to give approx. start times as some jobs take less time than planned and others take more. If the cleaners are running off schedule, they’ll keep you posted.
Q/ Will you pick up the keys from the real estate agency’s office?
A/ This is not a preferred option but in extenuating circumstances it may be arranged if raised at the beginning of the process not after all agreements have been reached. Whether or not there is an associated cost will depend on the relative location of the property being cleaned to the agency address. It is your responsibility to ensure the keys are available at the agency at the agreed time and date or costs may apply.
Q/ Does Fenix have Public Liability Insurance (PLI)?
A/ Yes, we do.
Q/ Do the cleaners need a parking spot?
A/ Shortly before, and while cleaning is in progress, the cleaners require access to a standard-sized vehicle parking area at or very close to the property. If a space cannot be provided and paid parking is unavoidable, Fenix will need to pass on any parking fees, at cost +10%.
Q/ Why no discount, I have a cheaper quote?
A/ We’ve come across this situation on previous occasions, and it happens that the quotes aren’t like for like. It’s easy to quote low then add in cost as you go along but we don’t like to work that way. We base our itemised quote on the time needed to do a sufficiently good job of each item in the quote so that a tenant gets the bond back. We don’t build in contingency, or an excessive profit margin and we do stand behind our work. We’ll do a great job for you, but we don’t want to get caught up in haggling.
Q/ The cleaners worked less than the quoted time?
A/ If the job has been quoted as a certain number of hours of cleaning, then you may expect the cleaners to be busy onsite for the nominated hours. When a job is quoted as a job based on the cleaner(s) achieving a desired outcome, it is the outcome that matters not the hours taken. To do otherwise would make doing a quote pointless. We quote based on years of experience and as you can imagine, in some jobs we take a little longer and, in some jobs, we take a little less time. It’s the final job outcome that we are offering and quoting on.
BEING CLEAR ON THE TERMS AND CONDITION INVARIABLY LEAD TO A SMOOTHER FLOWING JOB WITH LITTLE ROOM FOR MISUNDERSTANDINGS AND BAD FEELINGS.
