Frequently Asked Questions
Why choose contract cleaners?
We often find that many companies are not familiar with the advantages of contract cleaning compared to employing their own in house cleaners and as such are missing out on the many benefits!
Contract Cleaning is Cost Effective – you might be surprised to find out that contract cleaning can work out more effective than hiring someone in-house for minimum wage! It is worth considering that an in-house cleaner requires you to pay for sickness cover, holidays cover, maternity leave and National Insurance, not to mention all the materials and equipment! By using a contract cleaning company, all of these costs are taken care of.
Contract Cleaning Saves You Time– By using contract cleaners it takes away the hassle of managing your cleaning staff, arranging last minute cover when necessary and handling any recruitment or HR issues that may arise, which enables your business to run more efficiently.
Contract Cleaning Ensures Peace of Mind– Contract cleaning companies provide all the necessary chemicals and equipment, insurances and correct training procedures to ensure you receive the full cleaning package. All of our team are experienced fully trained operatives compliant in colour coding and COSHH, and regularly receive updates on Health and Safety and cleaning practices. All sites are regularly visited and audited to maintain a high standard of service at all times.
What is TUPE?
The concept of TUPE (Transfer of Undertakings Protection of Employment) can be quite daunting to many companies unfamiliar with the process.
In simple terms, TUPE applies when a service provision change (such as cleaning) takes place, which protects the current operatives employment unless an economical, technical or organisational reason (an “ETO” reason) requires a change in the workforce.
Here at Eco Brite, we take care of the full TUPE process for you. We have a lot of experience dealing with TUPE transfers and make sure the process is as straight forward and simple as possible!
Here’s our step by step guide to what happens in a TUPE transfer between cleaning contractors!
1. When a new cleaning contractor has been appointed, they will ask the client for the current contractors details so that they may contact them directly to inform them that they will be taking over responsibility for servicing the clients site from an agreed transfer date.
2. The newly appointed contractor will then contact the current company to request details of any employees working on site that are eligible for transfer under the terms of TUPE.
3. Any eligible employees on site will be contacted notifying them of the TUPE transfer ,the contract takeover date and any ETO reason that may be applicable (such as change of working times / hours) as part of the consultation process by both the incoming and outgoing cleaning companies.
4. On the contract takeover date, the new cleaning contractor commences service with any eligible employees who will transfer over their existing terms and conditions of employment seamlessly at that time.
Exceptions
Although the aim of TUPE is to protect the current operatives employment, it is at the discretion of the employee if they wish to transfer to the newly appointed company. At any point within the TUPE process the employee can refuse to transfer.
Similarly, if the current employees on site work less that 50% of their total working hours with their current employers on the site in question, they are not subject to the requirements of TUPE. If the client is unhappy with the current cleaning standards on site, the new cleaning contractors can insist on employees taking part in a training program to boost their standards and skill set.
What areas do you cover?
We are a local business that likes to support other local businesses and as such generally cover a 10 mile radius around Hull and 5 miles around Grimsby and Scunthorpe, this allows us to be on hand to provide a dedicated service to all clients (something you don’t get with a larger national chain)! However if you are not within this area feel free to give us a call to discuss your requirements, and we can see if we can be of any assistance.
Do you have a minimum number of hours?
Yes, we clean for a minimum of 2 hours once per week on any site. We do not supply materials or equipment for cleans of less than 4 hours per week. We believe to maintain high cleaning standards your work environment should be cleaned regularly and as such would always recommend twice per week to daily cleaning dependent on the size of your premises.
Are your cleaners keyholders?
We recommend cleans are completed out of hours to allow minimum disturbance to your premises during working hours, therefore our operatives are required to have access to security codes, alarm systems and keys. All our operatives are vetted prior to commencement of a employment with Eco Brite and sign confidentiality and security agreements, ensuring peace of mind that your building is in safe hands. We ensure a thorough handover is completed on commencement of a contract and security details are kept secure to guarantee you building is secure at all times.
Are your cleaners fully trained?
Yes, unlike some cleaning companies all our cleaners are interviewed and undergo our mandatory induction process prior to joining our team. Our induction process includes basic cleaning principles, health and safety and security training via our own bespoke training videos and each employee completes a final practical test to ensure that all operatives are competent in the necessary skills required before being introduced on a clients site.
What is colour coding?
Colour coding within cleaning is used to segregate equipment and procedures in order to prevent cross contamination. Colour coded products include Mops, Buckets, Cloths, Brushes, Dustpans, Gloves, Micro fibre dusters, etc. In general RED is used for high risk areas such as toilets, BLUE for low risk areas such as office furniture, skirtings and sills, GREEN is used in catering departments and YELLOW within medical centres and treatment rooms. Colour Coding is a vital part of cleaning that should be adhered to at all times.
