Professional cleaning not good enough for end of tenancy inspection?

Malory

After living in a privately rented house for seven years, paying rent on time every month and submitting to a letting agent inspection twice a year - I passed each time except for once when I was told that the carpet by my front door was getting dingy so I responded by shampooing the carpet - I was given a Section 21 notice to quit because the landlord decided to sell the property. The house was sold before I moved out.

Before I handed the keys back to the letting agent, I paid for the house to be professionally cleaned. The cleaning service I hired was the service that was used by my current letting agent to clean the property that I am living in now.

My old letting agent has come back to me saying that the house wasn’t cleaned well enough and saying that they are going to deduct cleaning fees from my deposit. They have emailed me giant close-up photos of things like the inside of my washing machine drawer, the inside of the extractor fan (which was installed at my request because there was a mould problem in the bathroom), hobs on the cooker, etc. They are billing me £190 for cleaning fees, which includes a £30 letting agent fee. The balance of my deposit is £720.

Is this a reasonable deduction or is the landlord/letting agent taking advantage of me? Unfortunately, there were no photos taken at the original inventory, so there is nothing to compare to.
Also, when I moved in the house had a tiny washing machine that was too small to be of any use, so I replaced it with a larger, more expensive washing machine and later on, with an even more expensive washer dryer. As I left the washer dryer there when I moved out, am I entitled to compensation for the increased value of the appliance?

Pixie5740

"Professional cleaning" is an unenforceable clause. Who regulates these professional cleaners? Which professional body must the cleaners be members of?

You just need to leave the property in the same condition as it was in at the start of your tenancy. It does not matter one jot whether you pay someone to do this or apply your own elbow grease.

If the landlord can prove the property was left less clean that it was when you moved in then yes he can claim a deduction. You might then have a claim against the cleaning company for not supplying the service you paid for.

Guest101

After 7 years.....

Pixie5740

No you're not entitled to compensation for the washer/dryer.

If the property was sold whilst you were still living there who was your landlord at the the time you left.

Malory

OK, forget about the washer dryer. I'm more concerned with whether the cleaning costs are reasonable. Considering that the house has been through 13 or so inspections, it's not as though it could have been a complete tip. (I also paid for a house clearance and a professional carpet cleaning at the end of tenancy - the letting agent had no issues with the carpet.)

I dealt with a letting agent and never had any contact with the landlord the entire time I lived there. I was never provided with any information about the details of the house sale so I don't know what changed hands and when. All I know is that a SOLD sign was put up in front of my house before the tenancy was up and I handed in my keys.

I was evicted because the house was being sold so I assume that the new owners weren't interested in being landlords.

G_M

The sale is a red herring. If you'd remained we could have advised, but it's water under the bridge now.

The washer? No compensation. Indeed, did you get consent in writing from the landlord or his agent to dispose of his washing machine?

The cleaning.
There are only three relavant facts:
1) what condition was the property in when you moved in?
2) what evidence do you and/or the landlord have of that condition?
3) what condition was it in when you left (in comparison to 1 above)?

Forget 'professional cleaning - the above is what matters.

If you think the deductions are unfair, use the deposit scheme arbitration process.

* Deposits: payment, protection and return

Malory

I had verbal consent from the landlord (via the letting agent) to replace the washing machine.

What do you mean about the sale being a red herring? Someone came around to give the house a valuation, I saw the house advertised on rightmove and there were viewings when I was still living there.

G_M

I mean it makes no difference to you now so ignore it.

Malory

OK. Was just curious.