In most South Florida condo buildings, a cleaning crew that turns up without the right paperwork doesn’t get past the front desk. Associations protect the building, the common areas and the elevators, and they do it with a fairly standard set of vendor rules. If you’re an owner, a tenant or a property manager booking a clean, here are the condo cleaning vendor requirements the building will usually ask for and how to get them ready before the first visit.
Certificate of Insurance
A certificate of insurance (COI) is a one-page document from the cleaning company’s insurer showing its liability coverage. Most associations want:
- The association, and often the management company, named as certificate holder, and in many buildings as additional insured
- General liability limits at or above the building’s minimum
- Workers’ compensation coverage, or a valid exemption
- Current dates. Expired certificates get rejected at the desk
Ask the management office for its vendor requirements in writing and send them to the cleaning company. A company that’s used to condo work will get the COI issued to the building’s exact wording, usually within a day or two.
Vendor Registration and Hours
Many buildings keep an approved vendor list and need the company registered before the first visit. Some also want the names of the crew members. Working hours are typically limited to weekdays and set daytime windows, with weekends and holidays restricted or closed. Renovation and post-construction work often has tighter hours than regular cleaning.
Service Elevators and Loading Areas
Vendors use the service elevator, not the residents’ elevators, and in busy buildings it has to be booked. Move-in and move-out days compete for the same elevator, so the move gets the booking first and the clean goes after it. Some buildings charge a deposit or fee for elevator reservations on move days.
Access When You’re Not There
Many South Florida owners aren’t in town all year. Buildings usually allow the front desk or management to let a registered vendor in with the owner’s written authorization. Set that up once and recurring cleans run without you being there. Keep the authorization current and tell the desk if the vendor or schedule changes.
Checklist Before the First Clean
- Get the building’s vendor requirements from management.
- Send them to the cleaning company and have the COI issued to the building.
- Confirm vendor registration and permitted hours.
- Book the service elevator if it’s a move, renovation or large clean.
- Leave written access authorization with the desk if you won’t be there.
Which Clean to Book
- Move-out cleaning for the end of a lease or a sale, ready for the walkthrough.
- Post-construction cleaning after a condo remodel.
- Recurring cleaning on a weekly, bi-weekly or monthly schedule.
Condo Vendor Rules: Common Questions
Why does the association need to be named on the certificate?
Being named as certificate holder means the association has proof of coverage on file. Being named as additional insured extends the cleaning company’s liability coverage to the association for claims arising from the work, which is what most buildings actually want.
Can my cleaner use the passenger elevator?
Usually not with equipment. Most buildings require vendors to use the service elevator, and the front desk will redirect a crew that tries otherwise.
What if my cleaner isn’t on the building’s approved list?
Ask management how to add them. It’s normally a COI and a registration form, and a company that works in condos regularly will handle it for you.
How We Handle Condo Buildings
Give us the building and unit when you book. We register with the building, supply the certificate of insurance to its wording and book the service elevator before the first visit. We clean condos across Aventura, Miami Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton, West Palm Beach and Stuart, including Hutchinson Island. Call 855-833-7665, or see all our cleaning guides.