How to Get Bonded to Clean Houses in Pennsylvania
Bonding is very similar to an insurance policy. The bonding company is guaranteeing you that you will not be harmed if another party fails to live up to his or her side of an obligation. It also protects another party in case you do not live up to your obligations. You might bond an employee or another agency with whom you work. It is not always required that you bond a cleaning business (and sometimes you will have a hard time getting bonded if you don't have a clean background), but it is a helpful asset to your new business, and will help you get more clients.
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Instructions
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Get business insurance for your new cleaning company first. You need property and liability insurance, at the very least. The business insurance has to cover claims that your cleaning clients could file against you, such as missing or broken items, and accidents that your cleaning crew could cause due to carelessness. A few of the top business insurance companies in Pennsylvania are Allstate, State Farm and Progressive Commercial. The insurance company can also refer you to a reputable bonding agency in the state.
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Decide what type of bond you will need. For a cleaning company, you should get a bond on each of your employees, so that in case they steal from you or a client, you are covered. You may also want to get a vehicle bonded, especially if it carries and stores expensive equipment that is not covered by your business auto policy. Finally, if you have to frequently bid on cleaning contracts, you need to get a bond for your bids.
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Contact a bonding agency (also called a surety company) that does business in Pennsylvania. See a suggestion below under "Resources." Ask to apply for a Janitorial Service bond (the agency that you visit may have a different name for this bond) or the other types of bonds you have decided on, such as Dishonesty bonds to protect you against employee theft.
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Fill out an application for the bonding. The agency will need complete information about your business and the owner, social security numbers and information about the employees. The company will probably do a full background check on all parties involved.
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Once approved, pay the fees associated with the bond. You will be giving a bond certificate to prove that you are a bonded business.
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Tips & Warnings
Contact the Small Business Association (SBA) if you have a hard time getting bonded. In some cases, the SBA will back your bond. See "Resources" below for more information about the SBA Surety Bond Guarantee Program. It's a good business practice to get a Pennsylvania background check on your employees before you apply for bonding to avoid potential problems.
