What should i put in my cleaning contract to protect me from items coming up missing or broken?
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What should i put in my cleaning contract to protect me from items coming up missing or broken?
I have cleaning business and don’t have any insurance yet. What should be in my
contract so that client has some comformt that if an item does come up missing
that it will be investigated and client will get paid for it
Asked on May 4, 2018 under Business Law, Michigan
Answers:
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 5 years ago | Contributor
There is really no way to protect you the way you propose:
1) First, if a person believes that an item was stolen, they have the right to file a press report and press charges against whom they believe did; they cannot be made to give up their rights under criminal law.
2) Second, if anything is missing or broken, your business would be liable for it under the law anyway: the language you describe doesn't offer the customer anything they don't already get.
3) Third, without insurance, the language you describe doesn't actually give them any particular guaranty of payment.
4) If an expensive item is broken, lost, etc. without insurance, you and/or your business will have to pay out-of-pocket--even if you can't afford to.
So the language you propose adds no rights to the customer beyond what they already have under the law and doesn't protect you. Get insurance--that's the best way to protect yourself from this liability.
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