Deposit Dispute - Professional cleaning

HelenaJane

I live in a student let with 5 others, our tenancy is up in July and we have recently been informed that unless we have the house professionally cleaned (at a cost of £500+ - we live in greater london) then our deposit will be used to cover the costs of a professional clean after we've moved out.

I have read our tenancy agreement and it reads as follows:

2.60: "To clean to (or pay for the cleaning to) a good standard, the premises, its fixtures and fittings, including the cleaning of any carpets, curtains (including net curtains), blankets, bedding, upholstery, etc. which have become soiled, stained or marked during the tenancy. To provide, upon request, receipts to the landlord or his agent to demostrate compliance with this clause"

I can't find any indication there that a full professional clean is mandatory yet dispite me pointing this out the agents are still insisting that we pay or the money will come out of our deposit.

Personally I think they are only insisting upon this due to us being students and they are assuming that we need our money back ASAP and that we won't fight them.

Where do we stand?

(side note: The landlady paid for professional cleaning before we moved in- at her own expense - not the previous tenant's)

nidO

Professional cleaners (usually) do a good job.
As long as you do an equally good job when you leave and clean the place to the same standard as when you got it, you can tell the agents to stick it, photograph the tidiness of the place in detail when you leave, and dispute any reductions with the protection service if the agents try to claim it (the deposit IS protected, right)?

19lottie82

HelenaJane wrote: »

Where do we stand?

(side note: The landlady paid for professional cleaning before we moved in- at her own expense - not the previous tenant's)

OK, generally the rule is, you must return the property in the same state as which you got it. This means that although you don't technically have to get a professional clean, the property must me returned at the same standard, and I think you might struggle to get it to the same level. 5 students can leave a lot of worn in grime, after a year!

Firstly, do you have a dual signed inventory? Did you take photos of the property when you moved in? Make sure you take them when you move out.

Secondly, is your deposit protected, and did you receive the prescribed info within 30 days?

If no to either this may be your get out of jail free card.

Also, £500 seems a bit excessive, even for London. Ring around for some more quotes.

For the moment, as soon as you move out, log onto the deposit scheme where your money is held, and dispute any deductions.

HelenaJane

our deposit is protected yes and if needs be I will contact them.
- Not sure about the 30 days

We do have an inventory but I'm not 100% sure if we all signed it.

We have contacted 5 different companys and so far the cheapest quote has been £558!

Pandilex

between 5 people that's not too bad. I had to pay £70 cos I missed a tiny spot behind the toilet.

pmlindyloo

To be honest it is well worth having a professional clean especially since there are 6 of you.

Unless you are all willing to spend the time getting it up to the standard it was when you moved in (after the professional clean - how do you know the money wasn't deducted from the previous tenants' deposit?) then paying out for a professional clean is well worth the money.

Then you will have a receipt to prove to the landlord that you have had it cleaned and they won't deduct from your deposit for that. Plus, do you all fancy getting down on your hands and knees to clean the oven, the skirting boards, etc etc?

My daughter and her friends spent hours cleaning and still had money deducted.

Not worth the hassle.

HelenaJane

pmlindyloo wrote: »

(after the professional clean - how do you know the money wasn't deducted from the previous tenants' deposit?)

we were told the landlady paid - that's their reasonaing why we should pay before we leave.

benjus

If the inventory states that the place was cleaned to a professional standard when you moved in, and you accepted this, you should be prepared for the agents to go over everything with a very fine toothed comb during the check-out inspection and any inadequacies in the cleaning used to justify deposit deductions. If you're OK with this, go ahead and clean the place yourself and dispute any deductions for professional cleaning.

topdaddy_2

Clean is clean. Pro or amature doesnt matter. Can you get it clean? Do you want to?

Fuzzyness

and if you do pay for it to be cleaned and get the receipt and the LL still trys to deduct money from your deposit you'll have a much better case with the tenancy deposit people.