End of tenancy house clean - how much?!

We paid about £200 for ours in London. But a mix up with the landlady meant that we had to pay for some extras, though the call back itself was free. I think we paid about £260 in the end.

Someone I know paid £170 for a two bed flat about 30 miles outside London.

As a landlord I think the letting agent as usual are taking the pi$$. But considering the number of rip off landlords out there I am not surprised.

My last house was left in a terrible state and the cleaner took 20 hours to property clean the house. But this was the only time I have had to resort to external cleaners who got paid £7 a hour. I also paid the council to remove the previous tenants rubbish.

I wish common sense was the order of the day but that is not the case. I had one tenant who replaced a carpet herself as she was worried i would withhold the complete deposit. There sure are a lot of bad landlords and as many bad tenants. Usually it is the good tenants getting ripped off, to pay for mistakes of the bad tenants.

They can only insist that the property is returned to them in the condition you took it on in, after fair wear & tear.

Apart from that they can whistle for it.

Google OFT tenancy "unfair terms"

janeawej wrote: »

i realy dont think they can force you to have professional cleaners in, i have always hired a carpet washer and done it myself and then given the place a realy good springcleam myself when empty. as a landlord i have never expected it just that the place be left in the same condition as when it was first rented minus fair wear and tear

this is of great interest to me both professionally & personally.

I know of one letting agent, that automatically charges tenants a cleaning fee when they move out ( london ) of 300.

Now my understanding is this cnt be legal to indiscrimately charge it? whether its in an AST or not, surely you have to a) allow for fair wear & tear and to return the property how it was given to you.

if its AUTOMATICALLY deducted, I suggest it wouldnt stand up in court as its not been subject to an ingventory or even inspection.

When my LL charged us for cleaning, our legal advice from the private lettings officer was in order to take any deductions they
a) have to have proof its needed - photo inventory I guess
b) they have to have 3 quotes ( not estimates) and have chosen the cheapest.

Indiscrimnartely deducting I dont think is legal, and youd be right to take some advice on this and take it to the small claims court, if what the legal advice I was given 3 years ago still stands ( i think it does)