Written by MaidEX Cleaning Services Editorial Team · Reviewed by Milad Hoseini, Founder & CEO · Published September 9, 2026 · 3 min read
If your building is cleaned regularly, your cleaner walks its common areas more often than almost anyone else. That makes them a natural first line of sight for problems — if they know what's worth flagging and have an easy way to send it. This is a practical guide to exactly what a cleaner should report to a strata manager, and how MaidEX Spot Report handles it automatically.
The short version: anything broken, leaking, or unsafe that they can see. With MaidEX Spot Report, each one arrives as a same-day photo with its location and a short note, so you can decide what to act on — no chasing, no guesswork.
What's worth reporting — by category
Water & leaks (the big one in Vancouver)
- Active drips or leaks in parkades, storage, mechanical or electrical rooms
- Water pooling on floors or near drains
- Water stains or damp patches on ceilings and walls
- Early signs of mould or a persistent musty smell
- Overflowing or blocked common-area drains
Safety hazards
- Trip hazards — loose flooring, lifted mats, damaged stair nosings
- Burnt-out emergency or exit lighting
- Loose or wobbly handrails and guardrails
- Blocked fire exits or propped fire doors
- Broken glass or sharp damaged fixtures
Security & access
- Exterior or lobby doors not latching / left ajar
- Broken door closers, buzzers or fob readers
- Damaged mailboxes or parcel areas
- Signs of forced entry or tampering
Wear & damage
- Cracked tiles, chipped flooring, damaged drywall
- Failing paint or peeling finishes in common areas
- Broken light fittings, vents or ceiling tiles
- Graffiti and vandalism
What a good report actually contains
A useful report isn't “the parkade looks bad.” It's specific enough that you can act without a site visit. Every MaidEX Spot Report includes three things:
- A photo — so you can see it, not just read about it
- The exact location — “Level 2 parkade, by stall 214,” not “downstairs”
- A short note — what it is and whether it looks active or worsening
And because it's sent the same day through the app, you get a dated, running record you can forward straight to your council or trades.
What a cleaner should not be expected to do. Flagging is not diagnosing. Your cleaner reports what they can see — they don't open walls, test electrical or fire systems, or judge structural severity. Spot Report is an early-warning layer, not a replacement for qualified trades or a certified building inspection.
Frequently asked questions
What should a cleaner report to a strata manager?
Anything broken, leaking or unsafe they can see during a clean — water leaks and stains, mould, trip hazards, burnt-out emergency lights, loose handrails, doors that won't latch, vandalism and visible damage. With MaidEX Spot Report each item comes as a same-day photo with its exact location and a note.
How often should common areas be checked?
As often as they're cleaned. That's the advantage — Spot Report rides along with your existing cleaning schedule, so your building gets a set of eyes every visit at no extra cost, rather than only at scheduled inspections.
Who gets the report?
Your property manager, the same day, via the MaidEX app. You control what happens next and can forward the report to your strata council or trades.
Does this cost extra?
No — standard Spot Report is included as part of a MaidEX commercial or strata clean.
Related
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Request a demoAbout the author
Milad Hoseini
Founder & CEO, MaidEX Cleaning Services
Written by the MaidEX Cleaning Services Editorial Team and reviewed by Milad Hoseini, who founded MaidEX in Vancouver. MaidEX provides insured, background-checked cleaning across Metro Vancouver and the Lower Mainland. More about MaidEX →
How this guide was made
This guide draws on MaidEX's hands-on cleaning experience across Metro Vancouver and the Lower Mainland, along with publicly available sources. It was drafted with the help of AI tools, then reviewed and fact-checked by our editorial team and approved by Milad Hoseini, Founder & CEO, before publishing.