How does a UK commercial cleaning firm find companies worth calling?
Watch for new sites, public contract changes and first-of-function hires: each leaves a dated public record that gives a cleaning firm a specific, checkable reason to call.
Written from Lockley's index and the sources below, updated 13 October 2026.
A UK commercial cleaning firm finds companies to call by watching for events that create a need for cleaning: a company opening new premises, a new site on the planning registers, a public contract changing hands and a company hiring facilities staff for the first time. Each leaves a dated public record. Call the company within days of the record, reference it, and ask who handles cleaning at the new location.
Signal 1: new premises and new sites
A new site means a new cleaning requirement, often before the occupier has chosen a supplier. Planning registers list applications and decisions, and Companies House shows a change of registered office. Lockley counted 483 new sites on the planning registers in the week to 12 October 2026, against 24 the week before. Planning applications are for a range of building types, so filter to offices, retail units, clinics, schools and light industrial space, the premises that typically buy contract cleaning.
Signal 2: public contracts
Contracts Finder and Find a Tender list public contracts, including awards and end dates. A contract that has just been awarded to a facilities or services company can mean subcontract work; a contract ending can mean a retender. In the week to 12 October 2026, Lockley counted 143 public contracts awarded and 17 ending, by the date on each record. Read the notice before you call: it states the buyer, the value where published and the dates, which is more than most cold callers know.
Signal 3: first-of-function hires
A company that posts its first facilities or office manager role has just taken ownership of a task that was previously handled informally, often including cleaning. Lockley counted 97 first-of-function hires in the week to 12 October 2026. The new post-holder is a sensible person to ask who handles cleaning today.
Signal 4: change of control or leadership
A new director filing on Companies House can mean a new approach to suppliers. This is a weaker signal on its own, since 32,483 director changes were filed in the week to 12 October 2026 and most are administrative. Combine it with another record, such as a new site or a hire, before calling.
Turning a record into a call
Open with the record and the date, then one question. For example: 'I saw the planning approval for your new unit in September; who is arranging cleaning for it?' Do not claim to know their needs. Record what you saw, the source and the date in your CRM so a colleague can follow up on the same basis.
Check before you call
Confirm the company is active on Companies House and that the site belongs to the company you think it does; trading names and registered names often differ. Lockley links each finding to the record it came from so you can check before calling. It does not provide contact lists, so you will find the person through the company's own website or your network.
Questions
What is the best signal for a cleaning company to watch?
New premises, because the cleaning requirement exists before a supplier is chosen.
Where do I find public contracts in the UK?
On Contracts Finder and Find a Tender, both free to search.
How soon should I call after a signal?
Within days. The record is dated and the need is freshest at the start.
How many new sites were recorded recently?
483 in the week to 12 October 2026, against 24 the week before.
Does Lockley supply phone numbers?
No. It supplies the company and the record behind it.
See which of these companies are worth calling for your business, with the source for each.
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