Should we dispute cleaning charges?

firsttimestudent

Hi all,

We have recently moved out of a flat, in West London. We did a thorough clean before leaving the house - it was really quite a thorough job, with us even paying attention to things like the washing machine, fridge, oven, mats and carpets. Basically no things was left untouched!

During the checkout (which I was not around as I am working), the agent told my friend/flatmate that she thinks it is not clean enough, and cleaners will be required. My friend just asked how much it is, is it charged by the hour, of which the agent said she doesn't know how much, but yes it is charged by the hour (my friend didn't ask how much per hour!). Other than the cleaning, there were no other charges (no debilitation etc.)

I just heard from the agent that there will be a £230.00 charge for the cleaning, which we find hard to believe. It is a 3-bedroom flat (with no lounge), and with the state we left it, it was hard to believe such an expensive cleaning bill.

My friend who was present during the checkout was not a assertive person, so I wasn't sure if he had 'accidentally' say yes to things which he doesn't have to (e.g. not demanding a clear sum to the cleaning charges).

Would you recommend that we dispute the charges? Our deposit scheme is held in the Deposit Protection Scheme. We felt the flat was returned to the state we received it from. If they really need cleaners, I won't mind paying, but felt the current £230 is excessive and there may be some profiteering going on.

Thanks for any advice, any questions which you feel is important to clarify let me know!

chris_m

Was there an inventory at check-in?
Without that the agent will find it very difficult to prove that you didn't leave the flat in the same state of cleanliness as it was when you arrived.

firsttimestudent

Hi Chris_m,

I wasn't there when the check-in occured. But from what I know (from my other tenants), there was no documents for us, other than the rental agreement.

Should we have a copy of the inventory check, or is it something that the rental agent keeps and only produces to us on demand?

ognum

Cleanliness is subjective, any two people have different standards, you though clean may not be that to another person.
Does you lease say as many do tat a professional clean is required after all leases?
I guess you have two options, go back and clean again and ask the agent for details of the areas of concern or pay for professional cleaners.
If you know you are more assertive it would be more sensible for you to be there!

BitterAndTwisted

In order for the landlord or their agent to be able to rely on the check-in inventory it would have needed to be signed. They can't just wave around a piece of paper claiming that it is your check-in inventory just because they say it is.

Get onto the DPS site and claim the whole of your deposit back. The LL or agent will need to prove documentary evidence to the scheme's arbitrators that the property was handed back less clean than when you took it on.

G_M

You are tenants aren't you? Not lodgers (ie the landlord lived there too)?
And it's a single tenancy you all signed ('joint and several')? Not individual agreements for each person?
It is Eng/Wales? Not Scotland/N. Ireland?

So the next key questions:
When you left, was the property as clean as when you moved in? Never mind was it clean - it's how it compares with the start of the tenancy that matters.
And did one or more of the tenants sign a check-in inventory at the start? This is how the landlord/agent can prove it was clean at the start. Without this, for all a court knows, it was filthy when you moved in so need not be clean when you move out.
Did you pay a deposit? If so, was it protected?

Clarify the above, and we can advise you whether or not to dispute.

firsttimestudent

Hi all, thanks for all the replies above! No, there is no requirement for professional cleaners in our lease.

G_M wrote: »

You are tenants aren't you? Not lodgers (ie the landlord lived there too)?
And it's a single tenancy you all signed ('joint and several')? Not individual agreements for each person?
It is Eng/Wales? Not Scotland/N. Ireland?

So the next key questions:
When you left, was the property as clean as when you moved in? Never mind was it clean - it's how it compares with the start of the tenancy that matters.
And did one or more of the tenants sign a check-in inventory at the start? This is how the landlord/agent can prove it was clean at the start. Without this, for all a court knows, it was filthy when you moved in so need not be clean when you move out.
Did you pay a deposit? If so, was it protected?

Clarify the above, and we can advise you whether or not to dispute.

Hi G_M, yes we are tenants, not lodgers. It is a single tenancy, where we are jointly liable for the rent. And we're in England.

Yes, we believe it was as clean as we moved in. My friend who was there during the check-in said she didn't recall signing anything. (If she did sign, does it make a difference? She may agree that it was clean, but the checkout agent, being a different person, may say otherwise. How do we measure 'cleanliness'? I'm just asking this, in case she forgot about the signing).

Yes the deposit was £2100 in total (about 1.5 months of rent), and it is held by the Deposit Protection Scheme.

Thanks for any advice!

G_M

Assuming your friend did sign, then the wording of the check-in inventory becomes the starting point, so you need to see this.

Yes, there is also clealy some subjectivity in interpretation - ie if the inventory says "blue fitted carpet, clean, no marks", then clearly a spill stain would be cause for deduction, but 'clean' is harder to define.

Where you don't/can't agree with the landlord/agent's interpretation (ie you believe it was clean when you left), then you should raise a dispute with the DPS and go to arbitration. Ultimately they decide, but any evidence you can provide will help you:
* photos when you moved out?
* a witness statement from someone independant?
* a personal statement about what cleaning activity you undertook, and for how long, with what equipment (eg you hired a carpet cleaner)
* receipts from claning company you used, or the carpet cleaner you hired, or the Saisbury bill showing cleaning materials burchased

It all adds evidence to back up your claim.

asharon

Ask for a breakdown of work done. If carpets were cleaned that can add a lot to it.