End of tenancy house clean - how much?!

olly300

It is now illegal and has been for a few years thanks to the Office of Fair Trading to have anything in a tenancy contract or demand that the tenant professionally cleans a property. It falls under the "Unfair Terms in Consumer Contract Regulations 1999"

It is fair however to state that either:
1. The tenant leaves the property in the condition they got it in
2. A list of items that should be cleaned and how they should be cleaned i.e steam cleaning carpets.

The letting agent who demands that tenants pay £300 to clean a property can be reported to Trading Standards and taken to the small claims court by any tenant s/he takes this money off.

The letting agent is however allowed to give tenants a list of cleaning services who will scrub ovens etc but the cleaning service would need to provide a break down of or be willing to explain their charges.

littlesaint

Interestingly, the first house we bothered to hire a cleaner for was the last one and they still took extra money off our deposit for something. Then when I came back a week or two later to pick up mail, I noticed that they had all the carpets up that had been steam cleaned anyway. Taking the pee I think. In all except one of my previous places the landlord made only fair deductions. The rubbish seems to happen only when letting agents are involved.

Monkey1977

Guy_Montag wrote: »

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"

Thank you (and to everyone else who mentioned this). How can they prove that it isn't in the condition we took it on in?

We're buying a new place so our returned rental deposit would really help with furnishings etc. Anyone have any ideas on how I ensure I get my deposit back without spending half of it getting the place cleaned?

olly300

Monkey1977 wrote: »

Thank you (and to everyone else who mentioned this). How can they prove that it isn't in the condition we took it on in?

We're buying a new place so our returned rental deposit would really help with furnishings etc. Anyone have any ideas on how I ensure I get my deposit back without spending half of it getting the place cleaned?

What does the inventory state?

Clean to the standard the inventory states.

If it doesn't state anything then clean everything yourself and keep receipts i.e. receipts for cleaning curtains, receipt for hiring something like a rug doctor.

BTW they are not allowed to say "oven cleaned professionally". They are allowed to say oven taken apart and each part cleaned. I have seen some "professionally cleaned" ovens and they were not cleaned to my standard i.e. oven cleaner was just put in them but they didn't take out the wire racks and clean them or take the glass off and clean it both sides.

Guy_Montag

Monkey1977 wrote: »

Thank you (and to everyone else who mentioned this). How can they prove that it isn't in the condition we took it on in?

We're buying a new place so our returned rental deposit would really help with furnishings etc. Anyone have any ideas on how I ensure I get my deposit back without spending half of it getting the place cleaned?

Did they do an inventory when you moved in? What does it say?

Without an inventory I think they are in trouble.

Can you remember what it was like when you moved in?

Apart from the inventory, the only supporting evidence is receipts indicating it was professionally cleaned from just before you moved in.

Monkey1977

olly300 wrote: »

What does the inventory state?

Clean to the standard the inventory states.

If it doesn't state anything then clean everything yourself and keep receipts i.e. receipts for cleaning curtains, receipt for hiring something like a rug doctor.

I'll check it tonight. We took the curtains down and put our own up so I'm b*ggered if I'm cleaning them before I put them back up.

olly300

Monkey1977 wrote: »

I'll check it tonight. We took the curtains down and put our own up so I'm b*ggered if I'm cleaning them before I put them back up.

Just make sure they are ironed

daphne_descends

When I moved into my current house, the check in person noted the carpets as 'NOT CLEANED' but said we will still be expected to clean them when we leave. Huh.

Guy_Montag

fac73 wrote: »

When I moved into my current house, the check in person noted the carpets as 'NOT CLEANED' but said we will still be expected to clean them when we leave. Huh.

Tell the LA to google 'OFT tenancy "unfair terms"':rotfl:

Monkey1977

Guy_Montag wrote: »

Did they do an inventory when you moved in? What does it say?

Without an inventory I think they are in trouble.

Can you remember what it was like when you moved in?

Apart from the inventory, the only supporting evidence is receipts indicating it was professionally cleaned from just before you moved in.

Thanks. There is an inventory but it lists items in the house rather than "Oven - some stains" or "carpets - has a mark" etc. It was clean and tidy when we moved in but not necessarily professionally cleaned.

I'll check it again and then ask the agents what was professionally cleaned prior to our move in.

I'm a bit concerned about some marks on the walls - due to stuff brushing against them etc. We've been in for 2 1/2 years - would this count as general wear and tear?