Unreasonable cleaning cost at end of tenancy

Leedor

I really do appreciate everyone's input, whether the answers are helping my case or not its all valuable input. Apologies for not replying earlier.

We have resigned ourselves to paying the £250 that Shine charges. It is, after all, our fault that we did not leave the place in the state that the inventory stated we received it in. Live and learn from mistakes. We wont allow that to happen again!

We have disputed the remaining £130 that Shine have charged and said that unless this can be itemised we are not willing to pay it. Unfortunately we are dealing with AlexNeil, not directly with our LL and AlexNeil has said Shine wont itemise the bill but they will be asking LL to pay the rest. It's not really our LL's fault though as they didn't order the clean.

Will keep you updated.

jjlandlord

twistedmoosie wrote: »

Actually, some can. It depends on your contract. I've rented in London for the past 5 years and typically agents pop in a clause about leaving the place as clean as you found it (which is never true, they really mean spotless regardless of how you found it!) and payment to be taken from your deposit by them if they have to hire in cleaners to make it up to standard when you leave. Friends who have rented in other parts of the country haven't had the same so perhaps it's a London thing.

No they can't.
The whole point is to prove that the place was not left as clean as it was found.
If that is proven (that's the purpose of schedule of conditions) then tenant can be charge reasonable costs of rectifying the situation with or without such a clause.

cavework

Leedor , have you seen the invoice from Shine?
The extra £130 could well be the letting Agents mark up!
I cannot imagine any Cleaning Company would complete a clean and not submit an invoice itemising extras above their base price.
Ask for a copy of the invoice submitted by the Cleaning Company to the letting agent.
Also the Cleaning Company undertook the job as instructed by the Letting Agent not your LL. If they are professional they would have given a quote for the work required and received confirmation to proceed from the Letting Agent and possibly a purchase order number before they started the work
It is up to the Letting Agent to deal with any shortfall NOT the LL and that is who the Cleaning Company would persue if their invoice was not paid in full.