Student Accommodation Cleaning: How PBSA and University Halls Differ
Reviewed by the Crystal Facilities Management commercial team · Updated 2026 “Student accommodation cleaning” sounds like one service, but the way it’s delivered depends heavily on who runs the building. A purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) operator and a university managing its own halls face similar hygiene expectations, yet very different operating models, contract structures and […]
What Is Colour-Coded Cleaning? The UK 4-Colour System Guide
Reviewed by the Crystal Facilities Management commercial team · Updated 2026 Colour-coded cleaning is one of the simplest and most important systems in professional hygiene, yet it’s often reduced to “red for toilets” and left there. Done properly, it’s a core infection-prevention control that stops one area’s contamination being carried into another. This guide explains […]
Planned Preventive Maintenance (PPM) Explained
Reviewed by the Crystal Facilities Management team · Updated 2026 The cheapest time to fix something is before it breaks. That single idea is the whole logic behind planned preventive maintenance — the discipline of servicing a building’s assets on a schedule rather than waiting for them to fail. PPM is the backbone of well-run […]
Hard FM vs Soft FM Explained: What’s the Difference?
Reviewed by the Crystal Facilities Management team · Updated 2026 Anyone procuring facilities management quickly runs into two terms: hard FM and soft FM. They’re the industry’s basic way of dividing up everything it takes to run a building — but the labels aren’t always obvious, and getting the split right matters when you’re deciding […]
Infection Control Cleaning in Healthcare Settings
Reviewed by the Crystal Facilities Management commercial team · Updated 2026 In a healthcare setting, cleaning is one of the front-line defences against infection. Healthcare-associated infections — from MRSA and C. difficile to norovirus — spread through contaminated surfaces and equipment, and the environment plays a real part in that chain. Good infection control cleaning […]
TUPE and Cleaning Contracts: What Happens to Staff When You Switch Provider
Reviewed by the Crystal Facilities Management commercial team · Updated 2026 Switching cleaning contractor sounds simple until someone asks the question that stops a procurement process in its tracks: “what happens to the cleaners who already work here?” In most cases the answer is TUPE — a piece of employment law that transfers the existing […]
How to Choose a Commercial Cleaning Contractor in London
Reviewed by the Crystal Facilities Management commercial team · Updated 2026 Choosing a cleaning contractor looks simple until you’re holding three quotes that all say something different. The cheapest isn’t the safest, the biggest isn’t always the best, and the wrong choice shows up as no-shows, complaints and a search for a replacement six months […]
How Much Does Commercial Deep Cleaning Cost in London? (2026 Guide)
Reviewed by the Crystal Facilities Management commercial team · Updated 2026 A deep clean is not the same as your regular cleaning contract, and it isn’t priced the same way either. Whether you’re preparing for an environmental health inspection, resetting a tired workspace, or meeting a landlord’s standards audit, this guide explains what commercial deep […]
Summer Deep Cleaning & CATS Training
Agenda: Description: A Summer Deep Cleaning training event was conducted to provide staff with a comprehensive overview of the deep cleaning programm and operational standards. During the session, the CATS process was explained in detail, with a particular focus on outstanding issues and the importance of accurate sign-off reporting. Discussions were held to clarify procedures, […]
Summer Turnaround Cleaning at Mansion Students
Student accommodation runs to a fixed calendar. Every year, without negotiation, the summer window arrives — students leave, new tenants sign, and the property must be ready. For Mansion Students, one of the UK’s established providers of purpose-built student accommodation, that window is the defining operational pressure of the year. Crystal Facilities Management was brought […]