Move-out cleaning with guarantee: 5 questions to ask before you book

When you book an end-of-tenancy cleaning in Switzerland, you will often see the words "with handover guarantee". It sounds like a promise that nothing can go wrong. But a move out cleaning guarantee can mean very different things depending on the company. Some attend the handover and re-clean on the spot; others only offer to come back "within a reasonable time". This guide explains the five questions to ask before booking – and, in the interest of transparency, what our own guarantee covers and what no cleaning guarantee can cover.

Why a guarantee matters at a Swiss handover

The Swiss flat handover is thorough. The property management inspects the flat in detail and records defects in a handover protocol – including cleaning that is considered insufficient. Under Art. 267a of the Code of Obligations, the landlord must inspect the flat and notify the tenant of defects immediately.

That means problems surface on the day itself, often with little time to fix them: the keys are due, the removal van has left, and you may already be living in another town. A guarantee is only useful if it solves the problem right then – or very quickly afterwards.

1. What exactly does a move-out cleaning guarantee cover?

This is the most important question. A handover guarantee from a cleaning company refers to the cleaning. It should cover every area in the agreed scope, such as:

• Kitchen including oven, hob, extractor hood, fridge and cupboards
• Bathroom and WC including limescale removal
• Windows, frames, sills, blinds and shutters
• Floors, doors, skirting boards, radiators and switches
• Ancillary rooms such as cellar, attic compartment and letterbox, if booked

What no cleaning guarantee can cover: damage, normal wear and tear and defects that cleaning cannot remove – for example scratches, burns, etched limescale marks on glass, old discolouration or holes in walls. Those are separate matters between tenant and landlord. The tenants' association explains how the handover protocol records such points.

2. Does the company attend the handover?

A guarantee is much stronger when someone from the cleaning company is present at the inspection. They can answer questions immediately, clarify what is a cleaning matter and what is not, and fix small points on the spot.

Ask:

• Will a team member attend the handover in person?
• What happens if the handover date or time changes?
• Is attendance included in the price?

With Priority Clean, the team attends the handover as part of our 100 % handover guarantee.

3. How does re-cleaning work?

If the property management objects to something, how quickly and at what cost is it fixed?

• Is re-cleaning free of charge?
• Is it done immediately at the handover, or on a later date?
• Does the guarantee depend on the property manager's handover checklist being used?
• Is there a time limit, for example only objections raised at the handover itself?

Our approach: we clean according to the property manager's checklist, attend the handover and re-clean free of charge if anything is objected to.

4. Is the price fixed – and what is included?

A move-out cleaning guarantee is only as good as the scope behind it. If windows, blinds or the cellar are not included, the guarantee does not cover them either.

• Ask for a fixed price with a written description of the scope.
• Check extras: balcony, conservatory, cellar, garage, very high windows, heavily soiled ovens.
• Ask whether cleaning products and equipment are included.
• Clarify whether the price can change on the day and under what conditions.

We quote a fixed price after a few photos, usually within 24 hours. Photos in daylight of the kitchen, bathroom, windows and floors make the quote precise.

5. What do you need to prepare?

Every guarantee depends on certain conditions. Ask about them so there are no misunderstandings:

• The flat must be completely empty when cleaning starts – furniture and boxes block access.
• Water and electricity must be available.
• Access and keys must be arranged, including for ancillary rooms.
• Repairs, filling holes or painting should be finished before cleaning, as they create dust.
• Any special requirements from the property management should be shared in advance.

The homeowners' association HEV lists the typical cleaning points at a flat handover – a useful reference when you compare offers.

Common mistakes when booking

• Assuming the guarantee covers damage: It covers cleaning only.
• Booking without a written scope: Extras such as blinds or the cellar may be missing.
• Scheduling cleaning while furniture is still in the flat: Makes a full clean impossible.
• Booking too late around popular moving dates: Good slots fill up early.
• Choosing only on price: A low quote without handover attendance can cost more time and stress later.

If you are still deciding whether to clean yourself, read our guide on doing the move-out cleaning yourself or hiring a company, and see what drives move-out cleaning costs.

Priority Clean editorial teamOur cleaning team from Alberswil, Canton of Lucerne, shares hands-on experience from move-out, house, office and window cleaning across Central and Northwestern Switzerland.