As a tenancy draws to an end, one of the biggest worries for landlords is this: what state will my property be in? Landlords often face the daunting task of cleaning up ready for the next tenants, as properties are sometimes left in a terrible state.
Under the terms of most tenancy contracts, the tenant is expected to leave the property in the same condition as when they moved in - but they don't have to use a professional cleaning company.
The Cleanup Team understands very well that the definition of 'clean' differs widely, and that all reputable landlords demand high standards. After all, their reputation, investment and livelihood are at stake.
Before the next tenant moves in, the landlord needs the place to be spotless. As well as presenting a better image and encouraging more interest in the property, it sets a precedent for the new tenant and an incentive for them to look after the place.
That's why many landlords use professional cleaning services for this purpose, but just how much does end-of-tenancy cleaning cost?
As experts in this area, the Cleanup Team is familiar with all the processes involved in end-of-tenancy cleaning. We've put together the following guide that gives you an idea of what you can expect from a professional cleaning service and the general costs.
As a tenant, you are under no obligation to use a professional cleaner, but it's in your best interests to ensure that the property is spotless when you leave. No matter how carefully and religiously you have cleaned your home, you'll always find areas that fall short of accepted standards and that require attention.
When the landlord performs an inspection, they are bound to discover things that you've missed. And if they deem it necessary to call in a professional cleaning team, they may well withhold the cost of this from your security deposit.
And if you're paying for it, there's no real reason why the landlord should be too concerned about the price. Either way, it pays to be aware of end-of-tenancy cleaning costs.
Besides this, there's so much else to do when you're moving house that you really don't need the extra hassle of making sure that your old home is up to scratch. Employing a professional end-of-tenancy cleaning specialist makes a lot of sense!
The cost of end-of-tenancy cleaning services varies widely according to the property size and type, as well as its location in the UK. Most cleaning companies also offer the option of extra services, which will obviously push up the price.
As a rough estimate, prices begin at around £95 for a studio flat and rise to £360 or more for a three-bedroom house. In London, professional cleaners will charge between £120 and £240 to deep clean a two-bedroom flat, while the price in the north of the UK will generally be lower: a one-bedroom, one-bathroom house will be approximately £200.
Checkatrade gives an average estimated cost of around £300 for end-of-tenancy cleaning and suggests that a house with five or more bedrooms will be at least £415.
To understand how end-of-tenancy cleaning prices are set, it's essential to learn what's involved in the process, and that's what we'll look into in the next section.
When an occupant leaves a property, it's simply not good enough to run a vacuum cleaner over carpets and give the place a quick dust and polish. In most cases, deep cleaning is the only acceptable solution. At the bare minimum, every room needs a thorough cleaning from top to bottom. Then you have to consider kitchen appliances, stained carpets, grimy bathrooms, etc. In the end,
This is fair enough, as the landlord wants their property to be as clean as possible for the next resident. And if you were the new tenant, you'd expect the property to be spotless when you moved in.
So, what exactly do end-of-tenancy cleaners do? Here's a breakdown of a typical cleaning project:
This is one of the main problem areas, as it can be seriously caked in grease and residue from cooking and food preparation.
When the Cleanup Team takes on the task, we deal with the following areas -
In addition to all of the above, an end-of-tenancy cleaning service includes wiping and polishing light switches, electrical sockets, doors and door handles. Any other floors or surfaces not mentioned in the list above will also be attended to.
Cobwebs in hard-to-reach areas (such as stairwells and recesses) will be dealt with.
Some professional cleaning services don't include cleaning the inside of the oven and will provide this as an optional extra, so that's something to watch out for.
They also may regard furniture upholstery and carpet cleaning as an extra, particularly if a steam cleaner is used.
Aside from this, the cleaning company may offer an interior and exterior cleaning service that includes the windows, frames, sills and gutters. They might also clean patios and driveways and tidy up yards and gardens. It's essential to establish exactly what is and what isn't included when you book your session!
