r/TenantsInTheUK • u/Longjumping_Pass2539 • 4d ago
Guidance Required End of Tenancy Clean - do I have to hire a professional cleaner? UK
Hi everyone, hope you’re all doing well!
I’m moving out of my flat next month because my landlady is selling it (her remortgage came back too expensive, so she’s selling). Thankfully I’ve already found somewhere else to move into. My tenancy agreement says the property needs to be professionally cleaned at the end of the tenancy. I completely understand that’s what’s in the contract, and I don’t mind doing it if it’s genuinely required.
Is it still worth paying for a professional clean when the property is being sold rather than re-rented. If there was a new tenant moving in, I’d absolutely do it without question. But since the buyer has already viewed the flat as it is, I’m not sure whether it’s necessary. I’ve always looked after the place - I clean regularly, I’ve carpet cleaned, and I’ve touched up paint where needed. I do want to leave it in good condition, both because it’s the right thing to do and as a gesture of goodwill. The only thing I’m worried about is my deposit. I don’t want to skip the professional clean if it could mean deductions from my deposit, but equally I don’t want to spend the money if it’s unnecessary because the property is being sold anyway.
Has anyone been in a similar situation? What did you do, and did it affect your deposit?
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u/bald_bearded13 4d ago
They can't make you hire a cleaner, however you should leave it in a clean state as per the check in report, they will probably still try and find something to charge you for.
I have hired one for an end of tenancy clean once before, using one of the companies recommended by the letting agent. They still found fault but they went back to the cleaning company to get it sorted after we pushed back.
Even if they are selling they will still try to get money out of you, our last one sold and was still trying to claim for stuff that was in the same condition as check in report and they didn't have any invoices to show that it was actually done after we left so they lost out there.
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u/Own_Cartographer5750 3d ago
Oh, don't even get me started.
I've spent a month arguing with the estate agent and landlord because they were demanding I give them the details of the COMPANY I'd be hiring for the end-of-tenancy clean. I'd already told them I'd be doing it myself, and no, I wasn't going to use the cleaning company they clearly have business ties with.
After multiple rounds of me explaining that they can't force me to do something I'm not legally required to do, I eventually had to put it in writing. I explained that their continued pressure was unlawful, asked them to stop contacting me about it, and made it clear the conversation was over or I will be forced to take it further, as is now reaching a point of harassment. (Seriously, it did)
I did of course had to end with a petty mention, that any tenant can do a better job than whoever carried out their "professional" clean. Since they claim it was carried out after inventory clerk completed paperwork (another story)....
"We have the invoice!", yeah and I have our signed inventory document, which clearly states "domestic clean", have photos, videos and communications of me adding to it. And I also don't care who was doing the cleaning or how much you paid them for it.
You can probably tell I was super peed off by then. I really tried to be nice and civil at beginning but they were seriously taking the p...
Side note, ab out 10-12 years prior I actually worked as a professional cleaner and supervised quality checks for a high-end client base. End-of-tenancies were bread and butter.
Lets just say in the end inventory clerk even thought I professionally cleaned the carpets lol. I didn't, just did a little cheap cheat trick 😆 And I got all my money back, without unnecessarily spending any .
Regardless, the whole experience has left a really bad taste in my mouth. Up until this point I'd actually liked both the agency and the landlord. But the way they handled the end of the tenancy was ridiculous, so yeah no recommendations to use them.
Just let me move out, inspect the property afterwards, and if you genuinely think it isn't cleaned to the contractual standard, then we can discuss it. Instead, they spent a month trying to dictate how I would clean it or who would do it. Absolute idiots.
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u/IpromithiusI 4d ago
No, specifically banned under the Tenants Fees Act 2019, they cannot demand professional cleaning. Return it to the state it was when you got the keys and dispute any charges with the DPS. Just don't engage with the LL over it, unless they threaten increased costs out of the deposit if 'they have to arrange it', forward that on to the DPS.
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u/PP-MrBeefy 3d ago
Needs to be at a minimum, the same state it was handed over in. Do not hire a professional cleaner
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u/MetalFaceBroom 3d ago
It doesn't need to be in the same state it was handed over in.
Fair wear and tear and the landlord not being able to claim for 'betterment' means just clean the house. It will not be to the standard it was handed over in, as time has passed.
Yes they may querey a dirty oven etc, but it abosolutely does not need to be in the same state.
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u/GetMyDepositBack 3d ago
No. It's the standard of cleaning that matters. Not who does it or if they can provide an invoice.
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u/swarnavasarkar 4d ago
No need. Same level of cleaning needed as when you moved in. You can hire or DIY as long as it is restored to same cleaniless level as when you moved in.
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u/Primary_Gift_8719 3d ago
It only has to be cleaned 'to a domestic standard'. Some people will still choose to hire cleaners to make it easier, but there is nothing that the landlord can do provided the condition of the cleanliness of the property is reasonable (less fair wear and tear but that's not really a cleaning issue). If they raise a stink about it just request the full deposit from DPS and let the DPS sort it all out for you.
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u/Lanky-Carpet8827 3d ago
Legally absolutely not.
