The short version
- Free cancellation: with at least 48 hours notice.
- Re-clean guarantee: tell us within 24 hours, or 72 hours for end of lease and bond cleans.
- Damage: report it within 24 hours with photos so we can inspect and make it right.
- Payment: upfront for end of lease and bond cleans; a 20% deposit with the balance due on completion for other home services; within 7 days for commercial invoices, unless agreed otherwise.
- Your rights: your Australian Consumer Law rights always apply.
This summary is for convenience. The full terms below are what apply.
About these terms
1.1 These Terms and Conditions ("Terms") apply to every quote, booking and service provided by VMAP Services Pty Ltd (ACN 624 861 749, ABN 82 624 861 749), trading as Ministry of Cleaning ("we", "us", "our") to you, the person or business requesting or receiving the service ("you", "your", "client").
1.2 You accept these Terms when you do any of the following: submit a quote or booking request through our website, a landing page, phone, SMS or email; confirm a booking; pay a deposit or invoice; or allow our team to start work. If you book on behalf of someone else (for example a tenant, landlord, property manager or employer), you confirm you have authority to accept these Terms for them, and you are jointly responsible with them for payment.
1.3 If anything in a written quote, booking confirmation or signed service agreement from us conflicts with these Terms, that specific document applies to the extent of the conflict. Otherwise these Terms apply.
1.4 In these Terms, "business day" means a day other than a Saturday, Sunday or public holiday in the state or territory where the service is performed, and "property" means the home, premises or site where we perform the service.
Your rights under Australian Consumer Law
2.1 Our services come with guarantees that cannot be excluded under the Australian Consumer Law ("ACL"). Nothing in these Terms excludes, restricts or modifies any right or remedy you have under the ACL or any other law that cannot lawfully be excluded. Every limitation in these Terms applies only to the extent permitted by law.
2.2 For a major failure with the service, you are entitled to cancel your service contract and obtain a refund for the unused portion, or to compensation for its reduced value. You are also entitled to compensation for any other reasonably foreseeable loss or damage. If the failure does not amount to a major failure, you are entitled to have problems with the service rectified in a reasonable time and, if this is not done, to cancel your contract and obtain a refund for the unused portion.
2.3 Where our services are not of a kind ordinarily acquired for personal, domestic or household use, and the law allows, our liability for a failure to comply with a consumer guarantee is limited, at our option, to supplying the services again or paying the cost of having them supplied again.
Quotes and pricing
3.1 Quotes, online prices and calculator estimates are based on the information you give us, including the number and type of rooms, the size and condition of the property, and the services selected. They assume the property is in a reasonable, regularly maintained condition.
3.2 If on arrival the property is materially different from what was described (for example extra rooms, heavy soiling, grease build-up, mould, pet hair or waste, rubbish, hoarding, construction dust, or items left behind at an end of lease clean), we will tell you before continuing and may: (a) adjust the price to reflect the actual work; (b) reduce the scope to fit the original price; or (c) decline to continue, in which case a call-out fee may apply under clause 9. We will not charge more than the quoted price without first telling you.
3.3 Unless stated otherwise, quotes are valid for 30 days and prices are in Australian dollars and include GST where GST applies.
3.4 Website prices, calculators and "from" prices are estimates only. If a price is shown in error (for example a typing or system error), we will contact you before the service and you may accept the correct price or cancel at no cost.
3.5 Additional work requested on the day that is outside the confirmed scope will be charged at our standard rates, and we will confirm the extra cost with you before doing it.
3.6 A minimum charge of $150 + GST ($165) applies to every booking. Discounts and promo codes do not reduce a booking below this minimum.
Bookings and when our agreement starts
4.1 A request for a quote or booking is not a confirmed booking. A booking is confirmed only when we confirm it to you by email, SMS or phone. Bookings are subject to availability.
4.2 You can submit a booking online with or without paying. If you pay online, the payment counts towards the amount required by clause 10.1. If you choose to pay later, we will contact you to collect the deposit or upfront payment required by clause 10.1 (full payment for end of lease and bond cleans, or a 20% deposit for other residential services).
4.3 Your booking is secured once that payment has been received. We will hold the requested time for a reasonable period while we arrange payment with you, and may release it if we cannot reach you or payment is not made.
4.4 Arrival times are given as a window. We will do our best to arrive within that window, but traffic, weather and earlier jobs can cause delays. A delay in arrival is not a breach of these Terms, and we will keep you informed.
4.5 We may decline any booking, for example where the work is unsafe, unlawful, outside our service area or outside our expertise.
