To not clean my last rented property 'to a professional standard'?

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Just in the process of moving out to a new place, and remembered that my inventory for the old flat states "not professionally cleaned".

I kicked up a fuss with the estate agents after the inventory man had been and before I moved in, as they'd promised me a cleaned flat as part of the condition of renting, and they quickly sorted it out.

Now a new tenant is due to move in next week, and of course I'll make the place presentable for her (will sweep and clean surfaces etc.), but AIBU in not organising professionals to do the job? And do you think it's the estate agents' responsibility now to organise a proper clean, since it wasn't in the inventory?

Same condition before or after the pro clean?

Don't lose any of your deposit for a sense of unfairness.

I think you are conflating different issues because you WANT the answer to be no.

Let go of the emotional 'they didn't so I won't' argument- it's utterly irrelevant.

EA did 'sort it out quickly' for you so it WAS cleaned.

If you don't want to clean by all means but you will play Russian roulette with your deposit. You will be the only one to lose out here!

We didn’t get our deposit back for 8 weeks, I can’t see an estate agent paying for a professional clean for a landlords property.
It’s bizarre how you kicked up a fuss for a professional clean before you moved in but now it’s your turn to pay for one, you’re trying to find a way out.

Aha..

Just found this task list for end of tenancy cleans... (makes me want to lie down in a darkened room and take drugs).

www.missmaid.co.uk/professional-cleaning-task-list/

@crumbsnamechange

Thanks all, I'm really confused now as the inventory is contradictory. The "check in" column says uncleaned, and gives all images of the dirty state (photos of residue in sink etc.) but the "check out" column says "professional clean done" - which it was between the inventory being taken and me moving in.

So I'll make an effort to clean but I don't have to undertake a professional clean, is this correct? I signed for this property in June 2020.

If they cleaned it after the inventory then the inventory isn’t an accurate representation of the condition of the property

Was it clean or not?

If the inventory was accurate then that’s what you go by - but If they can prove with receipts etc that the property was cleaned before you moved in, there is a grey area

It’s not going to cost a fortune to clean it professionally and will help avoid any hassle over deposit.

Our current place was "professionally cleaned" before we moved in. There was shit encrusted under the toilet seat (not a small amount either), light fittings filthy and full of flies, much of the paintwork dirty, kitchen cupboards not wiped out. Fair enough the oven was spotless and they had done a good job on the hoovering. And sprayed a lot of air freshener. Which covered up the smell of cigarette smoke
for a few weeks. The house was acceptable (apart from the toilet) but it certainly wasn't as clean as my mum's house for example. She spends half a day a week cleaning her house. If you are a clean person it won't necessarily need a huge amount doing I would say.

I’ve always just left properties in a condition that I’d be happy to move into one in 🤷🏻‍♀️

Last one I moved into, I went and picked up my keys, went to the property and it was vile. Sinks still with dirty I drained water in. Cupboards not even wiped out. Floors were filthy, toilet was vile. Contacted the letting agent who was “horrified” (🙄) as they said they’d paid a company to deep clean - clearly hadn’t been checked 🙄 they immediately organised for it to be deep cleaned by professionals - 10 days later - on the condition that it was an empty property clean so I’d have to move all my stuff back out to have it done 🤣🤣🤣 obviously refused it and done it myself but photographed it all etc. It’s the only property I’ve not deep cleaned when I left.

@SnackSizeRaisin I wonder if mine and yours used the same “professional cleaners” 🤣

I should add...mine did try to charge me for a professional deep clean after I left! Because there was dust on the skirting board behind the bed 🤣 but they also tried to charge me £28 from my deposit because a lightbulb had blown in a lamp and I had forgotten to replace it 🙄🤣

I'd clean it to the best of your ability and take photos. Sounds like some of the professional cleans are not really professional.

[quote IamtheDevilsAvocado]Aha..

Just found this task list for end of tenancy cleans... (makes me want to lie down in a darkened room and take drugs).

www.missmaid.co.uk/professional-cleaning-task-list/[/quote]
I know! And people think the price of such a clean is exorbitant!

Since the 2019 law change if your contract started since then they can’t hold you to it must be cleaned by a professional company (previously they could hold you to it if they had evidence it was done for you, and I believe they could only hold you to it if the landlord had organised specifically for you, not the previous tenants checkout clean).

However, they can hold you to a professional standard and it’s much easier if you submit a receipt from a company.

they can’t expect you to give the property back in a better condition than you were given. But they have evidence (receipt from cleaners) that it was cleaned for you.

@crumbsnamechange

Thanks *@IamtheDevilsAvocado* , I was planning to do this level of cleaning anyway but good to hear your tips! I certainly can't afford to pay professionals to do it.

The reason I'm objecting to paying as well is that previous tenants didn't have to pay; it was done last time by the estate agents. It's not in my contract to pay professionals to do it, but I'm confused to what level the agents will deem "a professional standard" to be.

"!It was done by the estate agents" most likely means they hired a cleaner to clean up after previous tenant, and the cost of agent-arranged cleaning was deducted from the previous tenants deposit.

[quote KM38]@SnackSizeRaisin I wonder if mine and yours used the same “professional cleaners” 🤣

I should add...mine did try to charge me for a professional deep clean after I left! Because there was dust on the skirting board behind the bed 🤣 but they also tried to charge me £28 from my deposit because a lightbulb had blown in a lamp and I had forgotten to replace it 🙄🤣[/quote]
There are no unpaid charity volunteers working for estate agencies, professional cleaners, professional inventory companies.

SOMEONE   was paid to check the inventory,  list missing items,   buy/ fetch/replace the missing items and make a second trip to the property to  replace the lightbulb.

So you got a professional clean before you moved in (as you complained) and they obliged, taking it from the previous tenants deposit.

If the new tenant moves in and isnt happy with ANYTHING at all with your standard of cleaning, the same thing will happen to you.

As an ex end of tenancy cleaner, I would be kicking off about any tiny detail a lay person would naturally miss like door seals/washing machine drawers etc. Its not on that you got a professional clean when you moved in but wont leave it in the same state.

Up to you to take your chances with the deposit I guess. I know someone who just accidentally missed some skirting boards and got charged £50 for basically a 5 min wipeover because of the call out cost.

Somehow I would have guessed you have done end of tenancy cleans. Your name gives you away 😀

@CuriousaboutSamphire did you mean me? I never noticed that about my name but you're right ironic really as I'm a total slob at home!

and if you didn't mean me I look so weird right now

I did mean you.

I add notes about "requires a sparkle clean" to my informal notes to agents most weeks 😊