Our Approach to Transparency
We believe it’s important to be open about how we work, so you can decide if Papaya Clean is the right fit for your cleaning needs.
Our goal is to give you a clear understanding of what to expect — from how we operate to the results we deliver. We believe this level of transparency helps both parties know exactly what’s required and what’s provided, with no surprises along the way.
If anything in these terms isn’t clear, just drop us an email — we’re always happy to explain. By using our services, you confirm that you’ve read and agree to these terms and conditions.
1. Solar Panel Cleaning Specifics
How We Conduct Solar Panel Cleaning – Your solar panels are cleaned using purified water only; delivered through a water fed pole system with brushes used to agitate and clean away dirt, lichen and moss. No detergents are used in order to remain compliant with manufacturers warranties.
What’s Included – Our solar panel cleaning service includes setup and use of our mobile scaffold tower, a safety inspection of your solar panels and cleaning of the solar panels and the accessible frame elements.
Instances Where We Can’t Proceed with Cleaning – During the safety assessment we’ll check for integrity of the seals and any visible wiring as well as the presence of heat spots. Where we find any evidence of a damaged water seal, damaged wiring or severe heat spots on the solar panels we will cease our task and refer you to have a more detailed check by a solar panel maintenance professional. This is extremely rare but because solar panels produce high levels of DC electrical power we prioritise safety.
We’re unable to clean any solar panels mounted at or above fourth storey height.
Solar Panel Lichen Removal – We’re able to fully remove lichen staining from solar panels without aggressive cleaning techniques or chemicals. It’s important to note that Lichen secretes oxalic acid which etches the glass panel element of the solar panel. What this means for you is that following lichen removal there will be some visible ghost marks where glass has been etched under the lichen. It’s not obviously visible but will be visible if you look carefully when the solar panels are dry. This is another reason why solar panels should ideally be cleaned whenever lichen is visible on the solar panels.
Preparations Prior to Our Visit:
Inverter – You can leave your inverter on. Cleaning will have no impact on its operation and some older inverters may have issues booting back up so we suggest leaving your inverter on during cleaning.
Parking Availability – We require parking at your property or within 20-30 metres away. The cleaning equipment we use for cleaning is connected to the van making this a necessary requirement.
Footprint for Scaffold Tower – At the base of the side of your house where your solar panels face we’ll need a small footprint to erect the mobile scaffold tower for cleaning. The tower requires a footprint roughly the size of a small car. If you have any plant pots or ornaments we kindly request these are moved to avoid any damage. We’re happy to move anything as well so please just let us know and we don’t expect you to move heavy items on our behalf if we’re able to do so for you.
2. Gutter & Fascia Washing Specifics
How We Conduct Gutter & Fascia Washing – We’ll wash your gutters using purified water and telescopic high reach pole systems. These poles reach difficult places not accessible with ladders and the brushes allow for detailed cleaning into crevices and around brackets and gutter parts more thoroughly than typically possible when cleaning by hand.
What’s Included – Gutter Washing includes washing of the exterior parts of your guttering system. As standard we include washing of all gutter lengths, gutter brackets, fascia boards, soffits, gable end fascia boards and downpipes. In most cases we’ll be able to restore a new like appearance of gutters.
What isn’t included – We won’t include any cladding or cleaning or other surfaces on your home which are not stated above or part of your guttering system unless expressly disclosed beforehand and additionally quoted for. If you have a conservatory or other detached building like a garage not part of your home’s building we will not include cleaning of it’s gutters unless specifically requested at the time of the quote/booking request.
Gutter Washing refers to the cosmetic washing of gutters, fascias and soffits. It does not include any vacuuming or removal of debris from within your guttering system. This is referred to as ‘Gutter Clearance’ and can be booked in addition to Gutter Washing or separately.