Offers, discounts and promo codes
5.1 Promotional offers and codes (including campaign codes such as BUS25) apply only on the terms stated with the offer. Unless stated otherwise: one code per booking; codes apply to new bookings made online through our website; they cannot be combined with any other offer, applied to past bookings or exchanged for cash; and a minimum spend may apply.
5.2 We may withdraw or change an offer at any time, but we will honour an offer that was valid when your booking was confirmed. We may refuse or reverse a discount that was obtained in breach of the offer terms or by misuse.
Your responsibilities
You agree to:
- give us accurate and complete information about the property, its condition and the work required;
- provide safe access at the booked time, including keys, codes, parking information and building or lift access;
- ensure working electricity, hot and cold running water and adequate lighting are connected at the property for the duration of the service (this is essential for end of lease, carpet and steam cleaning);
- remove or secure cash, jewellery, valuables, important documents, firearms, medication and fragile or sentimental items before we arrive;
- tell us in writing before the service about anything fragile, delicate, antique, valuable, unstable, loose, faulty, previously repaired, or needing special care, including surfaces and finishes such as natural stone, timber, unsealed tiles, delicate fabrics and specialist appliances;
- tell us about any known hazards, including asbestos, mould, sharps, biological waste, pests, structural defects, electrical faults, or anyone at the property who is unwell with an infectious illness;
- keep pets secured and away from the work area;
- ensure children are supervised by an adult and kept away from cleaning chemicals and equipment;
- for end of lease cleans, ensure the property is fully vacated, with all furniture, belongings and rubbish removed, unless we have agreed otherwise in writing;
- treat our team with courtesy and respect, and not ask them to carry out work outside the confirmed booking without contacting us.
If you do not meet these responsibilities, we may adjust the price, reduce the scope, reschedule or decline to continue, and clauses 9, 11 and 12 may be affected.
What our services include and exclude
7.1 We perform the services described in your booking confirmation or quote, using the checklist for that service, with reasonable care and skill. Our services are cleaning services. We do not guarantee a particular outcome where that outcome depends on the age, condition, materials or prior treatment of the item or surface.
7.2 Unless agreed in writing, our services do not include:
- removal of permanent marks, stains, discolouration, scratches, burns, etching, fading, rust, water damage, or wear and tear that cannot be removed by professional cleaning;
- repairs, painting, patching, wall washing of entire walls, or removal of hooks, nails, adhesives and picture hangers;
- work at height above what can safely be reached from a standard two-step ladder, external windows above ground floor, roofs, gutters and solar panels;
- moving heavy furniture or appliances, or items over 20 kg;
- rubbish removal, removal of items left behind, or disposal of hazardous material, biological waste, sharps or asbestos;
- pest control, sanitising after a death, crime scene or hoarding cleaning;
- cleaning inside appliances, cupboards or rooms that are not included in the booking.
7.3 Some surfaces and items can be damaged by ordinary cleaning because of an existing weakness, defect, poor installation or age (for example loose tiles, peeling paint, failing grout, unsealed timber, fragile blinds, worn carpet, or poorly fixed fittings). Where we use reasonable care and an appropriate method, we are not responsible for damage caused by an existing weakness or defect of that kind.
Service specific conditions
End of lease and bond cleaning
8.1 We clean to a standard intended to meet typical real estate agent and property manager inspection checklists. We cannot control your agent's, landlord's or a tribunal's decision about your bond. Bond deductions for items outside the confirmed scope, damage, wear and tear, rent, repairs, gardens, rubbish, pest control or carpet condition are not our responsibility. Our bond-back guarantee is a re-clean guarantee under clause 11.
Carpet, rug and upholstery cleaning
8.2 Results depend on fibre type, age, previous treatments and the nature and age of the stain. Some stains are permanent, and some may reappear as carpets dry (known as wicking). Drying times vary with weather and ventilation, and you are responsible for keeping people and pets off damp surfaces. We are not responsible for shrinkage, colour run, or texture change in items that are not suitable for wet cleaning, where you did not tell us of the item's care requirements or where the item has no care label.
Mould removal
8.3 We remove visible mould from treated surfaces. Mould returns if the underlying cause, such as moisture, leaks, condensation or poor ventilation, is not fixed. We do not guarantee that mould will not return and we do not provide building, plumbing or structural repairs. Porous materials heavily affected by mould may need replacement rather than cleaning.
