Professional cleaning at end of tenancy (advice for tennants)

abailey54

Hi, I'm due to move out of my first rented place soon and am a bit stressed about how much all of this professional cleaning is going to cost me

I need to do carpets, curtains, windows, oven, hob and extractor fan professionally cleaned

As we live in a bungalow, it would be fairly easy for me to do the windows myself and the oven wouldn't be too hard with all the nifty cleaners you can get nowadays - is it really necessary for me to pay someone else to do it?

Is there any advice on how I can stick to the contract but cut the costs? I don't think I really considered the hidden costs of moving - just saved up me rental deposit and thought I was good to go

benjus

First things first...

Has the landlord done everything by the book regarding the deposit (e.g. protected it in a scheme, sent you the prescribed information)?

Do you have an inventory from the time you moved in, signed by you and the landlord? What does it say about the cleanliness of the place?

tim123456789

abailey54 wrote: »

Hi, I'm due to move out of my first rented place soon and am a bit stressed about how much all of this professional cleaning is going to cost me

I need to do carpets, curtains, windows, oven, hob and extractor fan professionally cleaned

As we live in a bungalow, it would be fairly easy for me to do the windows myself and the oven wouldn't be too hard with all the nifty cleaners you can get nowadays - is it really necessary for me to pay someone else to do it?

Is there any advice on how I can stick to the contract but cut the costs? I don't think I really considered the hidden costs of moving - just saved up me rental deposit and thought I was good to go

No, a "professional clean" clause is unenforceable, "cleaned to a professional standard" is not.

You can satisfy the LA's requirements by doing it yourself as long as you do it properly.

abailey54

Thanks for your response Benjus

I'm pretty sure the deposit didn't go into a scheme, we didn't receive any details, I've checked the sites (though they ask for very specific information which could have been entered incorrectly by LL), the agents we used have said they told the LL about the schemes and he told them he was going to do it - doesn't mean he did it.

I think it might be a bit of a fight for the deposit as he's told me several times how much the refurbishment cost, how much painting cost, how much the kitchen cost...(you get the picture)

We have an inventory and a lot of it was new as was refurbished when we move in (4 1/2 years ago)

abailey54

tim123456789 wrote: »

No, a "professional clean" clause is unenforceable, "cleaned to a professional standard" is not.

You can satisfy the LA's requirements by doing it yourself as long as you do it properly.

Can I ask why you say it is unenforceable? Is this because of the definition of 'professional'?

00ec25

abailey54 wrote: »

Can I ask why you say it is unenforceable? Is this because of the definition of 'professional'?

OFT guidance says so! Any decent solicitor would cite that in your counter claim if you end in court disputing deposit deductions....
http://www.oft.gov.uk/shared_oft/reports/unfair_contract_terms/oft356.pdf

frankly however you have a much stronger lever of you are certain LL has not protected the deposit anyway as that is certainly actionable with a set penalty automatically imposed of between x1 - x3 the value of the deposit

Guest101

Think you need to send a ltter to the LL, asking for details of where the deposit was registered. Even if he hasnt registered by now, he may well do so now, which will make claiming it back easier.

If you're sure he/she hasnt deposited in a scheme then be ready for court. You could make a pretty penny