Deposit return and charges advice please

Pixie5740

G_M wrote: »

I fail to understand what the distinction is betwen "clean" and "professionally clean".

Amen G_M.

OP, paying someone is no guarantee of a good job or even a better job. There are no professional standards which cleaners are held to, it's not a profession regulated by the Guild of Cleaners, the Royal Society of Cleaners or the UK Council of Cleaners (because I've just made those up since there is no regulatory body for cleaners).

My last check-out report said "cleaned to a professional standard." I've never been paid to clean in my life. Didn't stop the letting agent trying to charge for further cleaning until the landlord intervened.

lucasmeister

The landlady is saying that the limescale is still not cleaned off the walls, so she needs to get some more cleaners in, but that won't be until at least next week because she's on holiday. I'm worried I will have to pay for several rounds of cleaners for a little limescale on a wall. Is it worth me speaking to the deposit protection company? I feel that she's taking too long to get it sorted, especially as the new tennants already moved in

david1951

Don't pay for any of it. Say that you consider the matter closed, and will raise a dispute with the DPS if that's how she wants to proceed.

lucasmeister

I went through the DPS and the landlord has come back with a figure of £280. Does this sound about right, for the following? These are the only things in the report that it was stated I should pay for.

1. Limescale to shower head in 2 bathrooms (although photos taken in check out report, look pretty much identical to ones taken in check in report)

2. Limescale to glass shower curtain in 2 bathrooms (although photos taken in check out report, look pretty much identical to ones taken in check in report)

3. Oven & extractor fan further cleaning

david1951

lucasmeister wrote: »

I went through the DPS and the landlord has come back with a figure of £280. Does this sound about right, for the following? These are the only things in the report that it was stated I should pay for.

1. Limescale to shower head in 2 bathrooms (although photos taken in check out report, look pretty much identical to ones taken in check in report) about 15-20 minutes to scrub off. Worst case scenario (and it would have to be pretty bad) buy new shower heads for about £10 each

2. Limescale to glass shower curtain in 2 bathrooms (although photos taken in check out report, look pretty much identical to ones taken in check in report) 15-30 minutes

3. Oven & extractor fan further cleaning 30-90 minutes depending how bad it is. Maybe new filter for extractor fan for about £10

Lime scale and ovens just need a heavy duty cleaning product and some elbow grease. Maybe half a day's work for a cleaner, which is roughly £40-60.


Has she broken down the figure of £280? Sounds like she wants you to just pay whatever this cleaning company are charging her.

lucasmeister

It's not been broken down, no. It sounds like she's trying to charge me for multiple cleaning attempts of the limescale. Surely I shouldn't have to pay for these? Or is limescale cleaning a progressive thing which needs multiple sessions?

Pixie5740

If the check-in inventory shows limescale and the check-out inventory shows limescale then stop worrying about the limescale and certainly refuse to pay for the multiple attempts to clean the limescale.

bod1467

This thread is precisely why I advised my daughter to go over the check-in inventory with a fine tooth comb, and amend it to note discrepancies. AND to take a copy of it before handing it to the letting agent.

She's also taken lots of photos of the property's condition on check-in. (She hasn't actually moved in yet, even though she got the keys a week ago ... despite a claim of being "professionally cleaned" the place didn't look like it had had ANY cleaning done).