To think people should actually clean their houses before moving out?

[vic1981]

I am more than somewhat annoyed. I spent ages cleaning my flat before moving out today, it was pristine. Also left a letter for the new owner with useful information about the house, such as where the stopcock was located etc with a card and bottle of champagne.

On arriving at my new place today have been confronted with an absolutely filthy house. Dirty toilets, not hoovered, deep in grime everywhere. Horrible smell pervading the house, previous owner has left things in the loft and garden. Oh, and the icing on the cake, cat shit on the bedroom floor.

Am I being unreasonable to think that you are supposed to make an effort to have a clean and tidy house when you move out?

If your house isn't scummy to begin with then the cleaning and tidying required when you're moving out should be minimal anyway shouldn't it? No-one would reasonably expect anyone to deep clean on moving day, but not leaving crap behind and obvious dirt should surely be a minimum expectation.

We suspected the house we are in now would be a shithole when we moved in as the couple we bought off were dickheads. We were pleasantly suprised.

I'm sorry, I don't buy that. You absolutely can, if you plan properly on advance, and work with your movers effectively. Good movers will work with you to make things as easy as possible for everyone, and they will also have planned in advance.

It's not like you don't know what time you're due to complete and therefore what time you need to be out. You work backwards from there.

I did plan and I worked with the movers effectively to get to the new house 250 miles away in time to unpack so that I wouldn't have to pay for an extra day! With a crawling baby and a toddler it wasn't realistic to be hoovering around at the same time or in the 15 minutes afterwards. No way was I going to risk not getting to the new house in time just so I could do a final hoover.

You say that you have moved houses from one area of the county but the fact that you think being late because you're cleaning just means that the removal men can have lunch suggests you otherwise (unless you were renting which would be different).

( Tikimon yes; slight correction though, it originated from British Regiment Attached Traveller, and has travelled across to the US to described dependent children, although originally it meant wives too! I think there was some objection about that... However, the term isn't essentially taken as derogatory. Google it, there's plenty of info' e.g. www.armybratjourney.com/brat-meaning/ )

I come from many generations of serving family members, and was an army brat myself. Marching out meant your quarters had to be immaculate. Even a drawing pin hole in the wall had to be carefully filled, or you would be fined!

Whatever, you and I have different perspectives and priorities.

But don't you dare call me a liar since I've sorted things in a way that matches my priorities, not yours.

Every time, I've made sure the movers know they needed to be out an hour before I needed to be out in order to pick up the keys at the right time, etc. The fact that the movers get there before you do is immaterial. They wouldn't be able to get in until you've got the keys sorted anyway. People talking about 'beating the movers' are talking nonsense.

You plan in advance, you set up your day accordingly, and if you can't be arsed to set up the day to enable you to run a duster, mop and Hoover round after the movers are done, then that's your choice. But why not own up to it rather than pretending it's impossible? Plenty of people manage - and in the past I've been grateful they did.

It's not like you don't know what time you're due to complete and therefore what time you need to be out.
Maybe you have had that good fortune, but it certainly doesn't always happen like that! In a big chain, it can get VERY complicated and timings can go out of the window. Sometimes people exchange and complete on the same day, so wake up in the morning not knowing for certain if they are even going to be moving that day, let alone what time.

The first few times I moved, we hired a van and did it all ourselves. We had NO idea how long it was all going to take us. The van HAD to be returned by a set time, so the only priority was to get to the new place and empty the van as quickly as humanly possible.
Whilst I would never leave any place in a mess, I won't be cleaning and scrubbing either. Hoover gets thrown round and that's it on moving day. The rest would all be relatively clean anyway.

My DH is ex forces. He explained that what they did when they moved into new quarters, was remove the cooker from the kitchen, shrink wrap it and store it somewhere, then put their own cooker in. On moving day, the removals company would do all of the packing and moving, so they would clean the house from top to bottom and replace the shiny cooker, which seemed to be the most important factor. There was always enough time built in to the whole process for the cleaning to happen. They never had the new family standing outside the door waiting for the keys as the last box was removed.

