Organising window cleaning in a shared building

In a shared or co-owned building, the difficulty is rarely technical. It is organisational: who decides, who pays, what is common and what is private, how upper floors are reached, and how the work is verified. This guide is for property managers, building council members and owners who want to move the subject forward.

Step 1 — Define the scope: common or private

Usually treated as common: glazing in entrance halls, stairwells, landings, corridors, access doors, roof lights and domes over common areas, and façade glazing not attributed to a specific lot.

Usually treated as private: apartment windows, including their outer face in many building rules.

But "usually" is not enough: the split depends on the building's deed and rules of co-ownership. Some rules explicitly assign maintenance of outer faces to the association, others do not. This check must precede any request for a quote, otherwise you are pricing a scope nobody has approved.

Step 2 — Choose the format that fits the building

Common areas only. The simplest: one decision-maker, one budget, one invoice to the association. The recommended starting point.

Common areas plus the outer faces of all apartments. Visually consistent result, often a better cost per unit thanks to a single mobilisation. Requires a vote and a clear allocation of charges.

Common areas plus an individual option. The association takes the common parts; each occupant may subscribe for their own windows, invoiced separately. Flexible, but requires organising sign-ups.

Apartment interiors. Strictly private, arranged directly between occupant and provider.

Step 3 — Settle access before asking for a price

• Are the windows reachable from the ground, from balconies, or only externally at height?
• Are the frames reversible or tilt-and-turn, allowing cleaning from inside?
• Does the building have safety anchors, a façade cradle, or usable roof access?
• Can a powered platform be positioned? Is there space, load-bearing ground, and is a road permit required?
• How are upper floors accessed: badge, code, intercom, caretaker, permitted hours?

A quote for a shared building produced without answers to those questions is provisional.

Step 4 — Prepare the general meeting

1. Obtain two or three quotes on the same written scope. Comparing different scopes compares nothing.
2. Present an annual cost, not a per-visit cost. That is what owners want to know.
3. Argue the proposed frequency from the observed condition and the building's exposure, not from habit.
4. State what is excluded: baked-on limescale, unreachable glazing, private faces, frames if not retained.
5. State the term and the exit conditions. A contract without clear notice creates friction at every change of council.
6. Provide for proof of visit: photos, a signed work sheet, or validation by the caretaker.

Step 5 — Follow-up, which decides the long run

• An annual schedule known in advance removes reminders and questions.
• A work sheet listing what was treated and what could not be, with the reason, heads off most disputes.
• A single point of contact on the provider side avoids re-explaining everything each visit.
• An annual review allows the frequency to be adjusted rather than mechanically renewed.

Classic mistakes

• Choosing on price alone without reading the scope. A cheaper quote excluding the outer faces of upper floors is not cheaper, it is different.
• Forgetting roof lights and domes. They are almost never in a standard quote and need specific access.
• Not settling the question of private outer faces. The number one source of complaints after the first visit.
• Accepting automatic renewal without clear notice.
• Ignoring the season. A single annual visit scheduled mid-winter lasts less well than one in early autumn or spring.

Our approach

We ask for the scope in writing before pricing, state which glazing we will not be able to treat and why, and provide a report of the visit. We do not offer silently renewing contracts.

FAQ

Who pays for cleaning an apartment's windows? It depends on the building's rules. Common areas fall to the association; private faces generally to the occupant, unless stated otherwise.

Can common and private parts be done the same day? Often the most economical option. It needs organised access and clearly separated invoicing.

How many visits per year for a building? It depends on exposure, street and use. We propose a frequency after observing the condition rather than applying a standard rhythm.

Do you provide proof of the visit? Yes: a sheet listing the zones treated and those that could not be, with the reason.