Flood and water damage restoration
8.4 Restoration outcomes depend on the water source, how long items were wet, and the materials involved. We may recommend that items be discarded or replaced. If an insurer is involved, you remain responsible for payment of our invoice unless the insurer has agreed in writing to pay us directly.
Oven, appliance, tile and grout cleaning
8.5 We clean appliances and surfaces, we do not repair them. We are not responsible for pre-existing faults, failing seals, damaged enamel, or grout that is cracked, crumbling or missing.
NDIS cleaning
8.6 For NDIS participants, any service agreement we provide also applies. You or your plan manager remain responsible for payment of amounts not paid by the NDIS or your plan.
Cancellations, rescheduling and lockouts
9.1 You may cancel or reschedule free of charge by giving us at least 48 hours notice before the booked start time.
9.2 If you cancel or reschedule with less than 48 hours notice, a fee of up to 50% of the quoted price may apply. This fee reflects our reasonable estimate of the cost to us of a team, travel and a booking slot that usually cannot be refilled at short notice.
9.3 If our team arrives and cannot start or finish the work because access, power, water or safe conditions are not available, or because the property is materially different from what was described and you do not accept the adjusted scope or price, a call-out fee of up to 50% of the quoted price may apply (and may be deducted from any amount you have paid), together with any reasonable extra cost of returning.
9.4 If we need to cancel or reschedule, we will give you as much notice as possible and offer the next available time at no extra cost, or a full refund of any amount you have paid for that booking.
9.5 If you cancel with at least 48 hours notice, we will refund any deposit or prepayment in full, or hold it as a credit towards a rescheduled booking if you prefer. If a fee applies under clause 9.2 or 9.3, we may deduct it from the amount you have paid and refund the balance.
Payment
10.1 Unless we agree otherwise in writing:
- End of lease and bond cleans are paid in full upfront, before the service date;
- Other residential services require a 20% deposit to secure the booking, with the balance due on completion of the service on the day;
- Commercial invoices are payable within 7 days of the invoice date.
Extra work agreed on the day under clause 3 is payable on completion.
10.2 We accept bank transfer, credit and debit card, and online payment. Card payments are processed securely by our payment provider and we do not store your card details. A card surcharge may apply, which will not exceed our cost of accepting that card.
10.3 If an amount is not paid when due, we may: (a) charge interest on the overdue amount at the rate fixed under the Penalty Interest Rates Act 1983 (Vic) from the due date until paid; (b) suspend any further services; and (c) recover from you the reasonable costs we incur in recovering the overdue amount, including debt collection agency fees and legal costs, to the extent permitted by law.
10.4 If you have a concern about a charge, please contact us before disputing a payment with your bank or card provider so we can resolve it quickly. Paying an invoice does not affect your rights under clause 11 or the ACL, so please pay on time while we resolve any concern.
10.5 Deposits and upfront payments are applied to the final price. Refunds are handled under clause 9 and, where a service is not provided as agreed, under clause 2 and the ACL.
Re-clean and bond-back guarantee
11.1 If you are not satisfied with any part of the work we performed, we will return and re-clean that part at no extra cost, provided:
- for end of lease and bond cleans, you notify us within 72 hours of the completion of the clean, and give us a copy of the agent's or landlord's written inspection notes or clear photos showing the items concerned;
- for all other services, you notify us within 24 hours of the completion of the clean, with details and photos where possible;
- the issue relates to an item that was included in the confirmed booking;
- the property has not been occupied, used, or entered by others for work after our clean (for example removalists, tradespeople, gardeners, pest controllers or new occupants) in a way that could cause the issue; and
- you give us reasonable access to return, which we will aim to do within 72 hours of being notified.
11.2 The re-clean is our primary remedy under this guarantee. It does not cover items outside the booked scope, permanent marks or damage, wear and tear, or decisions made by an agent, landlord or tribunal about your bond. The guarantee is not a promise that your bond will be returned in full and we do not pay bond deductions.
11.3 If you refuse a reasonable opportunity to re-clean, or arrange for someone else to redo the work before giving us that opportunity, the guarantee does not apply to those items, and we are not responsible for the cost of the other provider. This does not affect your rights under the ACL.
11.4 This guarantee is in addition to, and does not replace, your rights under the ACL described in clause 2.
Damage, loss and claims
12.1 We take care in every property and hold public liability insurance. If you believe we have caused damage or loss, you must notify us in writing within 24 hours of the completion of the service (or as soon as reasonably possible if the damage could not reasonably have been discovered within that time), with a description and photos.
