Through these terms, we’re being forthcoming with how we work so you may confirm if we are a good fit for your cleaning requirements.
We have arranged the terms into clearly defined and titled sections. Sections 1 to 4 are specific to types of cleaning being required so you may wish to skip the sections within that range that do not apply to you.
We’re open and honest with our entire service in all aspects so you can really get a feel of how your cleaning service will look and feel. We feel this is the best way to conduct business so both parties can understand what is required and what is delivered with respect to services. No surprises and expectations are fully met.
If you need any clarification just send us an email and we’ll be happy to help.
By using our services you agree to these terms and conditions.
1. Window Cleaning Specifics
1.1 Method of Cleaning
Your windows will be cleaned using our Water Fed Pole (WFP) System. This is a telescopic pole with a specific window cleaning brush which can clean your windows by one of our team safely from the ground.
We use filtered water which does not contain any hardness, scale or impurities. As a result we will not dry your glass. Allow them to dry naturally and you will be left with a streak free finish.
What is Included – Our window cleaning prices include standard cleaning of your windows and doors inclusive of all frames, glass and sills. We will also clean under sills (where visible from standing height) and we clean particular fascias and trims which are integral to your window units.
What is Not Included – Some elements are not included within our normal cleaning service. Some of these can be cleaned for an additional premium due to extra labour and materials being required:
-Removal of builders residue (Render, cement, adhesives, paint and rust)
-Restoring discolouration
-Hard Water Staining
-Cleaning of Stone sills
Unless otherwise indicated above, we will quote on application for correction of any of the above where we are able to do so.
Window Cleaning Restrictions – We are unable to provide cleaning of many traditional heritage and period windows such as those on listed buildings. This includes many wooden, sash, leaded and combination windows. Many of these window types are not suited to cleaning using modern systems due to fragility and/or lack of adequate water sealing. With older wooden window units in particular, there are subject to constant wear and degradation from the variable British weather and present as too fragile for water fed pole window cleaning.
1.2 Skylights and other Roof Glazing
Should you have any small atrium, multi pane skylight or flat roof glazing, these are not considered as ordinary window units and are not included within your ‘Window Cleaning’ quote unless specifically highlighted. Velux windows are normally included within Window Cleaning quotations as a default.
In most cases, glazing of this nature is cleaned on an ad-hoc basis but should you wish for this to be cleaned in-line with your ordinary window cleaning service we will happily adjust your quote accordingly.
1.3 Accessibility Requirements
We can clean virtually all windows using our Water Fed Pole system, however, there is some instances where we may not be able to clean certain windows either all or in part. Our quoted prices take into account the limited cleaning we can offer with these.
Balconies – Where you have any windows which are covered either fully or partially by balcony railings, screens or separate glazing, we will clean where we can reasonably access.
Conservatories – If your conservatory has been installed in such a position that leaves limited space between it and a fence, wall or other installation; we may not be able to effectively use our equipment to clean this part of it. We can usually clean within said gaps to a reasonable standard providing there is 40cms or more width in which we can manoeuvre our cleaning equipment.
Other Windows – Where you have window units that can only be accessed via third party property (such as a neighbours garden) we may not be able to clean these unless permission is obtained, reasonable and facilitated by you.
1.4 Recurring Window Cleaning Specifics
Recurring Window Cleaning – Minimum Commitment – This means your cleaning is conducted on a repetitive basis every 6 or every 9 weeks based on your choice. You are committed to completing a minimum of 3 cleaning visits at the requested intervals with some variation for workloads taken into account. If you do not complete a minimum of 3 cleaning visits, you will be invoiced for a cancellation fee which is equal to the 6 weekly cleaning price.
Initial Cleaning Visit – When we conduct your first clean, we adopt a different technique which delivers a greater depth of cleaning. This takes a lot longer but ensures that the standard of cleaning is what we expect moving forwards.
Delaying Your Recurring Window Cleaning – At times you may need to postpone cleaning visits for personal reasons, building works or if you are not home to unlock a gate.
Where this occurs we can either attend and clean a proportionate part of your property which is subject to a minimum charge of 75% of the normal cleaning price as highlighted in ‘Section 6 External Property Access’.
Alternatively, we can delay your cleaning visit. Depending on your location we will be able to see you in 3, 6 or 9 weeks depending on the coverage available.
If you request to delay your cleaning you will be charged an addition to account for the increased frequency between cleans. This is because we charge an additional 20% for 9 weekly cleaning over 6 weekly. A cleaning visit interval of 12 weeks due to a requested delay will be charged at 40% over the 6 weekly price.
