Office Cleaning Costs in London (2026): Hourly Rates, Monthly Budgets and 6 Checks Before You Sign

Office cleaning in London typically costs around £21.50 to £25.50 per cleaner hour in 2026, before VAT. A small office cleaned five evenings a week might spend £700 to £830 a month, while larger offices can spend several thousand.

Those are guide prices, not fixed rates. What matters is how many cleaning hours you're buying, what's included and whether the price is sustainable.

Here's what to budget and what to check before signing a contract.

London office cleaning prices at a glance

These ranges are based on published 2026 supplier prices and industry research. Individual quotes can fall outside them.

Always compare quotes per cleaner hour. Two cleaners working for two hours is four cleaner hours, not two.

Ask whether the rate includes cleaning products, equipment, supervision and VAT. A cheaper hourly rate isn't necessarily a cheaper contract.

How much does office cleaning cost per month?

The easiest way to budget is to multiply the cleaning hours per week by the hourly rate, then spread the annual cost across 12 months.

These examples assume five evening cleans per week, at £21.50 to £25.50 per cleaner hour.

Illustrative budgets excluding VAT, consumables and additional services. Actual hours depend on the office layout and cleaning specification.

Cleaning three days a week instead of five could reduce your monthly bill by around 40%, assuming the same hours per visit and hourly rate.

But headcount doesn't tell the whole story. A 30 person office with three kitchens, five toilets and lots of meeting rooms may take longer to clean than a larger open plan office.

Minimum visit charges can also make shorter or less frequent cleans disproportionately expensive.

The £16 check: is your cleaning quote too cheap?

An unusually cheap quote deserves a closer look.

From April 2026, the legal National Living Wage for workers aged 21 and over is £12.71 an hour. The voluntary London Living Wage is £15.45 an hour. It was announced on 15 October 2026, with accredited employers given until 1 May 2027 to pay it.

But the hourly wage isn't the full cost of employing a cleaner.

Illustrative costs for an adult employee working 15 to 25 hours a week, before pension contributions, insurance, equipment, supervision, sickness cover or profit. Actual costs depend on payroll arrangements and employer allowances.

That leaves little room for a cleaning business charging £16 per hour.

A quote around or below £16 per cleaner hour should prompt questions about how the service is delivered and how cleaners are paid. It isn't automatically unlawful, but it needs an explanation.

If your business is an accredited Living Wage Employer, your commitment also extends to regular contracted workers such as cleaners, subject to the Living Wage Foundation's implementation arrangements.

What affects the price of office cleaning?

Seven things tend to make the biggest difference:

1. Frequency. Daily cleaning costs more overall, but regular visits can be more efficient than occasional ones.
2. Time of day. Evenings and early mornings are common. Weekend and overnight work may cost more.
3. Kitchens and washrooms. These often take longer than desks and open plan areas.
4. Flooring and layout. Carpet, hard floors, staircases and individual rooms all change the workload.
5. Consumables. Toilet roll, hand soap, paper towels and bin bags may be charged separately.
6. Security. Additional vetting, access restrictions and supervised entry can affect costs.
7. Minimum hours. Some contractors require a minimum visit length or weekly commitment.

When comparing quotes, ask every supplier to price the same cleaning specification. Otherwise, you're comparing different services.

What else can your cleaning contract include?

Cleaning companies can often manage more than the daily clean.

Services worth asking about include:

• Washroom consumables and restocking
• Feminine hygiene bins and servicing
• Waste and recycling collections
• Kitchen supplies and dishwasher consumables
• Periodic deep cleaning, carpet cleaning and window cleaning

Putting these services under one supplier can mean fewer contracts, fewer invoices and less chasing.

Don't overlook waste compliance

Since 31 March 2025, most workplaces in England have been required to separate food waste, dry recycling and general waste under Simpler Recycling rules.

This includes offices without a kitchen. Businesses with fewer than 10 full time equivalent employees have until 31 March 2027 to comply.

If your cleaner handles waste, check who collects it, how it's separated and whether the waste carrier is registered.

