End of tenancy clean

perseus68

I’ve been renting out my flat for the first time through an agent who has been managing the property. The property was in a reasonable condition before the tenant moved in, but the agent suggested a clean before they did which I agreed to. However, they were not able to get the cleaners in before the tenant moved in. They asked her if she wanted it cleaned or not after she moved in and she said yes, so they arranged a clean soon after (and I was charged £75 for a ‘top up clean.’) She has now moved out, and the final report says it is in a reasonable condition, but needs a ‘top up clean,’ for the same amount that I paid. I assumed this would come out of the deposit, but she is contesting this, saying that she left it in a better condition than when she moved in (ie before the clean I paid for.) Am I being unreasonable? The agent is being completely ineffectual and not expressing an opinion either way, just asking me how I want to proceed.

flashg67

How long was it rented out for? I've just got mine back after 3 yrs and expect to do some cleaning/dusting/touching up. If you are local, I'd be tempted to go and clean it myself, or pay a cleaner a one off to do it, which should be less than £75.00
Personally, unless it's been left in a really grubby state, I' say cleans between tenancies are cost of doing business

G_M

* At the start of the tenancy you paid for a clean.
* the tenant requested/agreed to this. I assume there is written confirmation?
* I assume also the inventory/check in report reflects the fact that a clean had been done
* the tenant should leave the property as they found it at the start - in this case, post the agreed check-in clean.
* so if the check-out report describes the property as being less clean than it was after the initial check-in clean, then it is fair to arrange another clean and deduct the cost from the deposit.


Much depends, of course on whether
a) the property genuinely IS less clean than it was after the checi-in clean, and
b) you/your agents can prove a) above, ie via your paperwork and photo-evidence.

Slithery

If you didn't specifically agree beforehand with the tenant that they would pay for this clean that you offered them - apparently out of your own goodwill, then it is irrelevant.

The only thing that matters regarding a tenancy agreement is the state of the property when they moved in compared to the state when they left, minus fair wear and tear.

perseus68 wrote: »

Am I being unreasonable?

Yes.

The agent is being completely ineffectual and not expressing an opinion either way, just asking me how I want to proceed.

Of course they are. They don't care which one of you pays them the money that you owe.

If you have suffered a financial loss because your agent didn't carry out the clean before the start of the tenancy as you had instructed then that is an issue between you and the agent that you employ, and nothing to do with the tenant.