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Kitchen extraction cleaning - switching
Sticking with a familiar extraction cleaning contractor is easy - but not if they're not doing the job properly. Superficial cleans, missing evidence, missed schedules or poor communication are signs it may be time to switch. Here is when to switch extraction cleaning contractors, and how to change to a better one. This is general guidance.
The short answer
Loyalty to a contractor is fine - until it means tolerating a job that isn't being done properly. For extraction cleaning, which is fire-safety-critical, that's a real risk. So it's worth knowing the signs that it's time to switch, and not staying with an inadequate contractor out of habit. Here's when to switch, and how. This is general guidance. Why competence beats habit. Extraction cleaning is a fire-safety-critical, compliance-driven job - a poor clean leaves the fire risk in the hidden ductwork and gives you false compliance. So the contractor's competence matters more than the convenience of sticking with a familiar one. If your current contractor isn't doing the job properly, staying with them out of habit means living with an under-cleaned, under-evidenced, or non-compliant system - which isn't worth the convenience. So be willing to switch if the signs are there. The signs it's time to switch. Superficial cleans. The clue that they're only doing the visible parts (canopy, filters) and not the hidden ductwork and fan: no access panels used (so the duct can't have been reached), no before-and-after photographs (no proof of the hidden clean), and persistent symptoms after the 'clean' (still smoky, weak airflow, roof staining - suggesting the real grease wasn't removed). A superficial clean leaves the fire risk in place. No proper evidence. No detailed report, no before-and-after photographs of the internal ductwork, or a vague, generic certificate - so you can't prove the clean or trust it was complete. Missed or unreliable scheduling. Not turning up when due, letting the cleaning frequency slip, so your system goes overdue (a growing fire and compliance risk). Poor communication or service. Unresponsive, unhelpful, not flagging issues found or advising on the right frequency - just turning up and (maybe) cleaning, with no real service. Doubts about competence or compliance. No proper accreditations or insurance, no real understanding of the TR19 Grease standard or your compliance needs - so you can't be confident in the job or covered if something goes wrong. A cheap price hiding a partial job. A suspiciously low price that turns out to reflect a superficial, partial clean (cheap because they skip the hidden, laborious ductwork and fan) - a false economy. So any of these is a sign the contractor may be leaving your extraction under-cleaned, under-evidenced, or non-compliant. What to do: switch. If you see these signs, it's time to switch to a contractor who does the job properly: one who surveys the system, cleans the whole system to the TR19 Grease standard, verifies the clean, and provides proper evidence (a detailed report and before-and-after photographs) - and who understands your compliance and communicates well (as covered in how to choose a kitchen extract cleaning company and the value of a contractor who knows your compliance). Switching is straightforward: choose a better contractor (checking their accreditations, evidence and approach), and have them survey your system and take over the cleaning. There's no obligation to stay with an inadequate contractor. One useful step: when switching, consider having the new contractor survey the system to check its actual state (a superficial previous contractor may have left grease in the duct that needs a proper clean to remove). The takeaway. So switch extraction cleaning contractors when the job isn't being done properly - the signs being superficial cleans, missing evidence, missed schedules, poor service, doubts about competence, or a cheap price hiding a partial job. Change to a contractor who cleans the whole system to standard, verifies it, and evidences it - because for a fire-critical job, competence matters more than habit. So don't stick with an inadequate contractor; switch to one who does it right. This is general guidance.
Key points
Competence over habit
It's easy to keep using the same extraction cleaning contractor out of habit - but you should be willing to switch if they're not doing the job properly, because the clean is too important to settle for an inadequate one. Extraction cleaning is a fire-safety-critical, compliance-driven job: a poor clean leaves the fire risk in the hidden ductwork and gives you false compliance. So the contractor's competence matters more than the convenience of sticking with a familiar one.
