Renting: Excessive deposit deduction

xxedrushxx

hello all

Got a little situation with a place I just moved out of. On the day before the check out we domestically cleaned the place to the best of our ability and the check out inventory came back with just a few cleaning issues. Our contract actually stated that "the tenant is expected to pay for profesional cleaning at the end of the tenancy", now as this is was my first rental, I asked the estate agent what needed to be done when moving out and they said, just hand back the keys and inventory will include any charges recommended

Now a couple of days after we recieved the inventory (with no charges on it) the LL has contacted me direct saying the place was "uninhabitable" and had to take a couple of days of work just to clean the place. Now they want £800 as "cleaning fee"

Let me just say that it was myself and 3 girls who cleaned that place from top to bottom and after speaking to the LL he has mentioned that the shower had mould around the grouting, limescale in the toilet, limescale on the draining board, the skirting boards werent wiped down (were dusted though) and a drain outside was blocked. Now I told them that we didnt professionally clean the place but domestically cleaned it and it was my assumption from the contract wording that we pay for the cleaning once the tenancy has ended

I've checked out a few cleaning services and they charge around £15ph. Now lets say this was over 2 days at 8 hours per day, then surely the highest i should be charged is £120. I'm not sure what to do about this and where I stand with this kind of unfair charge

any help or advice on this would be most appreciated

bumpoowee

Did you leave the property in the same/better condition than it was when you moved in? Do you have any inventory or photos that show the before/after condition of the property?

Don't know for certain but asking the tenant to pay for full professional cleaning sounds like an unenforceable contract term to me (my contract says the same thing but I'm not going to waste my money on it).

clutton_2

when did you move in ? and when did you sign your last tenancy agreement ?
did your LL put your deposit into a Deposit protection service ?
did you sign an inventory when you moved in ?

Jowo_2

Unblocking a drain caused by food stuffs, sanitary products and so forth can be expensive. Is there a breakdown provided that describes the reason for this and the charge to fix this? Have you been provided with any invoices to support the deductions?

Treatment of mould can also be expensive if the grouting has to be replaced.

Professional cleaning of carpets and ovens can also be dear.

What is the size of the property and location? Are you saying that you feel a 3 or 4 bedroom property can be cleaned for £120 by a single cleaner?

£800 for cleaning sounds about right for a mansion...so I am just wondering if this charge covers any kind of repairs.

xxedrushxx

Thanks for the replies so far.

Unfortunately for me it wasn't a mansion but instead a 2 bed bungalow, with 2 reception and wood flooring throughout, apart from the 2 bedrooms. The place was also unfurnished.

We stayed there for 18 months and althouh we cleaned the place I.e mopped floors, cleaned suraces, mirrors, general wipe down of bathroom, I wouldn't say it was a "professional" standard.

In regards to the inventory, we did sign one on moving in and moving out but the moving out inventory only mentioned some areas that needed cleaning such as limescale on draining board, but apart than that everything else was noted as wear and tear.

The deposit is with the LA in a deposit scheme so I was thinking about just asking the LA to provide a quote for prof cleaning and gt my own qoute for a drain clean. One more thing about the drain, it is an outside drain that our kitchen waste seems to empty out into, the drain wasn't mentioned in the inventory

DawnW

I would certainly ask the LL for a detailed breakdown, and if he got different quotations etc. If the response you get is not satisfactory, dispute it with the deposit protection scheme. Sounds as though you could have cleaned better though - mouldy grout will normally scrub up ok with an old toothbrush and some bleach, and you can buy descaler for draining boards etc in the pound shop. Sugar soap is best for wiping down paintwork. Did you realise that they drain was blocked?

princeofpounds

Don't mess around, this is what dps arbitration is here for. If what you say is true then it is excessive- I have a similar size place in London and have been quoted half that for a professional clean.

Your only responsibility is to return it in same condition minus fair wear and tear. Gather all your evidence (this is what they will adjudicate on) and register a dispute. Get inventories, breakdown of costs, alternative quotes and present your case.

tek-monkey

DPS, simples. Don't even bother arguing, just tell him you'll pursue it through the DPS as thats what its there for.

Jowo_2

xxedrushxx wrote: »

One more thing about the drain, it is an outside drain that our kitchen waste seems to empty out into, the drain wasn't mentioned in the inventory

The drain doesn't need to be mentioned on the inventory to make the tenant responsible for it - housing law demands that a tenant lives in a 'tenant-like' manner and are responsible for the costs of any damage to the infrastructure and contents, even when caused accidentally.

If tenants block pipes and drains through their behaviour, rather than it being a maintenance defect, then tenants bear the cost. Landlords will bill the tenants for blocked drains when they find out they are clogged with nappies, for example.

However, as with any deduction, the onus is on the landlord to be able to provide evidence that it was through the tenants negligence.

xxedrushxx

Just wanna say. Big thanks for all the replies. I am now confident enough to tell the LL to register his dispute via the dos