Updating post from Reddit.
I’m about to leave a tenancy after a year and just wondering where I stand on a couple of things.
This seems like a reach to me - I’ve always cleaned properties I’m leaving myself and it’s never been an issue. Also the landlord is selling up, which is why we’ve found a new place and given notice in the first place - so it’s not as if he’s gonna get new tenants. My previous landlord in the same situation told us to not even bother hoovering cos he was gonna do a bunch of DIY anyway!
Can they actually require this?
Are we gonna get screwed over come deposit deductions time?
Thanks for any input/advice/experience
With no inventory, the agent or their landlord client can’t possibly dispute the level of cleaning at the end of the tenancy. If they try, go straight to TDS.
Demanding ‘professional’ cleaning is an unfair practice. A normal domestic clean should be perfectly adequate.
£300? They either own the cleaning company or they’re taking a cut. Just say: no thanks.
Because you didn’t get an inventory doesn’t mean one wasn’t done. I have photographs of the insides of the freezer drawers from my letting agents inventory. And I did pay £300 for a professional clean between tenants because no one wants to live in the previous persons mess.
> And I did pay £300 for a professional clean
Because you got taken to the cleaners
If the inventory is not agreed by both parties, it carries less weight.
They can ask, but you can do it yourself. You can request a copy of the inventory so that you can check the place is as stated. Any disputes will be settled by whichever deposit company used.
You'd get better answers on the tenentsuk sub.
It's illegal to require you to get a professional clean. It just needs to be returned to the same condition as you found it as per the photos you took when you moved in minus fair wear and tear. If it was professionally cleaned well (I've seen some shockingly bad 'professional cleans' before, especially by the cleaners the lettings agents use) before you moved in then a standard domestic clean may not be sufficient but tbh it isnt hard to clean to a professional standard if you are willing to put in the work. Its just things like cleaning bits you wouldn't normally think of like curtain poles, skirting etc also using ovenpride on the oven and bleach soaked clothes for black mold round the bath sealant if you need to go that far. Even if you don't go that far and just keep it as a domestic standard and assuming it was professionally cleaned before you moved in if they try charging for a professional clean via tds challenge it. They may get a very small percentage of the money. Like £30.
As a landlord I would advise you to use the agent’s cleaners and yes £300 is not excessive, if you think this is expensive it costs around £90 just to clean an oven. I’ve forgotten how many times tenants have employed so called cleaners only for the agent to go in and find its not good enough and the tenant then has to pay again.
Fuck off. There is no legal requirement to do this and no doubt the agency will be taking a cut for using "their" cleaners.
Since there was no inventory done then they can't prove what condition the property was in at the start and so they won't even have to clean the flat at all.
I love the encouragement for people to live in squalor and trash places.
Also the wild assumption of people taking cuts.
You live in some bizarre fantasy land.
> Also the wild assumption of people taking cuts.
It's a well known practice by letting agents. It's why their trades etc are usually significantly more expensive than getting your own quotes.