Faded, Discoloured and Tarnished Gutters – Some gutters suffer from degradation for varying reasons such as prolonged exposure to grime, high road traffic dust or UV exposure which can leave them looking worn, discoloured and faded. It’s not always viable to detect this prior to cleaning as dirt and grime will disguise the appearance of the gutters true cleaned condition. If you suspect your gutters may suffer severe degradation you may wish to wipe a ground floor section if you’re able to safely do so to make an informed assessment prior to instructing us to clean them.
Gutters Where Climbing Plants Are or Have Attached – In cases where climbing plants such as Virginia Creeper or Ivy have grown and attached to your gutters they will have likely left marks and small attached sections. We’re unable to remove this with our cleaning systems. We can complete Gutter Washing where this has occurred but it should be noted that we cannot remove the plant remains that have attached.
Gutters We’re Unable to Wash –
Gutters located at third storey level or higher.
Heritage cast iron gutters.
Gutters where the wooden fascia boards are decayed or fixings are visibly loose.
Fascia boards where there’s excessive paint flaking.
Accessibility Requirements & General Points – To complete your Gutter Washing we need to park at or close to your home, ideally within 20-30 metres. This is because our vans house the equipment we use for cleaning as well as the power and water supply.
We also require exterior access around your home to access and wash your gutters.
You don’t need to be home while the cleaning is completed. We’ll take before and after images and our vans are GPS tracked to verify location data.
As the process of Gutter Washing uses water to wash the gutters we advise moving any cars away from any nearby guttering as to avoid dirty water falling onto them.
3. Gutter Clearance Specifics
How We Complete Gutter Clearance – To clear your gutters we’ll use a high powered vacuum system which can reach up and into your gutters whilst being operated at ground level. It provides thorough clearance with safety and the ability to access many gutter sections that cannot be safely cleared if using a ladder. For stubborn blockages and growths we may use a ladder to access and clear by hand.
What’s Included – Our Gutter Clearance service includes a gutter condition camera assessment and down pipes are checked for flow. Following this we’ll vacuum clear your gutters and remove debris, dirt, leaves, moss and anything else that shouldn’t be there. We’ll dismantle any sections required to restore water flow and remove any stubborn growths or blockages.
What’s Not Included – We do not include the valley areas where roof sections meet which occur on some houses. For gutters with downpipes which connect to a soak-away or down into drains our remit for Gutter Clearance accounts for guttering which is above ground level only. Below ground level issues should be referred to a drainage specialist.
Gutter Clearance refers to the removal or debris, moss, leaves etc from your gutters. It does not includes any cosmetic washing of your gutters. This is referred to as ‘Gutter & Fascia Washing’ and can be booked in addition to or separately from ‘Gutter Clearance’.
Gutters We’re Unable to Clear –
Heavy growths within gutter sections that are directly above conservatory roofs due to risk of damage from falling debris.
Heritage Cast Iron gutters.
Gutters where fascia boards are decayed and/or fixings are loose or unsecure.
Gutters where any gutter device such as gutter grids, hedgehogs or gutter brushes have been fitted. These require removal prior to clearing. (Downpipe guards are fine)
Results Expectations – When we clear your gutters we’ll vacuum and remove the debris, however, you should not expect the inside of the gutter to look brand new. The realistic scenario is that around 95% of debris will be removed and some fine dust and small bits if debris may remain which do not affect water flow.
Extra Work That Could be Required – There is some scenarios where you may need a replacement bracket, union or other gutter part. We keep a stock of these within each van and if your gutters have a defective or missing part we’ll inform you at home or on your mobile to check if you would like us to proceed with the replacement. We won’t change any parts without your permission. When confirming your appointment we provide this option in advance should it occur.
If We Find Your Gutters Don’t Require Clearing – In some cases we attend a home to clear the gutters and find a relatively minor issue/cause and that the gutters would not benefit from a clearance. In this scenario we will complete our camera assessment, amend the issue to rectify the functionality of your gutters and the minimum charge of £79 would be applicable.
