When to use a cleaning checklist
A cleaning list is what the hirer ticks before they leave, or what the caretaker uses the next morning. Committees often pin one in the kitchen, put it in the hire pack, or print a fresh copy for a party.
It is a list of rooms and jobs — floors, kitchen, toilets and bins — not a walk-round of lights, heating and keys. Those sit more comfortably on the end of hire checklist.
What to put on it
Keep the list small — something someone can check in a few minutes. A useful village hall cleaning list usually covers:
- The hall’s name and address
- The booking, hire date and room
- Hired rooms: floors, tables, chairs and decorations
- Kitchen, if they used it
- Toilets, if they were part of the hire
- Bins and recycling
- A line for anything left undone, or for damage
- A signature from the hirer, and from whoever checks the hall
Turn a section off if that space was not hired. Add a couple of extra tasks if your hall always asks for something particular — stacking stage blocks, say, or putting the urn away.
Kitchen and food
Some halls expect the hirer to leave the kitchen as they found it — food out of the fridge, washing-up done, worktops wiped and bins emptied. Others charge a cleaning fee and have a caretaker or cleaner do the work. Follow your own hiring agreement. This list does not replace a food-hygiene diary if the hall keeps one, and it does not tell anyone which products to use.
Extra cleaning and deposits
If the hall is not left as agreed, follow your hiring agreement and committee policy. This checklist only records what was — or was not — done. If you keep some of a bond for extra cleaning, use the deposit form so the amount and the reason are written down.
Copies and records
Print two copies if the hirer and the caretaker both need one, or save a PDF and keep a paper copy in the kitchen folder.
This template does not save a copy on HallHand. Hall details can stay in this browser on this device, along with any extra tasks you add. Hirer names, ticks and notes do not. We recommend that you print a copy or save a PDF if you want to keep a record, as committee laptops often get shared between multiple people.
What this is not
This is not a hiring agreement, a COSHH assessment, a cleaning contract or an accident form. It does not set the standard for how clean is “clean enough” — that is for your committee and your conditions of hire.
ACRE and county associations publish wider village hall advice on running the building. Use this page as a practical list, not as health-and-safety, legal or employment advice.
Frequently asked questions
Can I save the checklist as a PDF?
Yes. Use Print / Save as PDF, then choose “Save as PDF” in your browser’s print dialog. You can also print a paper copy for the kitchen folder or to give to the hirer.
Does HallHand store my hall or the ticks?
Not on this page. Hall name, address, charity number and who checks the sheet can be remembered in your browser on this device, along with any extra tasks you add. Ticks, hirer names and notes are not saved. Print a copy or save a PDF if you need a record.
Can I print it blank and tick it later?
Yes. Leave the boxes empty and they print as empty squares. Many halls fill in the hall name, then let the hirer tick the list in pen after the event.
Can I hide the kitchen or toilets?
Yes. Turn those sections off if they were not used. Hired rooms and rubbish stay on the sheet. You can also add a few extra tasks that your hall always asks for.
Can church halls and parish halls use this?
Yes. The layout works for village halls, community centres, parish halls, church halls and other community spaces. Change the hall name and address to match your building.
Is this the same as an end-of-hire checklist?
No. This list is cleaning only — floors, kitchen, toilets and bins. Lights, heating, keys and locking up belong on the village hall end of hire checklist.