12.2 You must give us a reasonable opportunity to inspect the damage before any repair, replacement or disposal, except in an emergency. Please keep the damaged item until we have inspected it or confirmed in writing that you may dispose of it.
12.3 If we are responsible, we may, at our option, repair the item, replace it with an item of similar kind and quality, or pay the reasonable cost of repair or the depreciated value of the item, whichever is lower. We are not responsible for the cost of work you arrange before we have had the opportunity in clause 12.2, to the extent that cost is higher than it would otherwise have been.
12.4 We are not responsible for loss of, or damage to:
- cash, jewellery, valuables or documents that were not removed or secured as required by clause 6;
- items or surfaces with a pre-existing weakness, defect, wear or poor installation, as described in clause 7.3;
- fragile or special care items that you did not tell us about before the service;
- damage caused by cleaning products, equipment or instructions you asked us to use;
- items that were already damaged before our service, which we may have recorded in photos under clause 17;
- damage caused by you, other occupants, pets or other contractors.
12.5 Nothing in this clause limits our responsibility for damage caused by our negligence or for a failure to comply with a consumer guarantee.
Keys and property access
13.1 If you give us keys, access cards or codes, we will hold them securely and use them only to perform the booked service. We will return keys as you instruct (for example to you, a lockbox or your agent) and are not responsible for keys after they have been returned as instructed.
13.2 If we lose keys or access devices while they are in our care, our responsibility is limited to the reasonable cost of replacement keys and, where reasonably necessary, re-keying the affected locks.
Liability
14.1 To the extent permitted by law and subject always to clause 2, we are not liable for any indirect or consequential loss, including loss of profits, loss of revenue, loss of opportunity, loss of rent, or costs of alternative accommodation, unless that loss was a reasonably foreseeable result of our failure to comply with a consumer guarantee or was caused by our negligence.
14.2 Where you acquire our services as a business, or for a purpose other than personal, domestic or household use, and to the extent permitted by law, our total liability to you for any claim arising from or connected with a service is limited to the price paid or payable for that service, except for liability for personal injury, or for damage to property caused by our negligence, which is limited to the amount recoverable under our insurance.
14.3 Our liability for any loss is reduced to the extent that the loss was caused or contributed to by you, your property's condition, your breach of these Terms, or a third party.
Your indemnity
15.1 You are responsible for, and agree to compensate us for, any loss, cost (including reasonable legal costs), injury or damage we or our team suffer to the extent it is caused by: (a) your breach of these Terms; (b) any information you gave us being false or misleading; (c) a hazard at the property that you knew about but did not tell us; or (d) your negligent or unlawful act or omission, or that of your occupants, guests or animals.
15.2 This indemnity is reduced to the extent that the loss was caused by our negligence or breach.
Health, safety and our right to stop work
16.1 The safety of our team and your household comes first. Our team may refuse to start, or may stop, work if they reasonably believe the property or work is unsafe, including where they encounter asbestos, structural hazards, electrical faults, needles or biological waste, aggressive animals, or abusive, threatening, discriminatory or inappropriate behaviour.
16.2 Where work is stopped for a reason that is your responsibility under clause 6 or this clause, clause 9.3 applies. We have zero tolerance for harassment of our team and may end the booking and any future bookings.
16.3 We use professional products in line with manufacturers' instructions. Please tell us before the service if anyone at the property has allergies, chemical sensitivities or respiratory conditions so we can discuss suitable products.
Photos, job records and evidence
17.1 To maintain quality and to resolve any questions fairly, our team may take date and time stamped photos and videos of the property and its condition before, during and after the service, and we keep job records including booking details, checklists, communications and time records.
17.2 We take reasonable steps to avoid capturing people, documents or personal belongings that are not relevant. These records are handled under our Privacy Policy, are not published in a way that identifies you or the property without your consent, and may be relied on by either of us as evidence of the condition of the property and the work performed in any complaint, claim or dispute.
Our staff and subcontractors
18.1 Services may be performed by our employees or by trained, police checked subcontractors working to our standards. We remain responsible to you for the services under these Terms, whoever performs them.
18.2 For commercial and recurring clients: during the period of our services and for 6 months afterwards, you agree not to directly engage, for cleaning work, any cleaner introduced to you by us without our written agreement. If you do, you agree to pay us a placement fee equal to 8 weeks of the fees you were paying us for that cleaner's work, which reflects our reasonable cost of recruiting, vetting, training and replacing that person.
Commercial and recurring services
19.1 Recurring services continue until ended by either party giving at least 14 days written notice for residential services, or 30 days written notice for commercial services, unless a signed service agreement says otherwise.
