A contract in Melbourne typically costs $660 to $1,540 per month for a small block of 6 to 12 units on a weekly clean in 2026. Larger buildings pay more by size, not by unit count alone. This guide breaks down real 2026 prices by building size, what a contract actually covers, who hires the cleaner under Victorian law, and the red flags committees report most.
Written by Metecan Kalkan, founder of OneDrop FM (ABN 74 499 285 939), a Melbourne cleaning company. We clean strata common areas across Melbourne CBD, Brunswick, Port Melbourne, Preston and more than 20 other suburbs. Last updated: 19 October 2026.
The Short Answer: Melbourne Prices
These figures reflect published 2026 Melbourne price data, GST included, for weekly cleaning:
- Small block (6 to 12 units): $660 to $1,540 per month
- Medium block (13 to 30 units): $1,320 to $2,640 per month
- Mid-rise (31 to 60 units): $2,200 to $3,960 per month
- Large complex (61 to 120 units): $3,520 to $6,600 per month
- High-rise (120+ units): $5,280 to $11,000+ per month
- Per weekly visit (10 to 20 lots): $180 to $350
- Routine hourly rate: $38.50 to $60.50
- Deep clean hourly rate: $55 to $88
CBD buildings pay a 15 to 25 percent premium over outer suburbs, reflecting access, parking and after-hours loadings.
For comparison with standard commercial rates, see our office cleaning cost guide.
What Is Included in the Contract?
A proper Melbourne strata contract covers these common areas:
Lobbies and foyers. Floors, glass doors, reception surfaces.
Hallways and corridors. Vacuum or mop, skirting boards, spot cleaning walls.
Stairwells. Including fire stairs, which are often missed.
Lifts. Cabins, doors, tracks, mirrors.
Mailrooms. Floors, parcel shelving, general tidying.
Car parks and basements. Sweeping, spot mopping, cobweb removal.
Bin rooms and chute rooms. Cleaning and deodorising. Bin rooms are the number one AGM complaint, so check this is in the scope.
Gardens and outdoor common areas. Paths, courtyards, leaf clearing.
Common-area windows (internal). Foyer and hallway glass.
BBQ and amenity areas. Benches, floors, bins.
Visit checklists and photo reporting. Written proof of what was done each visit.
If bin rooms, fire stairs and car parks are not listed by name, ask for them. These are the areas that get skipped first.
What Costs Extra?
Common add-ons with typical Melbourne prices:
- Carpet steam cleaning (common areas): $3.30 to $6.60 per sqm. See our carpet cleaning cost guide.
- Pressure washing: $2.20 to $5.50 per sqm, with a $350 minimum for strata sites.
- Internal windows: $5.50 to $16.50 each.
- External / abseil window cleaning: $16.50 to $44 each.
- Bin-room sanitisation: $88 to $220 per session.
- Gardening: $44 to $77 per hour.
- Pool cleaning: $55 to $110 per session.
- Gym cleaning: $44 to $88 per session.
- Graffiti removal: $50 to $100 per sqm.
- Hard-floor strip and reseal: $8.80 to $17.60 per sqm.
Get add-ons priced in the contract, not discovered on the invoice.
Who Hires the Cleaner?
Under Victorian law, the owners corporation is the legal buyer and signs the contract. The committee approves it under its delegated authority (the Owners Corporations Act 2006 sets the maintenance duty, and buildings with 10 or more lots must have a committee). The strata manager procures quotes and coordinates, but the decision sits with the owners.
Two things committees should know:
Manager reforms. Since December 2021, strata managers must procure services at competitive prices and disclose any commissions or benefits in writing to the chair before signing. Manager appointments are capped at 3 years. Ask your manager what commission, if any, sits behind a recommended cleaner.
The new-build trap. Developers often sign cleaning contracts at the inaugural “paper AGM” before buyers have any say. Committees regularly re-tender these in the first year. If your building is new, check who signed the current contract and when.
How Often Should Common Areas Be Cleaned?
Typical Melbourne schedules:
- Weekly: most apartment buildings. Lobbies, lifts and mailrooms need it.
- Twice weekly: high-traffic CBD and large complexes, especially lobbies and bin rooms.
- Fortnightly: small low-traffic blocks (rare, and bin rooms still need weekly attention).
Bin rooms, lifts and lobbies take the heaviest load. A schedule that cleans hallways weekly but bin rooms fortnightly will generate complaints.
Prices Across Melbourne Suburbs
OneDrop FM is based in Taylors Lakes, near Watergardens. These are the areas our strata work concentrates in:
- Strata cleaning Melbourne CBD: high-rise towers with strict access, concierge coordination and after-hours loadings. The 15 to 25 percent CBD premium applies.
- Strata cleaning Brunswick: apartment blocks and converted warehouses. Mixed old and new stock with varied common areas.
- Strata cleaning Port Melbourne: waterfront apartments with lobbies, pools and gyms. Amenity areas add scope.
