Office keys and alarm code: handing them to a cleaning company

Hiring an after-hours cleaner means handing over your office keys and alarm code to someone who will be inside while nobody else is. For most business owners and office managers, that’s the hardest part of the decision. The right questions, a clear handoff, and a record of every entry make it a routine part of service instead of a worry you carry each night.

This guide covers what gets handed over, how a cleaning company should store and track access, what you can set up on your side, and the questions to ask before you give anyone a key.

What gets handed over

Access is the last step before the first clean. With After Hours, it happens at onboarding, once you’ve accepted the bid and picked a start date. You’ll provide:

• Keys or access cards for the doors the cleaner will use.
• The alarm code, or a dedicated user code if your system supports one.
• Any building rules from your property manager, such as after-hours entry points or sign-in requirements.
• A contact who should receive the photo report after each visit.

Nobody needs to be there for the visits themselves. Your only in-person time is letting us in for the 10 to 20 minute walkthrough. The full sequence is laid out on our how it works page.

How office keys and alarm codes should be stored

A key on a ring in a truck is not a security plan. A professional cleaning company should be able to tell you exactly where your access lives and who can reach it.

Every visit, on the record

Storage is half of it. The other half is knowing when your office was opened and when it was secured again. Each After Hours visit records the entry time and the alarm time in the key and code log, and the alarm is set before the cleaner leaves.

You see that record too. The photo report texted after each visit includes the minute the alarm was set, right alongside the finish time and the photos. If you ever need to confirm when the office was locked up, it’s already in your texts. Our guide to cleaning photo reports explains what else each report shows.

Sample report

Cleaned 11:42 PM

Checklist 18 of 18

Alarm set 11:44 PM

An alarm user code and other steps on your side

A few steps on your end make access cleaner to manage and easier to change later.

1. Create a separate alarm user code. Most modern alarm systems allow multiple user codes. A dedicated code for your cleaner shows up separately in your alarm history and can be deleted without changing anyone else’s.
2. Hand over only the keys needed. If the cleaner only uses the front door, there’s no reason to include the key to a storage room or a private office.
3. Check with your property manager. Some buildings require cleaners to use a specific entrance or check in with building security.
4. Tell your alarm company. Let them know a cleaner will be arming and disarming the system on scheduled nights, so an evening entry doesn’t trigger a call.
5. Keep a simple record. Note which keys and cards went out and which code was issued, so you know exactly what to collect or change if service ever ends.

For a broader look at protecting your building, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency’s physical security resources, including its Security Planning Workbook, are a useful starting point for thinking through who has access and when.

Why one assigned cleaner helps

Rotating crews are one of the most common frustrations with commercial cleaning, and access is a big reason why. When a different person shows up every few weeks, more people end up knowing your code, and it gets harder to say who was inside on any given night.

Each After Hours account has one assigned cleaner. The person entering your office is the same person every time, they know which door to use and where the alarm panel is, and the visit record ties each entry to someone you can name. That consistency is also why the work gets better over time: a cleaner who knows your space notices what’s out of place.

What a careful visit looks like from door to door

Good access habits show up in the routine of each night as much as in how the key is stored. Here is how a visit should run from the moment the door opens to the moment it locks again.

The cleaner arrives after your last person has left, enters through the agreed door, and disarms the alarm with the assigned code. The entry time goes into the log. The work follows the written scope, room by room, with photos taken along the way for the report.

Before leaving, lights go off, doors that were locked get checked, and the alarm is set. The alarm time is logged, and the photo report goes out to your contact with the finish time, checklist count, photos, and that alarm time. If you open the office in the morning and everything is exactly as it should be, the routine did its job.

Questions to ask before handing over a key

Any cleaning company you trust with access should answer these without hesitation.

• Where will our alarm code be stored, and who can see it?
• Are keys labeled with our business name or address?
• Will the same person enter our office each visit?
• Is there a record of when the office is entered and when the alarm is set?
• Will we see that record, or only hear about it if something goes wrong?
• What happens to our keys and code if we stop service?

Clear answers to these questions tell you as much about a company as its price does. If you’re comparing options, our commercial cleaning walkthrough guide covers the other questions to raise during the first visit.

Property-managed buildings and shared entries

Office suites in managed buildings add a layer. The building may control the main entrance, the elevator, or a shared alarm, while each tenant controls its own suite. Sort out both levels before the first visit.

Ask your property manager which entrance cleaners should use after hours, if there’s a building access card or a sign-in step, and who to call if a door won’t open at night. Common areas like lobbies, hallways, and shared restrooms are often cleaned on the building’s own schedule, so make sure the scope says which spaces belong to your suite.

Common questions about keys and alarm codes

Handing over your office keys and alarm code should feel like a routine step with a clear record behind it. See how access fits into the rest of the service on our page for janitorial services in St. George, or request a quote to start with a walkthrough.