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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To think that end of tenancy cleaners are a complete rip off?

45 replies

Byrdie · 19/05/2015 17:45

Just about to move out of our rental. But seriously staggered at how much i've been quoted for the 'end of tenancy' clean. And I've had three quotes and they are all around the same price - one big company, two smaller ones. I find it really irratating that if you don't use the one on the preferred list that the estate agents will usually find some 'issue' and then charge you even more to sort it out. Like dust behind the kitchen cabinet tops or some other thing that takes 5 mins to wipe away but will cost a few hundred out of your deposit. It's a bloody racket. It's like sodding mafia where you need to use the 'family' or you get taken out. I'm considering doing it myself i'm so annoyed. Anyone out there with experience from the other side... Check out inventory people, estate agents?? My house is really quite clean - a point all the cleaners made so i feel even more annoyed at these crazy prices. Is it sensible thinking i can do it myself?

OP posts:

Dionysuss · 19/05/2015 17:52

I done it myself. I had a full day there once everything had been cleared out.
The place was spotless. Although I did grow up moving around army base homes. On their moving out checks you get told off for not bleaching inside light fittings.

londonrach · 19/05/2015 17:52

We always it ourselves but hired a carpet cleaner and given that receipt as we do alot better job that these companies. You dont have to use ea but if in contract you do have to use one but as long as you have a receipt its ok. Got full desposit back each time. You been shocked at some of the flats we moved into that had been professional cleaned. Wasnt up to mil standard! Talk to ea or cab. We might have been lucky.

BigChocFrenzy · 19/05/2015 17:55

I'm an LL, but my agents always use an independent firm for checkin/ checkout. It's the only fair way. They and I have no problem with who does it, just that the end result is of professional quality.
Minor extra cleaning of a couple of missed spots happened once, about 25 quid out of the deposit.

Ask the agents if they are doing the checkout themselves.

BettyCatKitten · 19/05/2015 18:04

DM and me done it ourselves

vulgarwretch · 19/05/2015 18:06

I've twice used professional cleaners and still had the landlords/next lot of tenants complaining that the place wasn't clean. If you are good at cleaning, I would do it yourself.

SnotQueen · 19/05/2015 18:09

I did it myself while trying to entertain a 6 mo old. Nightmare.
Agree that the cleaners are extortionate so if you can, do it yourself.

specialsubject · 19/05/2015 18:12

dust and so on will not cause deposit deductions. That is why the deposit protection schemes were introduced, to prevent this kind of thievery. In place since 2007.

your deposit is protected, I hope? You have the prescribed information showing so?

CQ · 19/05/2015 18:13

I had professional cleaners it at the end of our tenancy and made it clear to them that I wanted my deposit back in full and that they would have to come back at no extra cost if the inventory clerk raised anything.

Clerk did, of course, find a smidgeon of dust somewhere, the agent dealt direct with the cleaners who collected a key, went back and sorted it out for nowt and I got my deposit back.

No way I would have had the time/energy/patience/talent to clean to that level of pernickityness.

Lunastarfish · 19/05/2015 18:15

I've never had a letting agency dictate who needs to be instructed. My last lease didn't specify professional cleaners but as I was in the full throws of morning sickness I instructed one just to make my life easier. I thought the rate was OK, I found of I emailed for a quote then didn't respond the fee went down.

Lunastarfish · 19/05/2015 18:18

Our last checkout inventory person was absolutely shit though. I ripped her checkout yo shreds - soooo many errors. I received full deposit back

Original poster

Byrdie · 19/05/2015 19:33

I've just tried to degrease the hob hood filter. Erm. Taken the wind out of my sails somewhat. Harder than i thought. Bleach the INSIDE of light fittings???!!! Well i have a steam cleaner, access to a carpet cleaning machine and a lot of cleaning chemicals in the cupboard. I just can't stomach handing over that much cash. The oven is what scares me most. We've only used the oven and not the grill so the difference between them is quite pronounced. Not sure i can get the oven to sparkling standard. Any army tips Dionysuss?

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chickenfuckingpox · 19/05/2015 19:36

the last time i rented privately they said they had a professional in to clean the flat before i went in there i told them they had been ripped off they assured me they had not i asked if i was being charged extra for the poo in my toilet?

Original poster

Byrdie · 19/05/2015 19:36

And yes - all protected deposit and estate agent sends an independent inventory company round. I get on ok with the agent but landlord is a bugger.

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MrsTrentReznor · 19/05/2015 19:37

Oven pride is amazing stuff. Plus those magic erasers. Both sold in supermarkets. Fantastic for big cleaning missions!

Original poster

Byrdie · 19/05/2015 19:38

Wow. Just wow chicken. That is appalling. Well i hope you left it in the state you found it for them!!

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Original poster

Byrdie · 19/05/2015 19:41

I've tried astonish but it's not that great in my opinion. I've got a magic eraser - but I was a bit heavy handed with it on our first move and managed to take off the paint in a spot on one wall.

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specialsubject · 19/05/2015 19:43

the landlord may be a bugger, but he can't deduct willy-nilly from a protected deposit. He'll be laughed out of the decision hearing if he tries. The letting agency have no claim on the deposit and contract terms insisting on a specific firm are unenforceable.

Original poster

Byrdie · 19/05/2015 19:51

What about refusing to let you back in to retify any issues?

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toboldlygo · 19/05/2015 19:52

Because I have dogs it was written into our contract that I can only use the letting agency's approved cleaning agency and separate carpet washing company for our exit clean. Who wants to bet that the cost of this will equate to exactly the same amount as the deposit...?

YouMakeMyHeartSmile · 19/05/2015 19:54

I've always done it myself and never had any issues. Once I used the cleaner recommended by the landlord (as I had a 6 month old and no time) and the landlord complained about the cleanliness. I'll stick to doing it myself in future.
A tip is to go round with the person doing your check out with some cleaning equipment. Then if they notice anything like dust on the skirting you can just do it then and there and won't be charged.

LuisSuarezTeeth · 19/05/2015 19:56

How much is too much? I do end of tenancy cleans and have never had a complaint about cost or quality. Worried now!

Gargamella · 19/05/2015 19:57

Last time I rented letting agency recommended a cleaning firm that charged an extortionate rate and were really snippy when I said I might use someone else. Didn't trust them after that so I withheld final month's rent to try to cover me in the event of deposit issues. I know that's not what you're supposed to do but I'm glad I did it.

Original poster

Byrdie · 19/05/2015 20:03

Luis i can't really work it out per hour as i don't know how many people they would throw at it but suffice to say, if you recon with £10-12 an hour it's over 70 hours of cleaning. Now there is little chance of 70 hours being spent in our house cleaning. Unless they are bringing a team of 7 to clean for 10 hours? Honestly i just think they are overpriced. If you think a clean should take about 3-4 hours normally (as in a regular weekly clean) then i would say for an empty house maybe 10 hours max for one person... Am i totally off? Please i need to know!!!

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meeps · 19/05/2015 20:13

I did a pre moving in clean after renovations and it took me 2x 8 hour days for a 4 bed house, I then did their other house once they'd moved out and that took 11 but I still wasn't happy with it. Charged normal rate though as it was on the understanding I'd be their cleaner at the new house.

Original poster

Byrdie · 19/05/2015 20:15

What annoys me most is that you can get the jobs done individually for less! Like window cleaning. Costs me around £30 with my window cleaner and when i said this they told me that this price was impossible for the windows and that he must be substandard. He's not.

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