- Strata cleaning Preston: townhouse complexes and low-rise blocks. Driveways and shared outdoor areas feature often.
We also cover more than 20 suburbs across Melbourne. Every strata quote starts with a site walk-through, because no two buildings clean the same.
Contract Terms: Length, Cancellation and Guarantees
What is common in Melbourne in 2026:
- Term: 12 to 24 months is typical, often reviewed around the AGM.
- Cancellation: 30 days’ notice is standard, immediate for serious breach.
- No lock-in: month-to-month and no-lock-in options exist and are growing.
- Pricing: fixed monthly fee is most common.
- Guarantees: satisfaction guarantees and free re-cleans are offered by leading providers.
- Start time: around 5 business days from signing is typical.
- Minimum charges: rarely published. Ask for them in writing.
Get the term, the notice period, the fixed monthly fee, and the guarantee in one written agreement. Align the review date with your AGM cycle.
Red Flags: How to Spot a Bad Strata Cleaner
The complaints Melbourne committees report most:
- Standards slide after 3 months. The first cleans are thorough, then corners get cut. This is the number one complaint.
- Bin rooms neglected. The perennial AGM complaint. If bin rooms are not in the scope by name, they will be skipped.
- Poor communication and no reporting. No visit logs, no photos, no response to issues.
- Rotating crews. New faces every visit, no accountability.
- Hidden charges. Add-ons appearing on invoices that were never quoted.
- No-shows and slow reactive response. Missed visits with no backup plan.
- Periodic work quietly stopping. Deep cleans and extras fading out mid-contract.
- Subcontractor gaps. The company you hired is not the crew doing the work.
- Below-award pricing. Under about $35 per hour ex GST cannot be legal wages.
Replacing the cleaner never fixes an underpriced, under-supervised contract. The fee has to cover consistent staff and proper supervision.
How Committees Should Compare Quotes
Before you sign, check these:
- $20M public liability insurance plus workers compensation certificates on signature.
- National police checks and site inductions for cleaning staff.
- References from other buildings, not just offices.
- Direct employment (no subcontractors), verified on the Victorian Labour Hire Authority register.
- Supervisor inspection frequency and quality audits in writing.
- Quarterly AGM-ready reports with photos and KPIs.
- OH&S compliance: safe work method statements, WorkSafe requirements.
- Industry membership (BSCAA, ISSA) or ISO certification (9001, 14001, 45001).
- Three itemised quotes on a like-for-like scope. Never compare a headline monthly fee without the scope behind it.
- Ask the strata manager about commissions in writing, as the 2021 reforms require.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How much does strata cleaning cost in Melbourne?
A: $660 to $1,540 per month for a small block of 6 to 12 units on a weekly clean in 2026. Medium blocks run $1,320 to $2,640, mid-rise $2,200 to $3,960, large complexes $3,520 to $6,600, and high-rise $5,280 to $11,000+ per month. CBD buildings pay a 15 to 25 percent premium.
Q: Who is responsible for hiring the strata cleaner?
A: The owners corporation is the legal buyer and signs the contract. The committee approves it, and the strata manager procures quotes under delegated authority. Since December 2021, managers must disclose any commissions in writing before signing.
Q: How often should common areas be cleaned?
A: Weekly for most apartment buildings, twice weekly for high-traffic CBD and large complexes, fortnightly only for small low-traffic blocks. Bin rooms, lifts and lobbies need the most frequent attention.
Q: What is included, and what costs extra?
A: Lobbies, hallways, stairwells, lifts, mailrooms, car parks, bin rooms, gardens, internal common-area windows and amenity areas are standard. Carpet steam cleaning, pressure washing, external windows, gardening, pool and gym cleaning, and graffiti removal are the usual add-ons.
Q: How should a committee compare quotes?
A: Get three itemised quotes on a like-for-like scope. Compare the room-by-room scope, not just the monthly fee. Check insurance, police checks, references from other buildings, and supervisor audit frequency.
Q: Can we cancel the contract?
A: 30 days’ notice is standard, immediate for serious breach. Terms run 12 to 24 months but month-to-month and no-lock-in options exist. Align the review date with your AGM cycle.
Q: What insurance and checks should the cleaner have?
A: $20M public liability insurance, workers compensation certificates, national police checks for staff, and direct employment verified on the Victorian Labour Hire Authority register.
Q: How are cleaning complaints handled at the AGM?
A: Through the visit logs and photo reporting your contract should require. Quarterly reports with KPIs give the committee evidence to raise issues. Bin rooms are the most common AGM cleaning complaint.
Book Your Strata Clean With OneDrop FM
Fixed monthly quotes after a site walk-through. Consistent crews, supervisor audits, and AGM-ready photo reporting. Get in touch with OneDrop FM to get a fixed quote.
We are local. Based in Taylors Lakes, cleaning strata common areas across more than 20 Melbourne suburbs.
Call 0402 160 946 for a fixed quote.