Our movers packed up virtually everything, leaving us overnight with mattresses on the floor in one room, one suitcase of overnight essentials, a crate of household essentials (kettle, tea, mugs, marigolds, cleaning gear) and the vacuum cleaner. So it was easy to clean everywhere before they collected the last items the following morning.

Not that it was anything other than my pride that made me clean, as I knew that the new owners were going to gut the place straight off.

We were delayed getting into the new place because the sellers were door famished packing, and the MIL was insisting that they clean the house before leaving. I just wanted them out, I wanted to get my own cleaning done before the movers arrived. Unfortunately the sellers took so long that the movers were bringing our stuff in and I had not time to do my own cleaning.

After a couple of weeks we realised that the MIL's embarrassed insistence on cleaning was not do much to do with tidiness, but about the massive flea infestation in the house! The whole house was jumping, every single room - even rooms without carpets. Hideous.

I would clean when I move in, but it is easier to give it a quick wipe over when it is clean already.

talking of cleaning... better go and clean mine while I am still living in tha damn thing.

The thing is no one is expecting it all to be done last minute. Even the most disorganised or busy person knows they are going to move. They might not know exactly when and what time but I doubt it comes as a complete surprise.
The trick is in the planning, the packing and cleaning can start weeks before you move. As you empty a cupboard in the kitchen clean it. I know planning comes easier to some people than others but there is no excuse to leave a house in a dirty condition.

Some people really don't get the fact that not all moves happen the way theirs have done.

JassyRadlett - I didn't suggest that you have to beat the movers to the house but you do need to get there so that things can be unpacked before the end of the day. The fact that you can't get your head around this does suggest to me that you haven't done a big move that involved completing and selling a house at one end of the country and moving to another a long distance away on the same day. It wouldn't have been impossible to spend an hour or two hoovering and cleaning after the removal men had gone but not without risking paying extra money. Plus the new owners were at the door wanting to move in immediately after completion.

Your comments about knowing what time you will complete and being able to plan everything in advance are naive. It may have been like that for you but as WineWineWine says it's very easy for things to get complicated and timings to go out the window.

Whatever5, you're being deliberately obtuse. Others have talked about 'beating the movers'. I've never said 'delay your day so that you can't get the furniture in the house', but lots of people have managed to do what you seem to find impossible. Certainly, if it takes you more than an hour to do a final mop and Hoover of a house you've already cleaned and where you've been working around the movers, then you'll struggle. I can't say it's ever taken me more than 30 minutes. I've then cooled my heels outside the estate agents waiting for keys.

It's fortunate people do manage, given it's a standard part of most sale contracts; the world would probably be slightly better if that were enforced more often rather than people simply sucking up the mess they've moved into.

Completion can be late - but I've never heard of completion happening before the appointed time- which is what I work to. Has it happened to you?

When we moved in here the previous owners made a big show of hoovering everywhere but my goodness didn't they take their time . It was my house, money in the bank, and they still hadn't got the fuck out. I had to make a comment in the end.

Once I had the baby settled I had a proper look around. Things they said they would leave - taken. Left - 9 bags of rubbish, broken washing line, steam roller, drawer full of crap, cupboard full of crap, numerous keys with no clue as to what they were for.

The house really wasn't clean and they knew we were moving in with a 6 month old baby.

Weeks later her father was sent to pick up some stuff and he walked straight in, nosed in the lounge, and totally acted like it was still his daughter's house.

We got their post for years after but we got fed up and opened some and enjoyed spending their vouchers. Least they could do considering how they had been during the move. Though approximately £20 doesn't make up for it.

When I moved out of my flat I cleaned it all, left labels for all keys and notes about bin day, etc etc.

I've never said 'delay your day so that you can't get the furniture in the house', but lots of people have managed to do what you seem to find impossible.

Maybe their circumstances were different to mine though. That is my point! I'm sure that I would have had time to hoover and clean on the day of the move if I had had childcare, more than 15 minutes between removal men leaving and completion and wasn't moving to a house a long distance away. It may be have been possible for you and other people with your circumstances but it wasn't possible for me with my circumstances without spending extra money (or risking extra expenditure).

