Advice for tenants
Most tenants are instructed to hire end-of-tenancy cleaning before they move out of rented accommodation. Whilst some landlords don’t mind who carries out the cleaning as long as it is done to the highest standard, many tenants find that they simply don’t have the time, skill or experience needed to meet expectations. A large number of property disputes are related to the cleanliness of properties. In fact, research carried out by the Deposit Protection Scheme found that over half of deposit disputes were linked to cleanliness, or the lack of it. When landlords are unhappy with the standard of cleaning, they will often hire a cleaning company and deduct the cost of this from deposits. As they have no real incentive to hire an affordable company, they may simply hire the most expensive company on the market, which may not even be the best service available, which can mean you losing more money than necessary.
To prevent this from happening, it’s best to hire an end-of-tenancy cleaning company yourself.
End-of-tenancy cleaning usually includes properties being cleaned thoroughly from top-to-bottom. It can consist of surfaces, carpets, walls, windows, tiles, floors and furniture being cleaned to the highest standard, with cleaning professionals using their skills and specialist equipment to reach areas that amateurs may find hard to access. Landlords will normally insist on dishwashers and washing machines being cleaned thoroughly too. Even missing the smallest detail can result in deposits being lost.
To ensure you are complying with all expectations, you should check your inventory report. This will include a wealth of information about the state of the property when you moved in to it and should have been produced by an impartial third-party. It is important to check the validity of your inventory report as soon as you move in so you can’t be penalised for something that isn’t right. You could even take pictures of the property as soon as you move in to resolve disputes further down the line.
Your landlord cannot expect the property to be cleaned to a higher standard than it was when you moved in. The Office of Fair Trading has stated that you can choose your own cleaning methods as long as the property is clean when it is handed back to the landlord or agent. When cleaning takes place, it’s vital that nothing is missed, because your landlord will almost certainly notice. Opting for a standard clean rather than a deep cleaning service won’t normally be enough to get your deposit back. It’s vital that you’re not swayed by low prices alone when looking for cleaning companies. If you pay too little, it’s likely that the standard of cleanliness won’t be acceptable. It’s rarely advisable that you carry out the cleaning yourself to save money. Professional cleaning companies such as SYK Cleaning use professional-standard chemicals and equipment to get the job done right. You may need to prove you have had the property professionally cleaned, so remember to keep hold of your invoice or receipt once cleaning has taken place.
There are many great reasons for hiring SYK Cleaning when you require end-of-tenancy cleans for getting your deposit back. Using our services can save you a great deal of time. Moving house is incredibly time-consuming, and chances are you’ll have a host of non-cleaning tasks to attend to when moving from A to B. If you’re not confident that you have the time, experience or resources to meet your landlord’s expectations, we can help. We can remove the stress from readying your home for its next tenancy, and our services also mean you can benefit from powerful but costly cleaning equipment without having to actually purchase, hire or use it yourself.
Don’t miss out on a penny of your deposit – contact SYK Cleaning today for high calibre end-of-tenancy cleaning.
