Buying and Selling a Window Cleaning Round in the UK

Buying or selling a window cleaning “round” is common in the UK. Done right, it’s a fast way to scale (or exit) with less risk than starting from scratch. This guide covers valuation, due diligence, legal/GDPR considerations, handover, common pitfalls, and a simple ROI example — all from a UK perspective.

This is information, not legal or tax advice. Speak to your accountant/solicitor for your situation.

What is a “round” — UK context

A round is a set of regular customers (often 4-weekly, 6-weekly, or quarterly) typically clustered within a geography to minimise travel time. The value is driven by:

• Density (doors/hour; streets close together)
• Stability (tenure, churn, arrears)
• Service frequency and pricing
• Payment mix (cash, bank transfer, Direct Debit)
• Route efficiency (time on glass vs time in van)

How rounds are valued (what moves the multiple)

There isn’t a single “right” price — UK deals often benchmark against monthly takings.

Typical drivers of higher multiples:

• High density (tight routes), proven recurring schedule
• Low arrears, low cancellations, clear communication record
• Digital payments adoption and customer contact details in good order
• Evidence (ledger/export, bank statements) validating quoted takings

Drivers of lower multiples:

• Scattered route (time sink), high churn/complaints
• Poor record-keeping; unclear customer permissions/contactability
• Large % of cash-only customers, high arrears

Valuation notes many buyers use in the UK:

• Work is commonly discussed as a multiple of a period’s takings (e.g., a few months of receipts), then flexed up/down for density, churn, arrears, and payment reliability.
• Don’t skip the numbers: validate with sample bank exports, day-in-the-field observation, and a line-by-line customer list with price/frequency/last-clean.

Buyer’s checklist (due diligence that actually saves money)

Use this to avoid surprises:

• Numbers & evidence
  • Export of customers with price, frequency, last 3 cleans, arrears
  • Sample bank statements matching claimed takings (with dates)
  • Breakdown of residential/commercial; average price per clean
• Route quality
  • Map density (clusters per day); drive a route day with the seller
  • Doors per hour on a normal day (not cherry-picked)
  • Travel time between jobs; parking practicality
• Customers & churn
  • Current arrears %; typical cancellations per month/season
  • Complaint log or notes; re-do rate
  • Contactability (mobile/email) and comms style used
• Operations
  • Frequency patterns (4-weekly vs seasonal)
  • Weather contingency approach
  • Equipment/vehicle included? Insurance position?
• Contracts/constraints
  • Non-solicit/non-compete radius and period for seller
  • Any commercial contracts; termination clauses

Seller’s checklist (prepare your round for a stronger price)

• Clean ledger: reduce arrears; reconcile outstanding jobs
• Export-ready data: customer list with price, frequency, contact details, comms consents
• Evidence pack: sample bank exports, recent route-day metrics, photos of typical results
• Communications: draft buyer intro note; draft customer handover message
• Operations: document your typical day, route maps, parking tips, weather approach
• Legal/deal: proposed non-compete/non-solicit terms; list of assets included/excluded

Legal, GDPR, and tax notes (UK)

• GDPR & data sharing when selling a round
  • Legitimate interests is often the lawful basis when customer data moves with a genuine business/asset sale. You must inform customers, respect opt-outs, and share only what’s necessary to continue service. Provide privacy information and a clear point of contact for the new controller.
• Contracts and non-compete
  • A simple asset sale agreement typically covers price, what’s included (goodwill/customer list), limited warranties, and a reasonable non-compete/non-solicit for the seller in the transfer area/timeframe.
• HMRC – goodwill and tax
  • Selling part or all of a sole trade’s goodwill is usually a capital disposal for the seller; buyers typically acquire goodwill as an intangible asset. Specific reliefs, rates, and basis depend on your facts — speak to your accountant.
• VAT & TOGC (Transfer of a Going Concern)
  • In some cases, a VAT-registered seller transferring a business (or part capable of separate operation) to a VAT-registered buyer may qualify as a TOGC (outside the scope of VAT). Conditions apply; many small round sales won’t meet all criteria — get advice.

Handover playbook (retain customers and keep momentum)

1. Announce and reassure

• Seller message (SMS/email/card) introducing the buyer by name
• State continuity of schedule and standards; share next clean date
• Provide new payment details and contact info; offer a brief “meet-and-greet” on first visit

1. Shadow days and soft launch

• Buyer shadows the seller for 1–3 route days
• Observe standards, timings, access notes, pets/gates/alarms
• Agree any first-cycle price normalisations before the handover

1. Payment onboarding

• Provide simple payment links (card/bank/Direct Debit)
• Encourage digital payments to cut arrears and admin
• Send friendly auto-reminders for overdue invoices

1. Route protection

• Keep route density intact; avoid premature reshuffles
• Reschedule systematically on bad-weather days
• Track missed/declined cleans and follow up quickly

Common pitfalls and red flags

• Beautiful gross takings, poor net: scattered route, high fuel/time costs
• No documentary evidence; only cash and “handwritten” totals
• High arrears or persistent complaints masked by short-term discounts
• Round propped up by one or two commercial clients with break clauses
• Sudden price increases post-sale triggering cancellations

A simple ROI example (sanity check)

• Purchase price: £9,000 for a round taking ~£2,500 per 4-week cycle
• Gross margin after consumables and fuel: say 70% (labour excluded if owner-operator)
• Monthly overheads (software, insurance, fuel top-up, consumables): ~£300
• Net per 4-week cycle (owner-operator, simplified):
  • 70% of £2,500 = £1,750
  • minus overheads share (~£300) = ~£1,450
• Payback period: £9,000 / £1,450 ≈ 6.2 cycles (~6 months) before your own labour

Reality checks:

• Route density, arrears, cancellations, and travel are the levers that move this dramatically.
• If you need to uplift prices (inflation/undermarket), phase and communicate clearly.

FAQs (quick answers UK buyers ask)

How many months’ takings should I pay? There’s no fixed rule. Use monthly takings as a reference, then adjust for density, arrears, churn, and payment reliability. Validate with evidence and a real route day.

Do I need a contract? Yes — even a short asset sale agreement helps define what you’re buying, the price, what’s warranted, and the non-compete/non-solicit around the route.

How do I legally transfer customer details? You need a lawful basis (often legitimate interests in a genuine business sale), minimise data shared, and inform customers with clear privacy information and opt-out routes.

What about VAT? Many small round sales are outside the scope of VAT if they qualify as a TOGC, but strict conditions apply. If not a TOGC and you’re buying from a VAT-registered seller, VAT may be chargeable. Get advice.

Make your round transfer seamless with Surehand

If you’re buying or selling, Surehand helps you keep customers and cash flow:

• Import/export customer lists (price, frequency, notes) cleanly
• Keep route density strong with route planning and rescheduling
• Bulk customer notifications for the handover (SMS/email templates)
• Recurring schedules that mirror the seller’s cadence
• Quotes, invoices, payment links, and automated reminders to reduce arrears
• One tap to see who’s paid and who owes

Start clean: Try Surehand free or see how we support rounds on our Window Cleaning page.

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Sources (further reading)

• ICO – Lawful basis and data sharing in business sales (legitimate interests), transparency and rights: https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/guide-to-data-protection/
• HMRC – Capital Gains Manual (goodwill and business assets): https://www.gov.uk/hmrc-internal-manuals/capital-gains-manual
• HMRC – VAT: Transfer of a Going Concern (Notice 700/9): https://www.gov.uk/guidance/transfer-a-going-concern-and-vat-notice-7009
• Practical industry discussions on round valuation (community experience varies); always validate with evidence and a route day.