If your current contractor isn't doing the job properly, staying with them out of habit means living with an under-cleaned, under-evidenced, or non-compliant system - which isn't worth the convenience. The familiarity of a known contractor is comfortable, but it's not a good reason to tolerate a job that leaves you at risk (a fire risk from an under-cleaned duct, a compliance risk from poor evidence). So competence over habit - the clean is too important to settle - is the mindset: judge your contractor on whether they do the job properly, and be ready to switch if they don't. The following sections cover the signs to watch for and how to switch. So don't let habit keep you with an inadequate contractor. This is general guidance.
Signs in the clean itself
The most important signs are in the clean itself - whether it's actually thorough and evidenced. Superficial cleans: the clue that they're only doing the visible parts (canopy, filters) and not the hidden ductwork and fan - no access panels used (so the duct can't have been reached), no before-and-after photographs (no proof of the hidden clean), and persistent symptoms after the 'clean' (still smoky, weak airflow, roof staining - suggesting the real grease wasn't removed). A superficial clean leaves the fire risk in place, which is exactly what you're paying to avoid.
No proper evidence: no detailed report, no before-and-after photographs of the internal ductwork, or a vague, generic certificate - so you can't prove the clean (to an insurer or inspector) or trust it was complete. These two signs (superficial work, no evidence) often go together - a contractor doing a superficial clean has no detailed report or hidden-duct photographs to give you, because they didn't do (or verify) the hidden work. So they're the clearest signals that the core job isn't being done properly (as covered in the telltale-signs-your-last-duct-clean-was-incomplete page). So signs in the clean itself - superficial work and no evidence - are the priority warnings: if the clean isn't thorough or isn't evidenced, the fundamental job is failing, which is a strong reason to switch. So watch for a superficial, unevidenced clean above all. This is general guidance.
Signs in the service
Beyond the clean itself, there are signs in the service and the contractor generally. Missed or unreliable scheduling: not turning up when due, letting the cleaning frequency slip, so your system goes overdue - a growing fire and compliance risk from an unreliable contractor. Poor communication or service: unresponsive, unhelpful, not flagging issues found or advising on the right frequency - just turning up and (maybe) cleaning, with no real service or partnership in your compliance.
Doubts about competence or compliance: no proper accreditations or insurance, no real understanding of the TR19 Grease standard or your compliance needs - so you can't be confident in the job or covered if something goes wrong. And a cheap price hiding a partial job: a suspiciously low price that turns out to reflect a superficial, partial clean (cheap because they skip the hidden, laborious ductwork and fan) - a false economy. So these service and contractor signs - unreliability, poor communication, doubtful competence, a too-cheap partial job - add to the picture: even if the cleaning weren't obviously superficial, an unreliable, uncommunicative, or doubtfully-competent contractor is one to reconsider. So signs in the service - missed schedules, poor communication, doubts - round out the reasons to switch: the whole relationship, not just the clean, should meet the mark for a fire-critical job. So watch the reliability, service and competence too. This is general guidance.
How to switch
Switching extraction cleaning contractors is straightforward, and there's no obligation to stay with an inadequate one. The steps: choose a better contractor - one who does the job properly (surveys the system, cleans the whole system to the TR19 Grease standard, verifies the clean, and provides proper evidence - a detailed report and before-and-after photographs) and understands your compliance and communicates well. Check their accreditations, insurance, evidence and approach when choosing (as covered in how to choose a kitchen extract cleaning company and the value of a contractor who knows your compliance).
Then have them survey your system and take over the cleaning - the new contractor surveys (assessing the actual state of your system) and takes on the ongoing cleaning on a proper schedule. One useful step when switching: have the new contractor survey the system to check its actual state, because a superficial previous contractor may have left grease in the ductwork that a proper clean is needed to remove (so the first clean with the new contractor may need to be a thorough catch-up). So switching is simply a matter of choosing a competent contractor and having them take over - there's no lock-in to a poor one. So how to switch - choose better, and have them take over - is simple: pick a proper contractor and move your cleaning to them, ideally starting with a survey of your system's real state. So change to a better contractor and let them take it on. This is general guidance.