My completion wasn't late in the end but it nearly didn't happen at all that day. I had to spend some time on the morning of the move trying to sort out the fact that the bank hadn't transferred money to my solicitor. There was also a problem with someone else in the chain.

Well, that's the thing. I did spend a little extra to fulfil my contractual obligations and do what I see as a key part of moving.

You know your movers will be out of your house at the time you tell them you need them to be out, right?

Honest, I just don't see how leaving the house clean is such a chore. You do, I'll just hope never to buy from you.

Well, that's the thing. I did spend a little extra to fulfil my contractual obligations and do what I see as a key part of moving.

That's up to you. I don't see "cleaning to be such a chore" and my house is always very clean but as I keep explaining in our situation it wasn't possible to do a final hoover round and mop on the moving day without spending extra money. Considering that our buyers pulled out at one point (meaning that we lost the house we were originally buying) and then "reconsidered" after dropping their offer by a few thousand, I certainly wasn't inclined to spend extra money making sure the house was spotless for them when they moved in.

I don't recall ever seeing any contractual obligations that included washing the windows and skirting boards! I can only recall seeing removing everything (including rubbish) from the property.

Every one I've had in this country has had something about leaving the property clean/in a good state. Obviously variable based on people's standards!

I've had horrible chains that cost me, but for me this bit is non-negotiable. It is for others - and that's up to you.

I'm getting my oven professionally deep cleaned tomorrow for new owners. Basic manners to leave little trace of yourselves as possible, after all, it's supposed to be a home.

My dad was in the forces and we were always referred to as Military Brats where ever we went to school (civilian schools). And I remember the polythene clad cooker in the shed which was brought back into the kitchen on march out days.

I am HA and we are moving into another HA house. The HA send in cleaners to clean a house before new tenants sign for the house. Despite knowing this I am still going to clean the house before I leave, clean the bathrooms and kitchen cupboards, it will be easier to do in an empty house.

I dont have to worry about hoovering as all carpets are being skipped.

I can completely understand the reasons why someone might not have time to hoover etc on the day of the move. I think that this would not particularly matter if the previous owner has previously kept the house in a reasonable state. Certainly, I would not expect to move in to an immaculate house. Basically, the place I have moved into is far beyond this! Still, cat shit is off the floor and kitchen mid way through a deep clean- few surprises still, she has a drawer full of cutlery to add to the this in the loft/ garden....

Sorry, should be "add to the stuff in the loft" not "add to the this"

It's not difficult to ensure the house is clean before you leave - it's just about good planning.

I had most things packed, other than the basics the might before. I cleaned the bathroom and the kitchen the night before. We did our own removals and started upstairs and as that was emptied, I went round with the Hoover, wiped any surfaces and gave the windows a once over. Hoovered down the stair and then as the downstairs rooms were packed up, I did the same down stairs.

It's just common decency and good manners for me.

I wish the people we bought from had the same good manners. We arrived at our new house and they were still packing, never mind moving out or hoovering.

When I bought my house, the vendor didn't bring the keys at the agreed time... or an hour later... Eventually the estate agent phoned to ask what was going on and was told that when the cooker was taken out, it was greasy and filthy behind, so she was cleaning. I said to take as long as she wanted!

When I move out I'll probably get professional cleaners in as I would hate to leave it filthy.

I don't mind admitting that housework is a bloody chore. Its my least favourite activity.
My house is clean but i get no personal satisfaction from cleaning. I am surprised how many people do tbh.
I keep it clean (with help, i must admit) because its nice for us as a family, not because i give a toss what other people think. And i will make an effort in the run up to moving to check behind things.
But i wont be cleaning the windows especially for the new owners.
I guess it would be a good idea to all do the same thing. I moved in here and it was in need of a thorough clean. I don't want to leave that for the new owners but I sure as hell ain't doing it at both ends of the move with a two hour journey in between and two small children.
I need a plan.

I couldn't leave a house filthy! Who wants to move their stuff into dirt? I clean before moving then when the removal me have been I whizz round again with vac and give kitchen and bathroom a last wash and brush up. I also leave a welcome card with useful local numbers etc. However I last moved in 2005 and hope never to do it again!