Commercial Cleaning Contract

[Kmarie2008]

What's the name of your state? South Carolina

In January 2023, I signed a commercial cleaning contract with business. When I signed the contract, the terms of the contract stated that the contract would be reviewed after a 3 year period. After I signed the contract, I noticed that the 3 year was scratched out and changed to 1 year without me being notified.

 

[adjusterjack]

Was the 1 year thing there before you signed it and only just "noticed" it after you signed it?

Is the copy of the contract that you have now, the same copy you signed and retained?

Or did the business take the one you signed and send it back to you later with the change?

There's a big difference between them pulling a fast one on you or you just failing to read what you were signing.

 

[Kmarie2008]

Was the 1 year thing there before you signed it and only just "noticed" it after you signed it? No, when I signed the contract it stated 3 years

Is the copy of the contract that you have now, the same copy you signed and retained? Yes, I have a copy of the contract I signed before the change was made w/out notifying me

Or did the business take the one you signed and send it back to you later with the change? Correct. I also have emails where I questioned the ethics of this change.

There's a big difference between them pulling a fast one on you or you just failing to read what you were signing.

 

[Zigner]

Please don't reply within the quoted area - it makes things difficult to read.

To summarize, the original unaltered contract, which you have a copy of, shows 3 years. They are claiming that the contract was changed to 1 year. Are they claiming you approved this? If so, do they have it in writing that you accepted the change?

Why does this matter at this point? Are they refusing to provide service? Are they trying to increase the price for the service?

 

[Kmarie2008]

Please don't reply within the quoted area - it makes things difficult to read.

To summarize, the original unaltered contract, which you have a copy of, shows 3 years. They are claiming that the contract was changed to 1 year. Are they claiming you approved this? If so, do they have it in writing that you accepted the change?

Why does this matter at this point? Are they refusing to provide service? Are they trying to increase the price for the service?

They do not have in writing that I accepted the change. The contract was signed for $3476 monthly charge because it was changed to 1 year (without my approval), I technically lost 2 years in the contract. In additional, they cancelled the contract this year (2024).

 

[Zigner]

They do not have in writing that I accepted the change. The contract was signed for $3476 monthly charge because it was changed to 1 year (without my approval), I technically lost 2 years in the contract. In additional, they cancelled the contract this year (2024).

Are they asking you to pay a higher amount? Do you wish to continue their services? What do you want to see happen?

 

[zddoodah]

You didn't ask a question, so I'm unsure what the purpose of your post is.

In January 2023, I signed a commercial cleaning contract with business.

Are you employed by the commercial cleaning company? Or are you employed by the other party to the contract?

the terms of the contract stated that the contract would be reviewed after a 3 year period.

Reviewed by whom? Reviewed for what purpose?

After I signed the contract, I noticed that the 3 year was scratched out and changed to 1 year without me being notified.

So...after you signed the contract, someone altered it? Who did this, and how did you discover it? You retained a copy of the contract as it was when you signed it, right?

 

[Zigner]

@zddoodah - Reading the entire thread first would save you a little time occasionally

 

[zddoodah]

@zddoodah - Reading the entire thread first would save you a little time occasionally

I did. I didn't see answers to any of the questions I asked in the OP's one follow up post.

 

[Zigner]

I did. I didn't see answers to any of the questions I asked in the OP's one follow up post.

Fair enough - apologies.

 

[Kmarie2008]

Are they asking you to pay a higher amount? Do you wish to continue their services? What do you want to see happen?

No, I provided the cleaning service. As stated, I have lost 2 years on the contract. I signed the contract for 3 years and they changed it to 1 year "after" I signed the contract. I'm looking to see if I can be compensated for the 2 years.

 

[quincy]

No, I provided the cleaning service. As stated, I have lost 2 years on the contract. I signed the contract for 3 years and they changed it to 1 year "after" I signed the contract. I'm looking to see if I can be compensated for the 2 years.

Did you ask the business why they changed the term of the contract from 3 years to 1 year? It seems to me that this should be the first step for you to take.

Does your contract have a clause in it about terminating the contract?

 

[LdiJ]

No, I provided the cleaning service. As stated, I have lost 2 years on the contract. I signed the contract for 3 years and they changed it to 1 year "after" I signed the contract. I'm looking to see if I can be compensated for the 2 years.

You have lost two years on the contract but you are also not doing the work either. Unfortunately for you, I believe that their change probably voided the contract altogether since there was no longer a meeting of the minds. I don't see any way that you could get any kind of compensation. However, you can certainly consult with a local attorney who can review the contract and advise you.

 

[Zigner]

Unfortunately for you, I believe that their change probably voided the contract altogether since there was no longer a meeting of the minds.

But there WAS a meeting of the minds when the contract was signed. The change happened later.

 

[quincy]

What's the name of your state? South Carolina
... the terms of the contract stated that the contract would be reviewed after a 3 year period. ...

What I have quoted above makes it sound like what was changed was the period for review of the contract. In other words, the contract terms would be reviewed in one year instead of three years. It does not appear to refer to the length of employment, which likely could be terminated at any time.

I agree with LdiJ that the contract should be reviewed in its entirety by an attorney in South Carolina.