Don't settle out of habit
So you should switch extraction cleaning contractors when the job isn't being done properly - the signs being superficial cleans, missing evidence, missed schedules, poor service, doubts about competence, or a cheap price hiding a partial job. Change to a contractor who cleans the whole system to standard, verifies it, and evidences it - because for a fire-critical job, competence matters more than habit.
The practical message is not to settle out of habit or inertia when the clean is this important. If your current contractor shows the warning signs - especially superficial cleans and no proper evidence - your extraction may be under-cleaned (a fire risk) and under-evidenced (a compliance risk), and staying with them for convenience isn't worth that. Switching is easy and there's no lock-in, so there's no reason to tolerate an inadequate contractor. Choose a competent one (proper survey, whole-system cleaning to TR19 Grease, verification, evidence, and compliance understanding), have them survey and take over, and get the fire-critical job done right. So don't settle out of habit - switch to a contractor who does it right - is the takeaway: judge your contractor on the job, and switch to a proper one if they're falling short. So change to a contractor who does the job properly, without hesitation. This is general guidance.
Questions
When the job isn't being done properly - signs include superficial cleans, no proper evidence, missed schedules, poor communication, doubts about competence, or a cheap price hiding a partial job; for a fire-critical job, don't stay out of habit. You should switch extraction cleaning contractors when they're not doing the job properly - because the clean is fire-safety-critical, so competence matters more than familiarity. The signs it's time to switch: superficial cleans (only the visible parts done, not the hidden ductwork and fan - no access panels used, no before-and-after photographs, persistent symptoms after the clean); no proper evidence (no detailed report, no photographs, or a vague certificate - so you can't prove or trust the clean); missed or unreliable scheduling (letting the frequency slip, so the system goes overdue); poor communication or service (unresponsive, not flagging issues or advising); doubts about competence or compliance (no proper accreditations, insurance, or understanding of TR19 Grease); and a suspiciously cheap price hiding a partial job. Any of these means the contractor may be leaving your extraction under-cleaned or non-compliant. So switch when the job isn't being done right. So when they're not cleaning or evidencing properly. This is general guidance.
Superficial cleans (no access panels, no before-and-after photos, symptoms persisting), missing or vague evidence, missed schedules, poor communication, no proper accreditations or compliance understanding, and a cheap price masking a partial job. The signs of a poor extraction cleaning contractor cluster around the clean and the service. In the clean: superficial work (only the visible canopy and filters done, not the hidden ductwork and fan) - shown by no access panels used, no before-and-after photographs of the internal ductwork, and persistent symptoms after the 'clean' (still smoky, weak airflow, roof staining); and no proper evidence (no detailed report, no photographs, or a vague, generic certificate). In the service: missed or unreliable scheduling (letting the cleaning frequency slip); poor communication (unresponsive, not flagging issues or advising on frequency); doubts about competence or compliance (no proper accreditations or insurance, no real understanding of TR19 Grease); and a suspiciously cheap price that hides a partial, superficial job. So watch for a superficial, unevidenced clean above all, plus unreliability, poor service and doubtful competence. Any of these signals a contractor to reconsider. So superficial cleans, no evidence, unreliability and doubtful competence. So poor cleaning, evidence, service and competence. This is general guidance.
Easier, but not worth it if they're not doing the job properly - an under-cleaned duct is a fire risk and poor evidence a compliance risk, so for a fire-critical job, competence matters more than the convenience of habit. Staying with your current contractor is easier and more comfortable - but it's not worth it if they're not doing the job properly. Extraction cleaning is fire-safety-critical and compliance-driven: a poor, superficial clean leaves the fire risk in the hidden ductwork, and poor evidence leaves you unable to prove compliance (or exposed in a claim or inspection). So if your contractor shows the warning signs (superficial cleans, no evidence, unreliability), staying with them out of habit means living with an under-cleaned, under-evidenced, or non-compliant system - a real risk, not just an inconvenience. The convenience of a familiar contractor isn't worth that. And switching is straightforward (there's no lock-in), so the ease of staying isn't a strong reason. So don't let habit or inertia keep you with an inadequate contractor when the clean is this important - competence matters more than convenience. So easier, but not worth the risk if they're inadequate. So no - competence beats convenience here. This is general guidance.
