End of tenancy cleaning – what should be done

When you change homes, the one which you are moving in is most probably clean and fresh on your first visit. It is because it is in the tenant’s right to get a healthy and hygienic place. However, tenants are expected to ensure the highest level of cleanliness during their tenancy, too.

Many people do not do the cleaning on a regular basis which makes the final cleaning more challenging and tougher. Furthermore, when a tenant is vacating a property, he or she has to make sure that the residence is just as hygienic and fresh as stated in the inventory move-in report. Since the time and efforts are never enough, many landlords and tenants would prefer to turn to a professional cleaning company rather to do the cleaning on their own.

To complete the task, reputable cleaning companies have designed “end of tenancy cleaning” as a service. In its essence, the end of tenancy cleaning is nothing more specific than the cleaning you can do on your own with the right cleaning products and tools. In detail, it is a thorough ceiling to floor cleaning session that is specially created to cover every nook and cranny of a rented property.

Who has to do what chores?

According to the tenancy agreements, tenants are expected to do the cleaning on a regular basis. They can also be held liable if they let the grime and dust prevail over the hygiene which can cause detrimental diseases or mould. Often, getting rid of these hazards costs a lot of money and in the end the tenants will be charged additionally. Most renters may not know it but the patio and garden are often part of the property, too. During the inspection, do not forget to confirm that you are in charge of these areas. Usually, the landlord handles more specialised cleaning services such as gutter cleaning, for instance.

Can your landlord force you to book professional end of tenancy cleaning service?

So far, you have learned that the regular cleaning is a responsibility of the tenant. This means that when you hand the property back to your landlord, the property will be as clean as when you rented it. Your landlord has the right to demand the standard of cleanliness equal to the one stated in the contract.

You do a thorough end of tenancy cleaning when you do not think that you can meet your landlords’ requirements. However, if you have cleaned regularly, most probably the property will be as clean as it has to be. If your case is the same, all you need to do is do a final dusting and vacuuming before vacating the property.

What you need to know is that the landlord cannot force you to book professional end of tenancy cleaning service in case you have already met all of the requirements and duties as a tenant.

In some tenancy agreements there is a clause which states that the landlord requires “professional cleaning”. Many tenants feel compelled to book professional assistance which often comes at an expensive price.

The end of tenancy cleaning is of great importance to keep your security deposit
cleaned room
Studies indicate that more than half of the tenants forfeit their check-out deposit as a result of improper cleaning. If you have never done an end of tenancy cleaning prior to vacating a property, your landlord can turn to a professional cleaning company to take care of the final cleaning which will lead to deposit deduction. This may not be in your interest since the proprietor place greater importance on the quality of the service rather than keeping the price low.

The good news is that the proprietor cannot deduct more than the declared sum of the end of tenancy cleaning service. As a proof, you need to demand a receipt.

Since tenants have deposited tons of money, it is in their interest to maintain and clean the property in regular manners. It is a standard two inventory checks to take place. The first one is when you move in and the other one is when you vacate the property. Thanks to these checks, the condition of the residence is benchmarked. For the peace of mind of both parties, this is the clearest evidence of how renters have taken care of the property during their dwelling. In order to make sure that you will collect the check-out deposit, those two inventory checks has to be identical, or the last one is more impressive.

There are landlords who book professional end of tenancy cleaning service even before the tenant moves in the property. This, however, raises the standard of cleanliness which has to be followed during the tenancy and when the renter moves out. If you decide to do the final cleaning on your own, you need to make sure that you have enough time and the right cleaning products to meet your landlord’s requirements and leave the property as clean as it was when you moved in. You should not neglect it because it is more detailed and thorough than the routine dusting and vacuuming.

How to do it

In fact, it is to your own benefit to do a proper final cleaning and meet the responsibilities in the agreement. If the final meeting with your landlord does not pass smoothly, you may find it hard to collect your deposit. You need to make sure that there are no damages and that every inch of the property is deep cleaned. Take your time to do the final clean up in an efficient manner.

Without a question, the cheapest option for you is to do the chores on your own. Do not panic because it is not that hard you just need to make sure that you have enough time on your hands. Before you start cleaning, request a checklist from your landlord and follow it. To ensure that everything is clean, base your performance on the checklist and the one in the move in report. Both conditions must be equal or the second one to be better.

What you need to clean at minimum

Kitchen
Oven and hob
Living room
Bathroom
Walls
Furniture
Windows
Carpets/ area rugs
Curtain/ blinds
Hallways
Garden and patio