If You Have a Defective Soak-Away – A considerable amount of homes suffer from poorly functioning soak-aways where water is routed under ground to disperse. If we attend and find your soak-away is defective or this has been flagged by you in advance we’re able to offer a temporary diversion by cutting the downpipe and fitting a diverter spout for a charge. We can only do this where the water doesn’t run on public or neighbouring property and it should be considered as temporary measure only. You should consult a drainage specialist to restore the soak away as soon as reasonably possible.
Accessibility and General Points –
We’ll need parking at or close to your home, typically within 20-30 metres and we use equipment that is connected to the vans.
We’ll also just need exterior access around your home to safely access the gutters and would advise moving any delicate items so they’re not close to you home as some debris may fall during the gutter clearance process.
Your don’t need to be home and we’ll take before and after images. Our vans are also GPS monitored so we can track and log the locations every few seconds.
4. Requesting and Accepting Your Quote
Our quoting and booking process works as follows:
Request Your Free Quote – Using the relevant quote request forms on this website you can provide some basic details to see a proposed quote instantly which can then be sent directly to you via email. This is the first step to booking any cleaning for your gutters and solar panels within the Wiltshire areas we serve. You’ll receive an automated response and we’ll promptly check your quote before sending a confirmed quote to you. We check basic accessibility and some safety aspects just to make sure before committing to our ability to proceed.
Your Quote Email – Your quote is now emailed to your inbox and it’ll contain a link where you can accept your quote
Accepting Your Quote – Here you’ll confirm some options about your requested cleaning and provide us your preferences for when to have your cleaning completed.
5. Weather We Work In
We conduct our work in most weather conditions.
Gutter Cleaning – We’ll cease gutter cleaning tasks when ambient temperatures fall below zero due to water freezing. We’ll also cease some gutter cleaning tasks if winds speeds are very high which creates a safety and damage risk.
Solar Panel Cleaning – We can still complete solar panel cleaning in minus temperatures although we may be limited to the use of our mobile scaffold tower in very high wind speeds which can affect the tower stability.
6. Payments
Payments for your cleaning are preferred via Bank Transfer. For this your invoice will be emailed within 3 days of cleaning. We kindly request that your payment is then cleared within 7 days of your cleaning date. We don’t leave any invoice or payment info at the time of cleaning.
When making your payment, please use the first line of your address as the payment reference. Your payment, once made, will be electronically paired to your invoice. Your invoice will then show as ‘Paid’ when you view it.
We understand that life is busy and it can be easy to overlook making your payment for your cleaning. If your payment becomes overdue we’ll politely send you a reminder notification by Email.
This will be followed up with further polite reminders by SMS and/or Email. If you have any difficulty in paying, we encourage for you to simply get in touch with us via email and we’ll work with you for a solution of mutual benefit.
In the unlikely event that your payment becomes overdue by over 60 days and no payment agreement has been confirmed, we’ll charge an administration fee of £47.50 and seek legal intervention. This course of action will only be taken as a last resort and we always seek all possible alternatives prior to engaging this intervention.
7. Pricing & Accuracy of Provided Information
Our pricing is based on either house type and size for gutter cleaning and the number of panels and their soiling level for solar panel cleaning. We use the information you provide on the relevant Quote Request Form. We reserve the right to adjust the cleaning charge, refuse cleaning outright and adjust the scope of cleaning if incorrect information has been provided. You receive an automated response via email to any booking request which contains all submitted information so please check this.
For example if your booking request states that you have 14 solar panels and we arrive to find you have 16 solar panels we will stop and confirm your preferred way to proceed. If we’re unable to discuss the matter with you we’ll make a judgement call based on the specific nature of the variation.
In any event we operate a minimum attendance charge of £79 which would be payable if you instruct us to not proceed with any cleaning as a result of such a variance.
8. Cancellation Policy
We operate a 72 hour notice period for cancelling a booking. Please let us know by email if you wish to cancel your booking. You don’t need to give any reason but we ask for 72 hours as it allows for the space to be allocated to other homeowners. Otherwise we have other homeowners waiting longer than they need to as a result of appointments being wasted.