19.2 We may review recurring prices by giving you at least 30 days written notice. If you do not accept a price change, you may end the service before the change takes effect without any fee.
19.3 We may suspend recurring services if invoices are overdue by more than 7 days, after giving you written notice.
19.4 Missed visits caused by lack of access, or cancelled with less than 48 hours notice, may be charged under clause 9.
Complaints and disputes
20.1 We want to fix problems quickly and fairly. If you have a complaint, please contact us in writing at hello@ministryofcleaning.com.au with your booking details, a description of the issue and any photos. We will acknowledge your complaint within 2 business days and aim to respond in full within 10 business days.
20.2 If the complaint is not resolved, either of us may give the other a written notice of dispute. Within 14 days of that notice, we will each make a genuine effort to resolve the dispute by discussion. If it is still not resolved within 30 days of the notice, either of us may propose mediation by a mediator agreed between us or, failing agreement, through a recognised dispute resolution body in the relevant state or territory, with each party paying its own costs and sharing the mediator's fees equally.
20.3 We ask that both parties follow this process before starting court or tribunal proceedings. However, nothing in this clause prevents either party from seeking urgent relief, prevents us from recovering an undisputed overdue invoice, or limits your right to contact a consumer protection agency or to bring a claim in a court or tribunal (such as VCAT, NCAT, QCAT or the ACT Civil and Administrative Tribunal) at any time.
20.4 Reviews: you are always free to leave an honest review of our services.
Events outside our control
21.1 We are not liable for any delay or failure to perform caused by events reasonably beyond our control, such as severe weather, floods, fire, natural disasters, pandemics, public health orders, road closures, accidents, power or water outages, industrial action, or the unavailability of our team through sudden illness or injury. We will tell you as soon as possible and reschedule at no extra cost, or refund any amount paid for services not performed.
Our website
22.1 Content on our website, including blogs, checklists, cleaning tips and pricing guides, is general information only and is not professional advice for your particular situation. If you follow do-it-yourself tips, you do so at your own risk and should test products on a small hidden area first.
22.2 All content on this website, including text, images, logos, graphics and design, is owned by or licensed to us and is protected by intellectual property law. You must not copy, reproduce or use it for commercial purposes without our written permission.
22.3 You must not misuse our website, including by submitting false or spam enquiries, attempting to gain unauthorised access to our systems or admin areas, or interfering with the operation of the website.
22.4 Links to third party websites are provided for convenience. We are not responsible for their content or practices.
Privacy
23.1 We collect, use and disclose personal information in accordance with our Privacy Policy, which forms part of these Terms. We never sell your personal information.
Notices and electronic communication
24.1 You agree that we may communicate with you, and give notices under these Terms, by email, SMS or phone using the contact details you provided. A notice sent by email or SMS is taken to be received on the day it is sent, unless we receive a delivery failure message. Please keep your contact details up to date.
24.2 You agree that accepting these Terms by submitting an online form, replying to a confirmation, or making a payment is as binding as a signed document.
Changes to these terms
25.1 We may update these Terms from time to time by publishing the updated version on this page with a new "last updated" date. The version in force when your booking is confirmed applies to that booking. Changes do not apply to a booking already confirmed unless you agree to them. For recurring services, we will give you at least 30 days notice of any material change, and you may end the service without a fee before it takes effect.
General
26.1 Governing law: These Terms are governed by the laws of Victoria, Australia. Each party submits to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of Victoria, and of any court or tribunal of the state or territory in which the services were performed.
26.2 Severability: If any part of these Terms is found to be void, unfair or unenforceable, that part is to be read down to the extent necessary or, if that is not possible, removed, and the rest of these Terms continue to apply.
26.3 No waiver: If we do not enforce a right under these Terms straight away, this does not mean we have given up that right.
26.4 Entire agreement: These Terms, together with your booking confirmation, any written quote or signed service agreement, and our Privacy Policy, make up the entire agreement between us about the services, and replace any earlier discussions, to the extent permitted by law.
26.5 Assignment: You may not transfer your rights under these Terms without our written consent. We may transfer our rights and obligations to a related or successor business, provided this does not reduce your rights.
26.6 Survival: Clauses about payment, guarantees, claims, liability, indemnity, records, non-solicitation and disputes continue to apply after the service is completed or the agreement ends.
Contact us
If you have any questions about these Terms, please contact us at hello@ministryofcleaning.com.au or call 0470 450 390.