Decide what is changing before writing the letter
Long-standing customers may still be paying the price you set when you started. Meanwhile, paid labor, travel, supplies or the scope itself may have changed. Before announcing a new rate, review which of those factors actually applies. A generic inflation message will not explain why one customer's package needs a different price.
Compare the current agreement with recent completed work. If the job takes longer because the customer added rooms or tasks, you may need a scope conversation as well as a price review. If your original estimate missed normal costs, the new proposal should make the package clear without blaming the customer for your earlier estimate.
Keep future pricing separate from already accepted work and historical invoices. Review the agreement's renewal, notice and change provisions before choosing an effective date. This guide provides communication templates; it does not establish a universal notice period or a right to change a contract unilaterally.
Review each package consistently
Use a small register so a price change does not depend on who answers the phone. Record the basis for the new rate and whether the customer has agreed to the future plan. A message marked sent is not the same as an accepted amendment.
| Field | What to check |
|---|---|
| Current package | Scope, frequency, price and accepted agreement |
| Reason for review | Measured cost or scope change, not a vague guess |
| Proposed package | New price, inclusions and whether frequency changes |
| Effective date | Date consistent with the existing arrangement |
| Customer decision | Accepted, questions, declined or awaiting response |
| Scheduling and billing | Future visits updated; previous agreed work preserved |
If you offer a smaller package at the old price, define what is removed. Keeping the same charge while visiting less often changes the service. It may also increase the time required on each visit. Re-cost that option rather than assuming it will solve the margin problem.
A clear price increase letter
Use the customer's agreed channel. Lead with the future price and date, state whether the scope stays the same, and give a practical way to ask questions. You do not need a long apology or a page of operating costs. The following messages are original templates.
Hi [name], thank you for choosing [business]. We are reviewing the price of your [service/package]. For visits from [effective date], the proposed price is [new amount and tax treatment], compared with [current amount]. The included work and [frequency] stay the same. This reflects [brief accurate reason]. Please [required next step] by [reply date]. If you would like to discuss the package, contact [person/channel] before the change takes effect.
Hi [name], recent visits have included [specific extra work] beyond [original package]. We can offer [expanded scope] at [price], or continue with [clearly defined original scope] at [price]. Both options use [frequency]. Please let us know which you prefer so we can confirm the plan for visits from [date]. We will keep already agreed work on its current terms.
Do not describe a proposed change as accepted before the customer's required decision arrives. If a reply raises a question, answer it and retain the response with the agreement. If a customer declines, agree what happens to future work instead of leaving visits on a calendar with an unresolved price.
Worked example: a recurring clean
Suppose a fictional recurring clean costs the business $90 per visit under its current model and sells for $120 before tax. The modeled margin is ($120 − $90) ÷ $120 = 25%. A proposed $135 price would make that modeled margin approximately 33.3%, assuming the same costs and scope. The customer-facing increase is $15, or 12.5% of the old price.
Those are illustrative figures, not a recommended increase. The office checks the agreement, selects an appropriate future date and sends the proposal. If the customer agrees, the team confirms that the same rooms and tasks remain included. If they instead choose a smaller package, the crew gets the revised checklist and the office reviews the new expected cost.
After the effective date, check the first invoice and visit against the accepted plan. Do not let a stale price-book entry override a customer-specific agreement, or let a newly updated default rewrite a historical invoice. Keep the approved version available when a customer asks what changed.
Review actual costs after several visits. A new price can still miss the target if travel or extra work grows. The job-costing worksheet helps separate a pricing issue from an operational one. The additional-work template helps when the real problem is a changing package.
Frequently asked questions
How much notice should I give?
Check the existing agreement and requirements that apply to your business. Choose a clear date and give customers enough time for the decision your arrangement requires; this guide does not set a legal notice period.
Will every customer stay?
There is no guarantee. Track actual replies and decisions instead of assuming somebody else's retention story will apply to your business.
Should I raise every account by the same percentage?
Review scope, costs and terms consistently. The same percentage can leave one underpriced job unprofitable and overstate the change needed for another.
What if a customer accepts the new price but asks for less frequent visits?
Confirm the revised frequency, scope, price and effective date together. Check that the new schedule still supports the service and its costs. Update the agreement and future visits so the invoice does not keep charging for the previous arrangement.