For any cancellation within the 72 hours prior to the appointment we will charge a cancellation fee of £38.
9. Reminders & Communications
We operate two forms of keeping in touch both of which are by choice:
Cleaning Reminders – We’ll send you an annual reminder if you had Gutter Cleaning conducted and a 2 yearly cleaning reminder if you had your Solar Panels cleaned. Many homeowners find this is a helpful way to keep on track. The reminders consist of a series of 3 email reminders paired with SMS messages.
Email Newsletter – We keep you updated with useful information relating to your home’s gutter system and/or solar panel system if you would like to keep informed. This is sent out monthly and is kept to useful information only. We assess and review products, highlight any relevant news and sometimes notify of seasonal changes which may prompt some pro-active actions relating to your home. You can cancel this at any time.
10. Insurance Coverage
Papaya Clean is fully insured, with Public Liability cover up to £2 million for all general cleaning work.
We always handle your property with care and attention, but please note that we can’t take responsibility for any damage that results from existing wear, lack of maintenance or natural ageing of materials. For instance, older or brittle fittings may occasionally loosen or break during normal cleaning even when handled correctly.
In the same way, we’re unable to accept liability for any water ingress that occurs due to pre-existing issues with roofing or other structural components.
11. Health & Safety
Health and safety are key considerations when choosing any tradesperson or contractor. At Papaya Clean, we take this responsibility seriously — to protect our clients, your property, the public and our team.
We follow safe working practices not only to meet legal requirements but also because it’s the right thing to do. Staying injury-free means we can continue providing reliable services throughout Wiltshire and maintaining a safe environment at your property prevents any unnecessary stress or disruption for you and your household.
Working at height is one of the main risks in our industry. To manage this safely, our ladders meet British Standard EN131 for Professional Use and our cleaners use safety helmets and ladder stabilising equipment where appropriate.
Every Papaya Clean technician is trained to industry-recognised standards. A PASMA-certified team member is always present whenever a scaffold tower is used, ensuring full compliance with working-at-height regulations and the safety of your property. Our annual CPD-certified Electrical Safety training (assured by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents) ensures we clean solar panels using safe methods. Each team member also holds an up-to-date DBS check reflecting our commitment to integrity and professionalism in every household we visit
We regularly review and update our health and safety procedures for all window cleaning operations. These are documented in our Risk Assessment and Method Statement for General Operations which details how we carry out each task efficiently and safely.
12. Data Protection & Confidentiality
We take data protection seriously. All customer information is stored securely on encrypted devices and is never shared with third parties unless clearly stated and necessary to deliver our service.
Your cleaner only access your details when attending your booking and using encrypted, password-protected devices to prevent unauthorised use
Papaya Clean is fully compliant with the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and we’re committed to handling all personal information responsibly and respectfully not only because it’s the law but because we handle your data as we would expect our personal data to be handled.
You can read our full GDPR Policy and Privacy Notice via the link on this website.
13. How to Get in Touch | Complaints & Feedback
You can reach us directly by email at contact@papayaclean.co.uk.
We always aim to provide a service that adds real value to every client, but we also welcome honest feedback — whether it’s a concern, complaint or constructive suggestion.
If you’d like to raise an issue, please email contact@papayaclean.co.uk. All complaints are personally handled by our business owner, Denis Otto, to ensure every matter receives proper attention.
If we’ve made a mistake, we’ll do our best to put it right as soon as reasonably possible. Please let us know within a reasonable timeframe so we can take appropriate action.
Your experience truly matters to us. We invest in training and recruitment to ensure every cleaner is polite, enthusiastic and committed to doing a great job. If something isn’t quite right, please tell us — it helps us improve our systems, communication and service quality. Every piece of feedback helps us grow and deliver an even better experience for all our clients.