Common-Area Cleanup and Janitorial Services for HOA & Condo Communities
Common-Area Cleanup and Janitorial Services for HOA & Condo Communities
Common area cleaning for Florida HOA and condo communities
Ally Property Service cleans the shared spaces residents actually see: lobbies, hallways, breezeways, stairwells, elevators, clubhouses, shared restrooms, pool decks and trash areas. Work runs on a set schedule, is documented, and is reported to the board, because a board that cannot show what was done cannot defend the spend at the annual meeting.
We work with HOA and condominium associations across Tampa Bay and the Florida Gulf Coast, either directly for the board or alongside whichever management company the community uses. Our office is in St. Petersburg, so crews are not driving in from another county when something needs attention on a Friday afternoon.
What we clean
- Entry lobbies, vestibules, corridors and breezeways
- Stairwells, elevator cabs and landings
- Clubhouses, fitness rooms and shared restrooms
- Mail rooms, package rooms and laundry rooms
- Pool decks, enclosures and furniture
- Trash rooms, chute intakes and trash corrals, washed and deodorized
- Parking structures, walkways and dumpster pads
- Consumable restocking and waste removal
- Periodic deep cleans and floor care
Scopes are written per community after a walkthrough, with frequencies, inclusions and unit pricing, so the board approves a defined piece of work rather than an open-ended retainer.
Why Florida buildings need a schedule, not a reaction
Humidity and an eleven-month growing season mean mildew and algae establish on shaded breezeways, north-facing walls and pool decks faster than most boards expect. Salt air off the Gulf and Tampa Bay works on railings, fixtures and painted surfaces continuously rather than seasonally. Sand and organic debris block deck drains, which is a nuisance in April and a flooded lobby in September. Communities on a schedule spend less per visit than communities calling for help after a complaint.
Storm cleanup
Post-storm debris removal, hazard clearing and access restoration are handled under our seasonal storm program rather than the routine cleaning schedule, alongside pre-season preparation and securing. Our hurricane preparation page covers what Florida law puts on the board before June 1, the emergency powers available once a state of emergency is declared, and who pays for what afterward.
Common questions from boards about common area cleaning
Who is responsible for cleaning common areas in a Florida condo or HOA?
The association is. Section 718.113(1), Florida Statutes, places maintenance, repair and replacement of the common elements with the association, except where the declaration assigns a limited common element to a unit owner. For communities governed by Chapter 720, the declaration and governing documents set the equivalent allocation. In practice the board owns the condition of lobbies, hallways, breezeways, stairwells, elevators, clubhouses, pool decks, trash areas and amenity rooms, and residents judge the community by exactly those spaces.
How often should common areas be cleaned?
It depends on the building type, amenity mix and traffic, and on what the governing documents require. Enclosed buildings with lobbies, elevators and shared restrooms generally need daily or several-times-weekly attention, while garden-style communities with open breezeways are often weekly. Florida's humidity and growing season mean schedules that work elsewhere tend to be too thin here.
What counts as a common area for cleaning purposes?
Anything the association is responsible for under the declaration. That usually includes entry lobbies and vestibules, corridors and breezeways, stairwells and elevator cabs, mail and package rooms, clubhouses and fitness rooms, shared restrooms, laundry rooms, pool decks and enclosures, trash rooms and corrals, and parking structures. Limited common elements such as balconies are often the owner's responsibility, which is why the declaration decides and not the vendor.
Do you clean trash rooms and trash chutes?
Yes, and this is the item boards most often leave out of a scope and most often get complaints about. Trash rooms, chute intakes and corrals need scheduled washing and deodorizing rather than occasional attention, particularly in Florida heat. A building that smells in the elevator lobby almost always has an unaddressed trash room.
Can cleaning be done while residents are living in the building?
Yes, and nearly all community association work is. It requires sequencing by section, resident notice for anything disruptive, wet-floor signage and safe routing through corridors and stairwells, and scheduling noisy work outside early morning and late evening. Buildings with a single elevator need more planning than most.
Is common area cleaning paid from the operating budget or from reserves?
Routine cleaning is normally an operating expense. The structural integrity reserve study required by Section 718.112(2)(g), Florida Statutes, covers specified components including roof, structure, fireproofing, plumbing, electrical, waterproofing and exterior painting, and windows and exterior doors. Recurring janitorial work is not among them. Boards should confirm the treatment of any specific line item with their accountant or association counsel.
Does a cleaning contract have to go out to competitive bid?
It depends on the contract value against the budget. Under Section 718.3026, Florida Statutes, a condominium association must obtain competitive bids for contracts exceeding five percent of the total annual budget including reserves. Under Section 720.3055 the equivalent threshold for a homeowners' association is ten percent. Section 718.3025 also sets requirements for condominium maintenance contracts, including that the contract be in writing and state the services to be provided and the fee.
Do you work with our management company or directly with the board?
Either. Ally is a maintenance and janitorial vendor, not an association management company, so we work for the board directly or alongside whichever management company the community uses. Association management in Florida is a separate, licensed function.
What should a cleaning scope include before we approve it?
A defined list of areas, the frequency for each, what is included and excluded, who supplies consumables, the reporting the board will receive, and unit pricing for anything outside the routine schedule. A scope written this way lets a board compare bids against the same work rather than against each other's wording, and it gives the board something to point at when a resident asks what the association is paying for.
Which communities do you serve?
Ally Property Service works with HOA and condominium communities across Tampa Bay and the Florida Gulf Coast, including St. Petersburg, Tampa, Clearwater, Largo, Pinellas Park, Seminole, Palm Harbor, Dunedin, Safety Harbor, Oldsmar, Brandon, Riverview, Apollo Beach, Wesley Chapel, Lutz, Land O'Lakes, Sarasota and Bradenton.
References
Section 718.113(1), Florida Statutes — maintenance of common elements. Section 718.112(2)(g), Florida Statutes — structural integrity reserve studies and the components they cover. Section 718.3025, Florida Statutes — condominium maintenance contract requirements. Section 718.3026, Florida Statutes — condominium contract bidding threshold. Section 720.3055, Florida Statutes — homeowners' association contract bidding threshold.
This page is general information about Florida community association maintenance and is not legal advice. Statutes are amended regularly and a community's declaration, articles and bylaws may impose different or additional requirements. Boards should confirm their obligations with association counsel before acting.