Those interested in end of tenancy cleaning services for homes and commercial spaces usually ask this question. Understandably, you’d want to avoid spending too much money and give the landlord a clean house before receiving your security deposit back. This means you can perform an end-of-tenancy cleaning on your own.
However, this depends on the lease agreement and the schedule of conditions between the tenant and landlord.
After a tenant has lived in a property for a given number of months or years, the landlord will expect the space to be returned in a clean condition.
If the lease says that the tenant has to hire a professional end of tenancy cleaning service, then that service will have to do the final cleaning before the tenant moves out. Even if there isn’t anything that requires the service of a professional end of tenancy cleaning company (which is rare), it’s a good idea to hire one.
If this doesn’t happen, landlords and tenants may spend countless hours bickering over cleaning details. The biggest problem for both parties will be landlords keeping security deposits because the place wasn’t cleaned well enough.
Who Should Handle End of Tenancy Cleaning?
End of tenancy cleaning is the tenant’s responsibility. Tenants must return the rental unit to the landlord in the same condition in which it was received, with normal wear and tear expected.
The term “wear and tear” cannot be defined precisely but can be applied in a common-sense manner. Products will inevitably lose quality as time passes. There could be some color loss in the walls, carpet, etc. Tenants are responsible for any damage that goes beyond normal wear and tear.
Landlords are legally allowed to recover costs that are associated with returning their properties to their previous conditions from tenants’ deposits.
End of Tenancy Cleaning: Should You Do It Yourself or Hire a Professional End of Tenancy Cleaning Company?
It is essential for the tenant to thoroughly clean a rental property before vacating to receive their security deposit back. The cost of moving to a new apartment can add up quickly, so doing the cleaning yourself may appear to be more economical.
However, there are some factors that you need to consider.
Amount of Time That You Have
There are lots of things that need to be done to ensure that the rental property is in excellent condition. Going through the professional end of tenancy cleaning checklists should remind you that this is not a simple task. So, before you handle end of tenancy cleaning tasks on your own, you should make sure you have enough time to finish everything.
Ability to Cover the Cleaning Standards
When it comes to end of tenancy cleaning, both landlords and letting agents agree on a set of standards. You can save yourself a lot of time and stress by discussing this with your landlord before the end of tenancy cleaning. However, certain spots in the house usually require thorough cleaning.
Your Budget
The best way to save money when moving out is to handle the end of tenancy cleaning yourself. There is, however, something that people usually miss. It may be more cost-effective to hire a professional end of tenancy cleaning company in some cases.
Even if you have a carpet or upholstery cleaner, you will need to rent the machines if you need to give them a thorough cleaning. To ensure you return the property in pristine condition, you may need to spend extra money on gas and a large quantity of cleaning supplies.
Consider the cost of renting and purchasing cleaning supplies before deciding that doing the cleaning yourself is less expensive. The next step is to get price estimates from professional end of tenancy cleaning services.
If you don’t see any significant difference between the cost of hiring a cleaning service and doing it yourself, then you should go for professional cleaning. This way, you are assured that the property will be returned in the best condition.
Why Should You Hire An End of Tenancy Cleaning Company?
End of tenancy cleaning service is usually recommended for the following reasons:
Experience
Professional end of tenancy cleaning companies have done many cleaning tasks to high standards. This experience will allow them to easily clean special spots such as the inner parts of kitchen cabinets and hidden places like under the stairs.
Efficiency
Professional end of tenancy cleaning services are more efficient and effective because they have the necessary experience and tools for the job. If two or more cleaners are working together, they might be able to finish a small apartment in a couple of hours. You, on the other hand, might take longer.
Additional Services
Additional services may be required as a part of your end of tenancy cleaning, either because they are specified in the lease agreement or because the property is in a dilapidated state that requires thorough cleaning.
For instance, if there is a lot of dirt and grime in the oven, you should clean it separately, and if the carpet is heavily soiled and marked, you should clean the entire thing.
You may also need a specialized window cleaning service, at least for the exterior glass on the upper floors.
Hiring the service of a professional end of tenancy cleaning service can give you access to these additional services.
Wrapping Up
Although you can get end of tenancy cleaning done by yourself, there are many good reasons why you should consider hiring an end of tenancy cleaning company. It is often more cost-effective to hire a professional service if you consider the effort required and the tools and equipment needed for the task.
Handing your end of tenancy cleaning over to a professional cleaning company will help you meet the requirements of any lease agreement and inventories.
Furthermore, an outstanding end of tenancy cleaning company in London, such as Top Cleaning GB, is always available to help resolve and clarify disputes between landlords and tenants.
David Prior
David Prior is the editor of Today News, responsible for the overall editorial strategy. He is an NCTJ-qualified journalist with over 20 years’ experience, and is also editor of the award-winning hyperlocal news title Altrincham Today. His LinkedIn profile is here.
