A laundry contract is where quality and accountability are either locked in or left to chance. Hotels that sign on price alone often discover gaps around turnaround, loss, and liability only when something goes wrong. This checklist walks through the clauses that matter so your agreement protects the property, not just the vendor.
Scope and service levels
Start by writing down exactly what is being processed, in what volume, and to what standard. A clear scope prevents the slow drift where extra items or new outlets appear without anyone agreeing terms. Define quality in plain language: what clean, pressed, and presentable actually mean for your property.
- →Item types and expected daily or weekly volume
- →Quality standard for wash, finish, and presentation
- →Which outlets and departments are covered
- →How rush or peak demand is handled
Turnaround and collection
Turnaround time decides whether your par stock is enough, so it belongs in writing. Specify collection and delivery windows, frequency, and what happens during public holidays and peak periods. A laundry running 24/7, as Arifa has since 2017, can support tighter and more reliable windows, but the schedule should still be stated explicitly.
- →Collection and delivery days and times
- →Agreed turnaround for standard and urgent loads
- →Holiday and peak season arrangements
Linen counts and loss liability
This is the clause most disputes hinge on, so make it precise. Agree how items are counted at each transfer, who signs off, and how losses and damage are valued and settled. Without an agreed count and liability method, every shortage becomes an argument with no clear resolution.
- →Counting and sign off method at each handover
- →How loss and damage are valued
- →Reconciliation cadence and dispute process
- →Liability limits and exclusions stated clearly
Hygiene and segregation standards
For a hotel, and especially one near healthcare clients, hygiene handling should be explicit in the contract. State that clean and soiled linen are kept strictly apart through collection, processing, and delivery, and require evidence of process controls. Arifa keeps clean and soiled linen strictly separated and processes at controlled temperatures, and you are entitled to see how that is maintained.
- →Strict separation of clean and soiled linen
- →Controlled wash temperatures and process steps
- →Right to audit or inspect the facility
Pricing structure and review
Rather than fixing on a headline rate, make sure the contract spells out how pricing is built and when it can change. Understand the cost drivers behind your rate, such as item mix, volume, and finishing requirements, so a price review is a transparent conversation rather than a surprise. Tie any change to notice periods and a clear basis, not just a vendor's discretion.
- →How the rate is structured by item and volume
- →Notice period before any price change
- →Clear basis for reviews tied to defined drivers
Term, exit, and continuity
Finally, plan for the relationship ending as carefully as for it starting. Set the term, renewal terms, notice for exit, and how your linen stock is returned and reconciled on the way out. A continuity clause covering breakdowns or disputes keeps the property supplied while issues are resolved.