If you request your cleaning to be delayed beyond the 12 weekly point, your subsequent cleaning will be charged at 50% or more over the 6 weekly price depending on the duration left between cleans. At this point, the required cleaning is similar to that of an Initial Cleaning Visit or a One Off Service.
Illustrative Example:
6 Weekly Price £20
9 Weekly Price £24 (or 6 weekly cleaning delayed by 3 weeks)
12 Weekly Price £28 (for 9 weekly cleaning delayed by 3 weeks or 6 weekly cleaning delayed by 6 weeks.)
2. Gutter Cleaning Specifics
2.1 Gutter Washing
We use the same water fed pole cleaning system for washing gutters and fascias. This is owing to better safety and improved accessibility for gutters that cannot be reached via ladders. It is also able to provide a more thorough and intricate clean. The bristles on the brushes will clean into crevices of the brackets and higher up your fascia boards behind the gutter.
It should be noted that in some instances your gutters, fascias and soffits may suffer from staining which our systems are not able to remove. Whilst unlikely, in some cases gutters and fascias may be faded, tarnished or outright stained following prolonged periods of not being cleaned or even brief exposure to harmful substances. We find this is more common in areas subject to high volumes of vehicular use such as near busier roads for example.
2.2 Gutter Clearance
When conducting your gutter clearance we primarily use a high powered vacuum system. The main benefits of this system are safety and efficiency. Your gutters can be mostly cleaned from the ground and the powerful suction of the vacuum will often remove greater levels of dust and finer debris within your gutters that hand removal will not. We will then address any particular issues by hand using a ladder where necessary and safely accessible. Gutter Clearance will remove approx 95% of gutter debris and some negligible residue or crust will generally remain although this will only be a negligible amount and will not impede the drainage or flow of your gutter.
It should be noted that our fixed pricing system does not include gutter clearance where any gutter devices are fitted such as Hedgehogs, Gutter brushes, grills or any similar device. These often require removing before a clearance can commence. If you have any of these devices fitted please alert us as soon as possible as we will be required to alter your quote to allow for the extra time and resources to conduct this type of clearance.
3. Solar Panel Cleaning Specifics
Your solar panels are cleaned using purified water only; delivered through a water fed pole system with brushes used to agitate and clean away dirt, lichen and moss. No detergents are used in order to remain compliant with manufacturers warranties.
Most cleaning of solar panels can be completed from the ground. If you are able to get a line of sight of the entire panel array from the ground it is highly likely it can be cleaned from the ground. For some solar panel cleaning applications, we will specify for cleaning to be completed from a mobile tower which is prefabricated and assembled at your property specifically for the task. This is to ensure our safety and to reasonably minimise the risk of an accident at your property. Only trained operators that hold the official PASMA qualification will be cleared to use and construct towers and all arrangements associated to this are made by us.
When cleaning solar panels, we are able to easily remove lichen staining which is particularly stubborn and we will clean all upper surfaces of your solar panels and the perimeter side sections of your panels so your solar panel array is presented in good order. If there has been significant lichen staining on your solar panels, you may likely see a ghosting where the lichen was following removal. This is normal and usually disappears within a few weeks to a few months.
4. Render Cleaning Specifics
Render cleaning is primarily conducted using a safe biocidal wash which kills the algae and lichen growths that cause the discolouration to your render walls. While the cleaning products we use are HSE (Health & Safety Executive) approved, there is still some risk during use meaning safety measures must be taken and observed.
We will provide full written risk assessments to you prior to your cleaning and we require acknowledgement of these prior to commencement of your render cleaning. Personal Protective Equipment must be worn and some entry and exit from your home will be restricted throughout the cleaning process.
It takes approximately 3-9 weeks for significant improvements to be visible with render cleaning when using a biocidal wash method as the process relies on natural conditions such as wind and rain to aid with cleaning. Some discolouration may remain following cleaning and we conduct a follow up visit as part of the normal cleaning process where we apply additional cleaning products to specified areas and retreat any stubborn marks. We will always discuss specific expectations with you in writing via email prior to commencing any render cleaning as the expectations will vary on the specific types of algae and render type present.
5. Weather We Clean In
Given the system of window cleaning that we primarily operate, we will continue to conduct our cleaning in most weather conditions including light and moderate rain.
The reason for this is that rainwater on the glass will not affect the finish of cleaned windows because rainwater contains no significant hardness or minerals.
Only in heavy rain or temperatures at 0 degrees or below will we cease working due to health and safety considerations.
6. External Property Access
We always provide a notification to every client the day before we visit.
