If you're moving out of private accommodation, it’s that time of year when our Advice Centre is usually advising you to start booking in professional cleaners for your end of tenancy clean. This year, they are telling you to start organising your own cleaning instead. Read why and check out our top tips for if you do use a cleaning service.
If you're moving out of private accommodation, it’s that time of year when our Advice Centre is usually advising you to start booking in professional cleaners for your end of tenancy clean. This year, they are telling you to start organising your own cleaning instead.
"Why?" we hear you ask. Well, cleaning was historically among the most common reasons for deductions being made from security deposits and the charges were known to be very high - this led to a change in legislation last year.
New laws
If your tenancy started after 1 June 2019, the Tenant Fees Ban 2019 means you can opt to clean the property yourself, even if your contract states you have to pay for professional cleaning or your landlord’s cleaning service. As a general rule, you should leave the property as clean as you found it.
“I’m ready to scrub!”
If you’ve kept on top of the cleaning, this shouldn’t be too difficult. If you haven’t, then we recommend you roll up your sleeves and give yourself a week to clean thoroughly.
Look for tips online to make things easier and help you make a shopping list for cleaning products.
If you have left your oven or carpet in a particularly bad state, then we recommend you get them professionally cleaned to avoid deposit deductions.
“Ew…I’m not cleaning that!”
If you’re not known for your cleaning prowess, we suggest you use professionals after removing your belongings from the property. Book a few weeks in advance to avoid disappointment.
If you use professionals, please observe social distancing guidelines:
- Only one person from the household needs to be present to greet the cleaners, maintaining a 2m distance.
- Avoid being in the same room as the cleaners- stay outside if possible.
- Wear protective face-covering if you have to stay inside the property.
We asked around and found some local cleaners recommended by others for you. We cannot recommend a particular cleaners, but we’re happy to share others’ recommendations with you.
Katie’s Diamond Clean
Olivia’s Cleaning Services
Steam Clean and Sparkle
If you know any other great cleaners, please share their details with us so we can add them to our list.
Top Tips for using end of tenancy cleaning services
- Get a few quotes in writing to secure the best deal. You can always try to negotiate the given price.
- If one quote is much cheaper than the others, it’s usually a bad sign, unless they have been recommended by someone you know.
- You shouldn’t have to pay until the job is done, though a small deposit is normal.
- Someone should inspect the property before paying – if anything is unsatisfactory, you should ask them to please go over it.
- Good services guarantee in their quote that they will come back to finish the job if the landlord is not happy.
- Never pay in cash.
- Take lots of photos of the clean property before leaving, including outside and hall areas and stairs.
- Contact the Advice Centre if you have problems with the service you use.
What if the landlord is not happy with the clean?
They should tell you immediately and give you a chance to put it right. Contact the Advice Centre for help if you have problems. If the property is left unsatisfactorily clean, then the landlord/agent can charge you for cleaning - they do have to provide you with a receipt proving the cost though. We have seen many inflated cleaning bills, so please email us with your cleaning bills if they seem unreasonable to you, and we can look into it for you. Unfair bills can be challenged and our Advisors will show you how. The agreed cleaning amount will then be deducted from your security deposit.
See our Private Housing Leaving Guide for how to get your deposit back and other useful information.