Moving from one home to another is usually a process associated with a lot of costs. You have given a big deposit to your existing landlord, and now you have to give another big deposit to your new landlord. On top of that, you need to pay rent in advance. You will inevitably spend a lot of money.
What is critical in this situation is that you receive your entire deposit back from your current landlord. There are some things you must do in order to do so, one of which is to leave the place at the same standard of cleanliness as when you moved in.
In this post, you will learn how much your landlord may charge for cleaning and how you can protect yourself from this.
When you move out of a property, it is usually your responsibility to leave the place as clean as you found it when you moved in. If you don't do this and the place needs cleaning after you check out, your landlord may deduct cleaning costs from your deposit.
In fact, the majority of deposit deductions are concerned with the cleanliness of the property. So it might be not a wise decision to just leave the place and hope for the best.
It really depends on how much cleaning needs to be done after you've moved out. If you don't clean your property at the required level, your landlord might hire a professional cleaning service and deduct the fee from your deposit.
In the UK, the cost of an end-of-tenancy cleaning service is typically determined by the size of the property and the extent of the cleaning involved. The price ranges roughly from £150 for a studio flat to £450 for a five-bedroom house.
Yes, a landlord in the UK can charge for carpet cleaning if the property is not left sufficiently clean according to the tenancy agreement's standards. Usually this will be done via deduction from your rental deposit. However, they cannot compel you to use professional cleaning services.
As we mentioned, it is a tenant's responsibility to return the property clean and in the same condition as it was given to them. So, yes, your landlord may charge you for carpet cleaning in London if the carpet is spotted, dirty or otherwise out of compliance with the cleanliness standards. The landlord may also charge you if the carpet needs to be replaced because of damage. The most they can charge is what they have actually spent on the replacement or cleaning service. To prove the costs, they must provide a receipt.
However, you should make a difference between damaged carpet and normal wear and tear. You can be charged for carpet replacement if the damage done to it is irreversible. Your landlord cannot force you to pay for normal wear and tear of the carpet.
When you leave the carpet stained and dirty after the end of your tenancy, the landlord can hire professional carpet cleaners. The cost of the cleaning service will be deducted from your tenancy deposit. Of course, this will need to be supported by a receipt.
Therefore, your landlord will charge you for carpet cleaning based on the cost of the service provided by the cleaning company. Carpet cleaning prices in the UK can range from £20 to £50, depending on the size and condition of the carpet.
In general, you have two options: you can clean the property yourself, or you can hire a cleaning company to do the job. But while DIY seems to be the more affordable alternative, it often ends up being the complete opposite. Cleaning yourself at the end of your tenancy is not only time-consuming, but also a bit risky. This is due to the possibility that your own cleaning will fall short of the required standards, resulting in you not receiving the full amount of your deposit.
Throughout this section, we will look at both options to help you decide which is right for you.
It may be worth having the rented property professionally cleaned so that it meets the cleanliness standards, and you will be able to receive your entire deposit. The experts will make it appear as if you have taken good care of the property during your tenancy.
Here are some other reasons why it is better to hire professional end-of-tenancy cleaning services instead of DIY.
If you choose to handle end-of-tenancy cleaning on your own, you should be prepared to complete a variety of tasks, including tackling some heavy stuff. Furthermore, you must ensure that you have enough time to complete everything before your moving date. Depending on the size of the property, you may need 2-3 days or more.
Here are the basic tasks you must complete in order to spruce up the rental property and meet the landlord's expectations.
Please keep in mind that, while you may be able to clean some areas of the property on your own, there may be some tasks that are difficult to complete without the necessary equipment. For example, it may be difficult to remove dirt and stains from carpets or spots from upholstery. In such cases, it may be prudent to hire a professional cleaning service to handle at least these tasks.
In the UK, a landlord can keep your deposit for reasons such as property damage, rent arrears, unauthorized redecorations, missing items, and if the property is not left clean as per the tenancy agreement. They cannot charge for fair wear and tear.
Getting your deposit back is probably one of your biggest concerns at the end of your tenancy. That is why it is crucial to know what your tenancy agreement includes and be aware of when the landlord is entitled to hold back some or all of the deposit.
As a rule of thumb, the tenants have to adhere to the terms of their tenancy agreements in order to receive their full deposit back. In case of any breaches of the tenancy agreement, damages or rent arrears, both the tenant and the landlord must agree on how much should be deducted from the deposit.
Based on the rules of contract law, your landlord is permitted to withhold your deposit if you have caused them financial loss. The deduction must be reasonable, and the landlord must provide proof of the loss. Some of the reasons why your landlord may keep your deposit include:
Your landlord cannot deduct more than the amount of your arrears or more than the cost of fixing the particular damage. The landlord is also not entitled to charge you for fair wear and tear. Additionally, the property owner is usually allowed to deduct money from your deposit to pay for the professional cleaning, but only if you have left the place less clean than when you moved in. If you think you are being charged unfairly you can always seek assistance from Citizens Advice.