Where access is required we kindly request that you make the necessary arrangements to ensure we are able to attend and access your property for cleaning. Where access is blocked we may seek alternative means of access if possible to do so without causing any damage. For example where a gate may be locked, we may use a step ladder to go over your gate.
Should we attend your home and full access is not possible we will charge a minimum of 75% of the full price or £12 if the normal cleaning price is £16 or less . In most cases, there may be no access to the rear and we may only be able to clean 50-60% of your windows. However, the 75% charge takes into account the allocation of time that has been reserved for your cleaning.
In the event of full access not being available you should email us on: info@OmegaWindowCleaning.org.uk at your earliest convenience. This will allow us to allocate the time for other clients wishing to have cleaning conducted wherever possible.
In the rare instance that we experience repeated instances of incomplete property access we will regretfully withdraw our services so that our time can be more efficiently allocated, allowing for a more effective service.
7. Parking Availability
The equipment we require to clean your windows is all housed within the vans we drive and is essential for our work. For us to provide you a reliable service, we will need to park within a reasonable distance of around 25 meters to your property.
We will always take care to park and position our vehicle with courtesy, respect and due consideration for other road users and pedestrians. We won’t violate local parking laws or restrictions.
We are able to park on public roads meaning private or driveway parking is not essential. However, we reserve the right to refuse cleaning where your home is located in an area of restricted parking. This commonly includes roads with line restrictions and also homes where visitor parking is severely restricted. From experience, these limitations restrict the provision of your cleaning service as we are unable to park in many instances and you get an inconsistent service as a result. In light of obtaining the best fit for your cleaning requirements; in scenarios where parking is restricted, we would recommend seeking a traditional window cleaning service where a cleaner is not limited to equipment which is connected to their vehicle.
Should your home have extremely limited or unrealistic parking please let us know as soon as possible as we may refuse your cleaning if we arrive and it is not feasible to responsibly park a vehicle.
8. Visit Days and Timings
We are unable to visit within set timings due to the fluid nature of our work. The same applies to restrictions of certain days of the week.
Our visits are conducted from 0830 to 1830 from Monday through Saturday.
Please also allow for a few days flexibility in respect to your selected frequency of either 6 or 9 weeks. We may see you up to 5 days earlier or later in some instances. This is to allow for changes in workload and also to optimise cleaning including other homes within the same locality. Over the long term you will still be seen the correct number of times over each year.
9. Payments
You will need to pay for your cleaning via Bank Transfer. Your invoice will be emailed within 7 days. We kindly request that your payment is then cleared upon receipt of your invoice. We do not leave any invoice or payment at the time of cleaning.
When making your payment, please use the first line of your address as the payment reference. Your payment, once made, will be electronically paired to your invoice. Your invoice will then show as ‘Paid’ when you view it.
We understand that life is busy and it can be easy to overlook making your payment for your cleaning. If your payment becomes overdue we will politely send you a reminder notification by SMS or Email.
This will be followed up with further polite reminders by SMS and/or Email. If you have any difficulty in paying, we encourage for you to simply get in touch with us via email and we will always endeavour to work with you for a solution of mutual benefit.
In the unlikely event that your payment becomes overdue by over 90 days and no agreement has been reached, we will charge an administration fee of £47.50 and seek legal intervention. This course of action will only be taken as a last resort and we always seek all possible alternatives prior to engaging this intervention.
We reserve the right to withdraw our services, without notice, in the event of repeated late payments and instances of non payment.
10. Pricing
We determine our pricing based upon multiple factors which include but are not limited to; Location, Accessibility, Number of Windows, Window Type and Preferred Regularity.
We structure your pricing based on the images that you provide to us and this will always be proportionate to the assessed time, effort and resources required to effectively clean your windows. As mentioned in our response email when you request a quote, it is important to include all windows and/or parts of your property that you wish to be cleaned so that your quotation is determined accurately and fairly. If there are windows and/or parts of your property which were not shown on images that were provided for your quote, we will determine that these are to be excluded and they will not be cleaned unless you provide permission for an adjustment to your quote.
All of our prices are clear and are not subject to VAT. The price you see is the price you pay.
11. How To Contact Us
To get in touch with us you will need to email us directly on: info@OmegaWindowCleaning.org.uk.
We no longer handle any enquiries via telephone. This isn’t because we don’t want to speak with you, but instead because we are a smaller team and we have not found it manageable to have someone available to take calls. We personally know how frustrating it is to call a business and the phone just rings out without an answer or call back.
