From housing associations to parish, district and county councils, from private customers to local and national businesses, we've got all our clients' cleaning needs covered, inside and out," says Karl Bennett, Founder and Managing Director of RG Maintenance. "We are a multi-trade opportunity for ambitious franchisees seeking a wide ranging business that allows them to tackle any market."

Established in 1991, RG Maintenance originated as a small grass cutting business, which Karl soon began to expand. "I'd always had an interest in horticulture and came from a farming background," he explains. "The business took off - in 1992 I secured my first contract in the commercial market and by the mid-1990s I had 10 employees servicing the business."

The differentiator for RG Maintenance which stands it out among other cleaning industry franchises, is the sheer scope of the services offered by franchisees.

"We're offering three trades: grounds maintenance, commercial and domestic cleaning and specialist environmental services," says Karl. "We've grown and flourished across East Anglia because we make it easy for our clients. Once we have our foot in the door by providing one of our services, a client knows the standard of work we provide and we can become a one-stop-shop. We are in the driving seat to win more work and can become a single point of contact for all our clients' cleaning requirements."

Now with 20 employees, Karl's business is thriving. "We began considering expanding via franchising from a logistical viewpoint," Karl reflects. "We were starting to get work coming in from London and the South East that it wasn't practical to service from our Norfolk head office. We established our pilot franchisee in May 2004 who is now generating a £75,000 turnover, followed by a second in May 2005 who turned over £40,000 in year one. Our third franchisee is already working flat out after launching in May this year, we have just signed our fourth franchisee and are looking to recruit 10 more over the next 12 months."

RG Maintenance is affiliated to industry associations including the British Institute of Cleaning Science, and franchisees are trained to industry standards in all three market sectors serviced. "In addition, our training package covers full sales and marketing tuition," Karl continues. "We don't offer turnover guarantees, we'll train our franchisees up to be strong enough to source their own business - and there's plenty of business out there.

As people's lifestyles become more hectic, the domestic sector is showing continuous growth and the commercial and council work will always be strong. My own business services 75 per cent commercial and 25 per cent domestic clients, but the business can be tailored to the demand in a particular area."

Open to applications from prospective franchisees from all backgrounds, Karl is seeking switched on and ambitious individuals who aren't afraid to get their hands dirty while building the business. "Certainly the franchisee will need to take a hands-on role, but there is also the potential to build a staffed business and take on a management role," he explains. "It depends on how much work the franchisee is willing to take on. We ask all prospective franchisees to visit us at my premises and see the way we operate - it is a genuine opportunity with a growing business and totally replicable."