Is professional cleaning required at end of tenancy?
So, you have decided to move from the current rental property and present you with the difficult task of removal? Probably your list of belongings is huge, especially if you have lived in the house for several years. Well, it’s time to deal, and then with the final cleaning. Get ready for a lot of work and get to work. If you decide that you want someone to replace you in the last detailed hygiene, hire a company.
See if it is mandatory or not to stop for professional help, and how it can help you.
Why take the time to clean the property?
There are three reasons why it’s a good idea to start a thorough cleaning at the end of the rental:
But save yourself the hassle:
Owners care a lot about the cleanliness of their property. When handing it over by the old tenant, they have great requirements – they will go through the list prepared at the beginning and will inspect every corner. For this reason, one of the most common rental disputes is cleanliness. According to TDS data, over 50% of all disputes are resolved by cleaning.
Save yourself such headaches, even if you have to spend a considerable amount on cleaning, or do it yourself.
Get good recommendations
The recommendation for a tenant is very important and can significantly skew the opinion of a future landlord. If you find yourself in a situation where you need a recommendation when moving, you can rely on your landlord. Of course, if you have parted well after the last inspection of the apartment.
If you have not cleaned well, by default, your tenant can always ruin your reputation as a tenant and make it difficult to find a new home.
Return your deposit
Every cleaning effort is worth it to get your deposit back. For this purpose, however, you need to take care of every corner in great detail. In addition to the final cleaning, we recommend that you do periodic cleaning, especially in the more polluted places – the bathroom, toilet and kitchen.
If the stains are too stubborn and stagnant, the professionals may not be of help to you, which automatically means a deduction from the deposit. If the pollution and damage is too great, you may have to part with the entire amount.
What will your landlord or rental agent expect?
The expected level of cleaning is a broad concept. Everyone interprets it differently – especially landlords and tenants. For a tenant it is always clean, but not for the landlord when he makes the last inspection.
So, take care of the flawless cleaning, no matter how much effort and money it costs you. Otherwise, disputes will arise, which will most likely reach the court if it comes to withholding the deposit amount.
To better understand what the owner or agent will expect from you, try to achieve the standard that the home met when renting. Of course, some criteria will be taken into account, such as total wear, but it is minimal (if you have been 2-3 years).
From all that has been said so far, it follows that you need to achieve the original appearance of the property. How you do it – on your own or by hiring a professional cleaning agency, is entirely your decision. For starters, see if all inventory is available to repair some damage if necessary. Also focus on the more polluted areas and the carpet.
What you need to know about the mandatory professional cleaning when vacating a rental property?
Probably some of you are aware that until recently the requirement for mandatory professional cleaning at the end of the lease may or may not be included in the lease agreement (at the request of the landlord). This put the tenant in front of two choices or necessarily hiring a cleaning company.
To date, things are a little different. According to the Tenant Fees Act of 2019, and more precisely the one that came into force on June 1, 2019, it is no longer legal for landlords to ask in the lease agreement for a number of enforceable fees. Including clauses for mandatory professional cleaning of the property.
And here comes the moment when you will be interested in what happens if you sign an agreement before the law comes into force. Then your landlord had a deadline (until 31.05.2020 to charge you fees or ask you to organize a professional cleaner. If this has not happened so far, then you are completely exempt from such an obligation, as well as for those of you who There is no need to look for exactly this clause that excites every tenant.
To make a summary, we will say the following:
- All rents concluded after 01.06.2019 do not include a clause or fee for professional cleaning in the contract for rent.
- If you rented property before 06/01/2019 and on your landlord has included a clause for professional cleaning in your contract of rent, then you may still be liable.
- After 01.06. 2020 owners will be entitled to seek professional cleaning or include such a clause, even if your lease was signed before June 1, 2019.
What does “legitimate and fair” mean?
Landlords claiming fees should have a well-founded case. The Office of Fair Trade, before the introduction of the Tenant Fees Act, said that the demand for a professional cleaner is an unfair clause. That it is not right to introduce and landlords to have similar requirements for their tenants.
TDS is the service that decides to reach a case after an inability to reach an agreement. In cases where the tenant believes that he has cleaned the property well, and he has acquired the appearance as in the beginning, but the landlord wants to keep the deposit for professional cleaning, a big dispute arises. The landlord usually disputes the owner’s claim, but must prove that he is right.
The landlord can also win the dispute if he proves that the tenant does not leave his property in the same form. So do your best, clean perfectly before you go out.
Professional cleaning vs self-cleaning
Once you realize that you don’t have to be a professional hire to clean the final hire, it’s time to make a choice. There are a number of factors you can consider.
Self-cleaning
First of all, self-cleaning is the cheaper option. So far, however, with the positive features. Once you choose to do it yourself, you have to take on a number of additional tasks – to prepare a list for shopping for detergents and additional equipment, to look for helpers and to start a great job.
Self-cleaning is quite stressful, but if you approach responsibly and in detail, you will get your deposit back. An additional disadvantage is the time it will take you.
Professional cleaning
Do you know what professional cleaning gives you when you move out of a rental home? Calm, less stress and more time to handle luggage removal and relocation. By hiring assistants, you can concentrate on other activities and not be stressed that the deadline is approaching and you are not ready. Professionals can handle the task, even on the last day of your contract.
In addition, with a professional company is much more likely the owner will not cause problems and get away without arguing. And most importantly, get your deposit back! They are extremely detailed, they will not miss a single corner. They have very good equipment – for professional use, apply the best cleaning techniques and use only environmentally friendly detergents.
The only drawback can be expressed in the more expensive price, but it is certainly worth it. It will save you a lot of nerves, effort and will achieve much better results. It will reduce your commitment to the purchase of referrals and other types of equipment.
Conclusion
In summary, we would like to say that professional cleaning at the end of the lease is extremely useful and convenient for each tenant. You have the right to choose when the contract does not explicitly state that it is required. However, if it appears, each tenant is obliged to hire a company and provide a note to the landlord for the service provided. Pleasant relocation and success with the end of the relationship with the old owner.