End of Tenancy Cleaning

Datolite

Good afternoon all,

Bit stuck as I'm looking for a EoT Cleaner.

I've found one for £150 who will do the whole 2 bed flat. Great, but I've been in touch with my letting agents and they said if the cleaners don't do a good enough job they will still charge me to get their own cleaner in. How can they do this? The agreement states it has to be cleaned to a professional quality so if I'm using a professional company surely they cannot challenge me on it?

I've contacted the guy they use to clean flats and he's quoted £225-250 + VAT for the same job.

A little help would be gratefully appreciated.

Kind Regards,

Datolite.

ognum

You signed the contract with the letting agency so I presume you understood what you were signing.

My only suggestion is get the cheaper company to clean and don't pay them until the property has been inspected hopefully as soon as they have finished so they can repeat anything that is not up to standard.

Get a detailed list from the agency on what they expect to be fully cleaned and pass it on to your cleaner.

Datolite

Yes, I signed the contract that stipulated it had to be professionally cleaned. Which it will be.

But they've turned around and said they will charge me for their cleaner on top of mine if the professional I get in doesn't do a good enough job.

The cleaner I wanted to use offered a 'Guaranteed Deposit Back' scheme, but I've been informed by my letting agency they wouldn't let them back in after my tenancy has expired.

ognum

Get it cleaned and checked prior to end of tenancy then you will have time to recleanif needed.

pmlindyloo

I am always suspicious of this professional cleaning business.

It seems to me by saying they will redo it if it doesn't meet their standards that they intend to do this regardless.

It is possible that they have special rates/arrangements with their cleaning company.

Save yourself some stress. Give it a clean yourself and then fork out for the re clean from your deposit.

Seems to me they are going to charge you come what may - not worth the hassle in the grand scheme of things.

These letting agencies make me so cross!

Datolite

They'd be looking at charging me and my flatmate £150 each for their cleaner though.

So should I just cut my losses and pay for their recommended cleaner now?

PaulLuke

Also, how do you define 'to a professional quality? If the contract doesn't define what that means then I struggle to see how any unreasonable requirements could be upheld with any of the depost protection schemes anyway.

I'd clean it myself, make sure it is as clean as it was when you moved in (it was cleaned wasn't it?) and then do the checkout with the agent.

If they say it hasn't been cleaned to 'a professional quality' and propose a deduction for their own cleaners then raise a dispute with the relevant deposit protection scheme.

LittleMax

Agree with others who have said clean it yourself. Once cleaned I would take photos. Then if they try to deduct money from the deposit go through the disputes process.

Datolite

It was actually quite bad when I first moved in. Was not impressed.

These people are just out to make money, completely.

bryanb

Why not just leave it dirty and pay their price, then you're guaranteed to only pay once?

Datolite

Well, I'd rather pay the cleaner they suggested (who they said if he doesn't meet the standards would not charge me again) than leave it.