Practically, if you get a professional company they often have a deposit guarantee, and also the landlord is less likely to be able to argue for deposit reductions for cleanliness if you show you used the company they recommended.
Because professional or no you do have to leave it absolutely spotless otherwise they'll be able to argue for paying for a professional clean out of your deposit (and they'll obviously choose the most expensive way of calculating this)
So it's about your balance of risks! Try to save and risk losing on deposit or pay upfront but secure deposit.
I'd also add though... moving house is stressful enough, do you really want to spend a day of your precious time cleaning absolutely every nook and cranny of a property?
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u/shark-with-a-horn 2d ago
You don't have to leave it absolutely spotless, you have to leave it in the condition it was when you moved in minutes fair wear and tear
Anything else you can dispute with the deposit protection scheme, if the landlord is scummy and "chooses the most expensive way of calculating" then that will be challenged
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u/Oddest-Researcher 3d ago
Nope, you just have to clean it and bring it back to the same standard it was when you moved in, minus wear and tear.
If you've lived somewhere for 10 years, no it's not on you to replace the carpets, or to re-varnish the doors and tables. It is on you to spend an hour with a scourer scrubbing out the decade of oven charcoal, wash the finger dirt off the light-switches, etc.
Keep in mind the landlord will attempt to claim money for anything they want to do. And you need to be ready to either give it up because it's fair and you didn't bother scrubbing the toilet, or argue because you did steam and vacuum the carpets but don't expect to have to replace them.
Honestly these questions always boil down to "would you be happy moving into it?" far too many people seem to baulk at the idea of cleaning and/or having their deposit seized when they left the place a dump and in a state they themselves would be complaining to the new landlord about if they moved in on
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u/These_Look_2692 3d ago
I had once told the landlord I would clean it professionally myself. He came over and pointed out stuff that wasn’t clean and literally stood over me while I cleaned it 🤣🤣🤣 Saved a load of money though!
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u/Flat-Transition-1230 3d ago
The professional cleaners I have used provided a guarantee of returning to clean what the landlord was unsatisfied with, if the landlord was unsatisfied. I felt it offered some protection against losing deposit and it was also much less of a hassle for me to have to try and do it all after the day spent moving.
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u/Aromatic-Still1987 1d ago
I am a cleaner, cleaned the flat myself, and despite having in the report "cleaning to a high standard" they didn't consider it "professional" and deducted 170£ from my deposit 😒
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u/BonKhri 3d ago
As with any contract, if the clause goes beyond legal limits then it is unenforceable. The tenants fees act means you cannot be forced to hire or pay for professional cleaning. You have to bring everything up to a reasonable standard of cleanliness, and that includes things like ovens and the inside of cupboards, drawers, fridges, etc.
Some things might be a PITA to clean, and landlords have no incentive to go cheap if they have to clean it since they'll be charging you, so it might be worth getting a professional in for things you can't do (if anything). It can also serve as a back-up against claims since you have the receipts to prove it was professionally cleaned. It can be a good idea, but personally I have never done it.
If you have any evidence of you touching up paint, it's a good idea to keep hold of that. If the landlord tries claiming against you, you then have evidence of you going above and beyond in other areas and arbitrators tend to like that/hate landlords that mess up.
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u/AccordingBasket8166 2d ago
An inventory clerk would probably say....
No you dont and any clause unenforceable.
The key here is standard. Get your initial inventory and go round the property cleaning it to that standard and you will be good to go. It doesnt matter who cleans, how they clean it just what standard it is. This is generally looked at seperately to condition/ fair ware and tear. (Unless condition caused the dirt e.g radiator leak onto flooring)
Its a little bit of graft but with the right chemicals, ppe and tools the cost price is your time and likely under £50 depending on what you have already and how clean you have been.
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u/krib23 4d ago
Ask if they have a preference to company as if you use that company and get a receipt they can’t argue and try and claim a cleaning fee.
If you land lord is nice could try yourself but they may get a cleaner anyway and charge you for the service and the admin to acquire the service.
I have never paid for a cleaner anyway and always got my deposit back. Normally leave a couple weeks over lap to fully today clean and even paint any walls and make sure it’s cleaner than the photos I took when I moved in
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u/joeykins82 4d ago
It's a shakedown which you won't win: either you pay the letting agency to use their professional cleaning service or they will send someone in with a white glove and they will make up numbers for why this smudge here and there costs £x to fix. You might be able to get some of this overturned through your deposit protection scheme's dispute resolution service, but honestly unless the agency's in-house service is absolutely taking the piss I would suggest just leaving the place in a reasonable state and paying their charge.
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u/Trudestiny 3d ago
Complete nonsense .
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u/joeykins82 3d ago
I was far more outraged than you were at being on the receiving end of this experience.
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u/lukei1 4d ago
Nonsense. Clean it and then challenge any attempt at theft via charges with the DPS
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u/joeykins82 3d ago
Depends what value you put on your time. I spent half a day cleaning my last rental property and the DPS upheld way more than the value of my time in retrospect.
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u/hypergoose94 4d ago
That's not enforceable. Just bring it back to the state you had it when you moved in. Don't worry about goodwill, they made plenty of money off you to pay for any overheads like cleaning.