Following some data collection with our calls back in July and August 2019 we found that approx 85% of calls received were enquiries from people who ultimately never used our services. In business terms this additional time and focus was being used unproductively as it did not benefit our loyal clients who rarely need to get in touch over the course of a normal year. We felt this was a great shame and mostly unfair. Instead, we decided to optimise our time by answering all enquiries via email only which ensures accuracy and clarity in our communications whilst also freeing up our focus to best serve the clients who use us the most on a set recurring basis and developing our skills and service through enhanced training.
Our team is streamlined and when we arrive to clean your windows, you will receive our full attention as there is no calls to distract us when working.
12. General Update Communications
We will from time to time send you updates via email. These will limited to updates on your service and our business operations and will not likely exceed more than 6 update emails in any given year.
You may be asked for feedback on your cleaning and this is mostly to verify your satisfaction and for us to assess the standards and practices of our cleaners as part of our efforts to maintain a service of high standards for you.
13. Insurance Coverage
We are insured for up to £2 million for Public Liability & our general working.
We will not accept liability for damage that may occur due to poor care/lack of maintenance or deterioration of your property. For example, we will not accept responsibility for brittle fixings which may become dislodged as a result of normal cleaning agitation and are not a result of improper conduct or lack of attention by us.
We will not accept liability for any ingress of water into your property as a result of your windows not being water tight or adequately sealed.
14. Health & Safety
Health and safety is an important consideration in the choosing of a tradesman or contractor. At Omega Window Cleaning we take the matter very seriously in order to protect our clients, your property, the public and ourselves.
Not only it is a requirement to observe good practices for compliance but we also want to ensure we keep ourselves free from injury so we can continue to work. Also, we want to ensure that there is no accidents at your property which will cause stress and concern for you and other members of the household.
Of specific note, working at height is a significant risk and it is an essential practice that our ladders conform to the British Standards EN131 for Professional Use. In addition to this all cleaners will wear safety helmets for working at height and additional ladder supporting devices where beneficial.
We continually review health and safety practices for the window cleaning activities we conduct. The outcome of this continual review is our ‘Risk Assessment and Method Statement for General Operations’. Within this document we outline how we are to conduct each task in good detail to ensure procedures are efficient and as safe as possible.
15. Confidentiality
All your information is retained safely on encrypted devices. Your information is not shared with any third parties unless otherwise stated and your cleaners will only have access to your information when attending for your cleaning via their encrypted and portable devices which are protected from unauthorised use.
We are fully compliant to current EU General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) and value the importance of responsible and respectful use and storage of your necessary data and information.
Our GDPR Policy / Privacy Notice can be viewed on this site using the link.
16. Cancelling Your Service and/or Moving Home
Should you wish to cancel any service you have requested, whether it be a recurring/ regular service or any requested Add On services; we require a minimum of 1 weeks notice via email from when you require the cancellation to be effective from.
This is because we forward allocate our time for your cleaning and any cancellation either on the day or the evening before voids that reserved time which cannot then be allocated elsewhere at short notice.
If you are cancelling your regular window cleaning service prior to 3 completed visits. Your cancellation charge will be equal to the quoted 6 weekly price.
If you have sold your home or you are moving and we have not been notified at least 1 week before, we will charge a cancellation price equal to your 6 weekly price. We occasionally end up cleaning homes once residents have moved and the new owners are under no obligation to pay the charge due to not being notified. With our visits not being confirmed in advance, the 1 week notice period should be referenced to your moving date in this case.
We really encourage as much notice as possible as this enables us to better serve other clients who otherwise have to wait for their cleaning to be conducted.
17. Complaints
Whilst we endeavour to provide a service which adds value to each and every one of our clients, we appreciate that you may wish to raise a complaint or constructive criticism.
In the event you may wish to do so, please forward your complaints to info@OmegaWindowCleaning.org.uk and they will be handled by the business owner, Denis Otto, personally.
In the unlikely event we have made a mistake or error we will aim to put it right as soon as reasonably possible. We ask that you let us know within a reasonable time period (ideally within 48 hours) if you expect us to amend the situation. This is because dirt will build up on windows as days and weeks pass which degrade our ability to objectively assess the standard of cleaning.
Furthermore, your experience really is important and we work hard with our training systems and recruitment to deliver you a good service by a cleaner who cares, is polite and has a good amount of enthusiasm.
If something is not right with your cleaning, we really urge that you do let us know as this provides us the opportunity to course correct and set things right. It may not always be the fault of the cleaner as some issues can be down to communications or even our own systems and training processes. By letting us know of any constructive criticism, we can learn and develop to continually improve on how we work meaning more people can have a great cleaning experience.