Accounting and invoicing for cleaning companies
Sites cleaned every week, deep cleans on call, caretaker services by the hour: in building cleaning a lot repeats, and every site needs its own invoice. Saldiqo creates them on a fixed date and shows which site pays off.
What comes up for cleaning companies
Recurring jobs
Offices, practices, stairwells and nurseries are cleaned on a fixed rhythm. The monthly invoice is almost the same every time.
Several sites, one business
Every site has its own prices, hours and contacts. Without allocation you do not know whether a job pays for itself.
Special services on call
Deep cleaning, window cleaning and winter service come on top and need a quote or an invoice by effort.
Payment terms with business customers
Property managers and companies pay on terms. If you do not follow up, you wait a long time.
How Saldiqo helps
- Site cleaning as a recurring invoiceThe monthly invoice is created on a fixed date, with the lines from your contract.
- Time per siteYou record hours with start and stop and bill by effort where the contract requires it.
- Cost centre per clientAssign income and expenses to a site and see in the report what it brings in.
- Quote for special servicesYou issue deep or window cleaning as a quote, and after delivery it becomes the invoice.
- Reminders with deadlinesAfter the bank statement you see who is still open and send payment reminders with one click.
Typical invoice lines
Examples that often appear on invoices in this industry. You set the prices yourself.
- Maintenance cleaning of office, October
- Deep clean by measured area
- Window cleaning, inside and outside
- Caretaker service, hours
- Cleaning supplies as per receipt
- Winter service, flat fee for November
Tax and invoicing in the UK
What applies to invoices in the UK, in short. As of October 2026.
- VAT
- Standard rate 20 %, reduced rate 5 % and zero rate 0 %. Saldiqo calculates each invoice line with the rate you pick.
- VAT registration
- You must register once your taxable turnover passes £90,000 over any 12 months, or you expect to pass it within the next 30 days. You can deregister below £88,000. Until you are registered, your invoices show no VAT, and Saldiqo adds up your 12-month turnover for you.
- What goes on an invoice
- If you are VAT registered: your VAT number, the tax point, unit prices and the VAT total in pounds. A limited company shows its registered name on every invoice, and its company number, registered office and part of the UK on letters, order forms and the website.
- E-invoicing
- There is no mandate today. From April 2029 e-invoicing is planned for all B2B and B2G sales that carry VAT, through Peppol. The exact date and standard are not yet in law, and the government’s roadmap follows with the Budget on 28 October 2026.
- VAT returns
- VAT returns go to HMRC through Making Tax Digital, usually quarterly, due one month and seven days after the period. Saldiqo shows sales and VAT per rate and exports CSV. It does not submit to HMRC, and for Making Tax Digital you need software recognised by HMRC.
- Record keeping
- Keep VAT records for 6 years.
- Late payment
- Statutory interest on late business payments is the Bank Rate (3.75 % in the second half of 2026) plus 8 points, so 11.75 %. On top comes fixed compensation of £40, £70 or £100, depending on the amount owed (under £1,000, from £1,000, from £10,000). Consumers have no statutory interest.
- Getting paid
- Your sort code and account number are on every invoice. Customers pay by Faster Payments or Bacs, and banks check the account name with Confirmation of Payee. There is no QR standard in the UK.
Frequently asked questions
Can I create monthly invoices automatically?
Yes. A recurring invoice creates them on a fixed date. If the contract changes, you adjust the series with a click.
How do I see whether a site pays off?
With cost centres. You assign income and expenses to the site and see the report per cost centre.
Can I bill by the hour?
Yes. You record time and create the invoice line from it.
Do cleaning companies in the UK have to charge VAT?
Only once they are VAT registered. Registration is required when taxable turnover passes £90,000 over any 12 months, or is expected to within the next 30 days. Below that you may register voluntarily. If you are not registered, you must not show VAT on your invoices.
Do cleaning companies in the UK need e-invoicing?
Not today. A mandate for B2B and B2G sales with VAT is planned from April 2029, and the details were still open as of October 2026. You can keep sending PDF invoices for now.
How long should cleaning companies keep invoices?
Keep VAT records for 6 years. You can store receipts digitally in Saldiqo. The legal duty to keep records stays with you.
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As of October 2026. General information, not legal or tax advice, without guarantee. For your case ask your tax adviser.