Choose a better one (checking their accreditations, evidence and approach - proper survey, whole-system cleaning to TR19 Grease, verification, report and photographs), then have them survey your system and take over the cleaning; there's no lock-in. Switching extraction cleaning contractors is straightforward. Choose a better contractor: one who does the job properly - surveys the system, cleans the whole system to the TR19 Grease standard, verifies the clean, and provides proper evidence (a detailed report and before-and-after photographs) - and who understands your compliance and communicates well. Check their accreditations, insurance, evidence and approach when choosing (as covered in how to choose a kitchen extract cleaning company). Then have them survey your system and take over the cleaning on a proper schedule. A useful step when switching: have the new contractor survey the system to check its actual state, because a superficial previous contractor may have left grease in the ductwork that a proper clean is needed to remove (so the first clean may need to be a thorough catch-up). There's no obligation or lock-in keeping you with a poor contractor, so switching is simply choosing a competent one and moving your cleaning to them. So choose better and have them survey and take over. So pick a proper contractor and let them take it on. This is general guidance.
Yes - a good step when switching is to have the new contractor survey the system, because a superficial previous contractor may have left grease in the ductwork; the first clean may need to be a thorough catch-up to get it properly clean. Yes - having the new contractor survey and check your system's actual state is a good step when switching, especially if you're switching because the previous contractor was doing superficial cleans. A superficial previous contractor may have left grease built up in the hidden ductwork and fan (the parts they weren't properly cleaning) - so your system may be more grease-laden than a 'recently cleaned' system should be. A survey by the new contractor reveals the real state, and the first proper clean may need to be a thorough catch-up to remove the accumulated grease the previous cleans left. So don't assume the system is in good shape just because it was 'cleaned' recently by the old contractor - have the new one check. This also sets up the new contractor's ongoing cleaning on an accurate footing (knowing the real starting state and the right frequency). So yes - survey the real state and expect a thorough first clean. So yes; check for grease the old contractor left. This is general guidance.
One who surveys before quoting, cleans the whole system to TR19 Grease, verifies the clean, provides a detailed report and before-and-after photographs, holds proper accreditations and insurance, and understands your compliance and communicates well. In a replacement extraction cleaning contractor, look for the things the poor one lacked - the marks of a proper, competent contractor. Specifically: they survey your system before quoting (an accurate quote and a properly-scoped clean); they clean the whole system to the TR19 Grease standard (canopy, filters, ductwork and fan - not just the visible parts); they verify the clean (checking the ductwork is actually clean); they provide proper evidence (a detailed report and before-and-after photographs of the internal ductwork, plus the certificate); they hold proper accreditations (a recognised H&S scheme, industry-body membership like BESA) and insurance; and they understand your compliance and communicate well (advising on frequency, flagging issues - a partner in your compliance, not just a cleaner). A contractor with these does the fire-critical job properly and gives you the evidence and service you need (as covered in how to choose a kitchen extract cleaning company and the value of a contractor who knows your compliance). So look for proper surveying, whole-system cleaning, verification, evidence, accreditation and compliance understanding. So a competent, evidencing, compliance-aware contractor. This is general guidance.
If your current contractor cleans superficially or without evidence, switch to us; we survey your system, clean the whole of it to TR19 Grease, verify it, and provide the report and photographs - the proper, evidenced clean a fire-critical job needs. Ask us to survey your system and take over your cleaning. This is general guidance.