Yes, all reputable cleaning services provide all the cleaning materials. They will bring these with them to the site, along with all the equipment they need to do the job, and will clear them away again afterwards.
Many of the cleaning products we use are created especially for the profession and tend to be more effective than those available to the general public. Anyone using these should have appropriate COSHH training and certification.
A general cleaning session involves dusting, polishing and hoovering, maybe with the odd optional extra thrown in. The place will be essentially clean and hygienic, but not as thoroughly as during an end-of-tenancy cleaning session.
As we've seen above, the team of cleaners really takes deep cleaning to new levels, ensuring that the property is absolutely spotless.
You could book a standard clean when your tenancy ends, but it is unlikely to satisfy the landlord.
To be fair, it's a reasonable price when you consider the amount of work involved. Depending on the property size, it can take a team of two or three (or more) a couple of hours. In some cases, it can be extremely time-consuming: a job can take all day if it involves a larger property with multiple bedrooms, bathrooms and reception rooms. This all adds to the labour costs and pushes up the total price.
Of course, there are many cleaning companies to choose from, so you can shop around to find the best rates, but the key to getting the best value is to only use reputable companies.
You will save money in the long term by using a reliable professional cleaning service, as they have the expertise to do the job properly. In the end, everyone is happy. However, if you opt for the cheapest rates regardless of the company's reputation, you may regret it.
An inexperienced cleaner won't perform well or offer an adequate level of service. Whether you employ a big company or an independent cleaner, they must have public liability insurance and, ideally, be up to date with COSHH regulations.
If you're a tenant and you're concerned about your security deposit but you're also anxious to keep costs down, here are some tips to help you out:
Essentially, look for ways to reduce the amount of time that a cleaning service would need to spend on your property. Many companies charge an hourly rate, so by reducing the time, you lower the cost!
Check your tenancy agreement to see what your responsibilities are with regard to the cleaning and maintenance of the property. Make sure you have an inventory of everything within the property along with a description of the state it was in when you arrived. This should include any damage or obvious areas of mould or mildew. Ideally, this should have been documented and recorded photographically before you moved in.
If you decide not to employ a professional end-of-tenancy cleaner, be honest about it! If you advise your landlord or estate agent that the place has been professionally cleaned, they may well ask to see a copy of an invoice or receipt.
Before the cleaners arrive, ensure that your freezer is fully defrosted. If it is too iced up the cleaners may not be able to include it in their schedule.
Using a professional cleaner exempts you from responsibility: if they have performed poorly or missed any areas, they will be expected to return and put this right - you will not be held responsible and there is no valid (or legal) reason for the landlord to withhold your deposit.
Of course, if you have been responsible for any damage to the property during your tenancy, that's a separate issue between yourself and the landlord.
As a landlord, you want the best results, so you're going to rely on professionals to get the job done, and that's understandable.
As a tenant, you are obliged to leave the property in a good state, and while you might believe that you've cleaned the place to a high standard, you are unlikely to achieve the same level as a team of professional cleaners. To do so, you may have to hire special equipment, such as steam cleaners and carpet cleaners, which incur time, money and effort. You'll also need heavy-duty degreasers and cleaning solutions, leading to more expenditure.
And in the end, the landlord still might be unsatisfied with the results and may engage a professional team anyway to re-clean the property and deduct the cost from your deposit.
So, booking an end-of-tenancy cleaning session actually saves money!
Whether you're an occupant reaching the end of your tenancy or a landlord who needs a property cleaned in readiness for the new occupants, the Cleanup Team can help.
Our cleaning services team will have your place looking absolutely spotless within a few hours, making it a home to be proud of. We fully understand that landlords need to set the bar very high in terms of hygiene and cleanliness and that residents expect their new property to be thoroughly clean when they move in.
Contact us to discover more about the services we offer and get a more accurate idea of the cost. It doesn't matter whether you're the occupant moving out or the landlord anxious to offer a clean property to the next tenant, you deserve the very best service at reasonable rates.
And with the Cleanup Team, that's exactly what you get.