6 checks before signing an office cleaning contract

1. Get the rate per cleaner hour

Ask how many people will clean, how long they'll stay and how often they'll visit. A monthly total alone tells you very little.

2. Check whether the price is realistic

Use the £16 labour cost sense check. If the quote looks unusually cheap, ask about employment arrangements, holiday cover and what's included.

3. Ask who actually does the cleaning

Are cleaners directly employed or subcontracted? Will you get the same people each week? Who covers sickness and holidays?

4. Check insurance

Request public liability insurance and employers' liability insurance where applicable. Don't rely on a verbal assurance.

5. Get a written specification

It should set out exactly which areas are cleaned, the tasks and frequency, consumables, additional charges and VAT.

6. Check the contract terms

Ask about the minimum contract period, notice period, price increases and what happens if cleaning standards slip. If you're replacing an existing supplier, raise TUPE before agreeing a start date.

A properly itemised quote makes it easier to compare suppliers and hold them accountable later.

Do cleaning companies need to visit before quoting?

Not necessarily.

Many cleaning contracts can be initially priced from a floor plan, photographs and a clear brief. At Clara, we use these details to help suppliers quote without requiring an initial site visit wherever practical.

You'll usually need to provide:

• Office address, size and floor plan
• Photographs of the main areas
• Number of staff and busiest office days
• Kitchens, toilets and meeting rooms
• Preferred cleaning frequency and times
• Any extra services, such as waste or washroom supplies
• Current supplier, notice period and preferred start date
• Approximate monthly budget

A site visit may still be necessary for larger or more complex offices.

Ask whether the initial quote is fixed or subject to confirmation after a walkthrough. It saves arguments later.

How long does it take to switch office cleaners?

For a straightforward change, allow around a month, although your existing notice period or TUPE requirements may make it longer.

Start with three things:

Check your notice period. This determines when your existing contract can end.

Raise TUPE early. When cleaning contracts change hands, the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations may apply. If they do, existing cleaning staff can transfer to the new provider with their employment rights protected. The outgoing employer must normally provide employee liability information at least 28 days before the transfer.

Arrange a proper handover. Agree the arrangements for keys, alarm codes, access cards, cleaning cupboards, equipment and the first scheduled clean.

Changing suppliers should improve the service, not create another job for the office manager.

Frequently asked questions

How much does office cleaning cost per hour in London?

Published 2026 London rates put regular office cleaning at approximately £21.50 to £25.50 per cleaner hour, excluding VAT. More demanding contracts can cost considerably more.

How much does it cost to clean a small office?

A small office receiving 1.5 cleaner hours per visit, five days a week, would cost approximately £700 to £830 per month at those guide rates. Minimum charges for short visits may increase this.

Are cleaning products and toilet rolls included?

Not always. Some contracts include cleaning chemicals and equipment but charge separately for soap, toilet paper, hand towels and other consumables. Check before comparing prices.

Can I get an office cleaning quote without a site visit?

Often, yes. A floor plan, photographs and a short brief can be enough for an initial quote. Some suppliers will still require a visit before confirming the contract.

How much notice do I need to switch cleaners?

It depends on your existing agreement. Check the notice period first and allow additional time if TUPE applies.

Get an office cleaning quote through Clara

Clara Office Management is a London marketplace that lets office managers find, book and pay for suppliers, services and events.

We help London offices find cleaning suppliers without the usual back and forth of arranging visits and chasing quotations.

Send us your floor plan and a short brief. We'll help you find a cleaning service that fits your office, schedule and budget.

Get an office cleaning quote through Clara

About the author: Alex Nazaruk is the founder and CEO of Clara Office Management. He has spent four years finding, testing and booking suppliers for London offices.

Sources and methodology

Prices are indicative, based on publicly available 2026 guides, including MN Support Services and Whito.

Employment cost calculations draw on GOV.UK minimum wage rates, employer NI thresholds and the Living Wage Foundation.

Other regulatory references: Simpler Recycling and Acas TUPE guidance.