Private rental at uni - do you have to pay for end of tenancy clean?

[MildredismyNane]

DD's landlord has made a claim out of the deposit for a "deep clean." I thought an end of tenancy clean came out of the rental income. Am I mistaken?

Yes. The tenant has to pay for the clean or it's deducted from the deposit. Why would the landlord pay to clean a tenant's filth?

Why would the landlord pay to clean a tenant's filth?

Oh don't be obnoxious. There was no filth. The students cleaned the house. My assumption was that the landlord would do a clean prior to new tenants moving in and it would be included in the rent. Like when you stay in a holiday let. No matter how clean you leave it, the rental company will send their cleaners in.

It’s usually in the contract whether or not it needs to be professionally cleaned. If so, they need to provide receipts to prove it’s been done.

Of course tenants pay for, or do themselves, a professional standard deep clean.

Yes if the property isn't cleaned to the expected standard including windows inside and out and ovens etc then the landlord will retain money from the deposit to cover the cost of cleaning.

Many landlords are able to suggest a cleaner to do am end of tenancy clean and my kids and housemates have always used the landlord's suggested cleaner because then there can be no dispute over the cleaning done to an expected standard.

In all tenancies it’s expected that the place will be left in the state you entered it in. A bit of wear and tear is expected though if youve been there a couple of years etc.

If you use the landlords cleaner there can he no complaints.

Thank you!

DS’s new rental was not cleaned so will be watching out for this at the end of the year. DS and his one house mate work during the summer for his mates dad, their job is to clear out and deep clean industrial units prior to mate’s dad’s company doing a full refit of the unit. They have had to do some extremely grim jobs so are experienced in what is acceptable. I have no doubt that living conditions will be typical during term time but when they move out it will be immaculate.
DS’s door lock was broken when he arrived and locked itself within minutes of him arriving so he has had to remove it. I have suggested he reports it to the agent but I suspect he’ll just put it back on when they leave.
They spent their gap year cleaning and labouring so are pretty good at DIY. There are plenty of jobs that need doing so the flat will be in far better shape when they leave than when they arrived.

It depends. Dd last flat agent is wanting to charge for a professional clean even though they had cleaned it pretty well and it was not pristine beforehand (had been an air bnb). So they are expecting deductions from deposit but may dispute any which is wear and tear.

Doesn’t matter what the contract says, there no legal requirement for a tenant to pay for a professional end of tenancy clean. They can clean it themselves but the landlord can apply to deduct cleaning costs from the deposit, if the place isn’t left in the condition it was when first let. This can be challenged with the DPS. They need to prove it’s not just fair ware and tear. Did you photograph the property on move in? Check in and Check out forms?

No, it doesn't have to be a professional clean, but it does have to be cleaned to that standard (assuming that is the standard it was taken on in). So if the landlord can immediately see the property needs a deep clean then it hasn't been cleaned.

My DDs landlord quoted £500 for a deep clean when she gave notice without seeing the flat. She declined. DD and flatmate cleaned it themselves to the standard it was when they moved in (they had pictures). Full deposit was returned no quibbles. I think some agencies chance it.

When you stay in a holiday let, e.g. Airbnb you get charged an additional fee for cleaning.

Rent is for the rent of the property.
Cleaning is separate.
Never assume.

When you stay in a holiday let, e.g. Airbnb you get charged an additional fee for cleaning.

I've never been charged an additional fee for cleaning- its always been included.

I was impressed with how clean the students had left it. Landlords were grifters throughout the tenancy.

I’m a student LL and when I hand over a property it’s immaculately clean. I say to the students I’d like it back in the same state.

They then have the option of doing it themselves or clubbing together and getting an end of tenancy done. I’ve been pretty lucky with my tenants and they hand it back as they received it.

if they hadn’t bothered and it was dirty only then would I think about holding some back for an E of T Clean. I wouldn’t do it automatically. and I’ve never kept a penny of anyone’s deposit.

My dc is off to uni and I’m dreading dealing with shitty LLs.

My experience is that the students (sometimes involving parents and/or a paid cleaner) cleans the house and it is left often better than when they moved in. Then the landlord charges thrm a huge cleaning fee anyway. Most of my DCs friend didn’t get their deposit back, many many landlords are just rip off merchants.

Legally, contracts cannot say tenants must pay for professional cleaner. It is their choice to clean themselves to professional standards or to pay someone.

If a property is returned in a less than acceptable state, charges can be made for cleaning. But of course you can challenge any deductions as often the cleaning done by tenants is adequate.

And if the property was in poor state if cleaning when taken on, take photos and document so this a further way to challenge any deductions.

Students generally don’t employ professional cleaners because of cost. Some leave properties in a bad way and deserve to be charged. But others clean thoroughly (or their parents do) and agents try it on by charging anyway.

You would be expected to clean windows, remove all grease, clean seals of fridges etc - things students might not always think of! But it’s a common theme that students find landlords deduct from deposits as a matter of course - it can be and should be challenged if unreasonable and deposit holding scheme often rules in tenant favour.

It is illegal to stipulate that tenants pay for professional cleaning. However, they have to leave the property in a similar condition than it was found in minus normal wear & tear).

Hopefully your dd has taken before and after photos so she can dispute this claim with the deposit protection scheme.

the law regarding holiday lets and the law regarding AST's are totally different.

Hopefully your dd has taken before and after photos so she can dispute this claim with the deposit protection scheme

Alas not. We took photos before they moved in as there were lots of issues - which were never resolved. Forgot to take photos on departure. Oh well, you live and learn.

The tenants shouldn't back down, but wait and see what comes out of going through DPS dispute process. The burden of proof is on the landlord, it's perfectly possible he/she is trying it on, and will back down themselves.

I've never been charged for cleaning, or been required to arrange professional cleaning, on leaving a tenancy - that includes 2 student lets and 4 private lets. Admittedly that's going back quite a few years!

@MildredismyNane Quite common to have a cleaning fee on Airbnb now. We’ve got this coming up on rentals now.

£500 is way too high. Oven clean and fridge clean don’t come cheap though. After 40 weeks students should pay for a processional clean. It’s not that much per student!

Just noticed the typo in my username! Or usernane...

The Landlord made a ton out of the students so should pay for it to be nice and clean for the new students they're about to rinse.

Some contracts state that there has to be a professional clean at the end of the Tenancy but there is some discussion as to how enforceable that is.
However, it DOES need to be cleaned to the same standard as it was at the beginning of The Tenancy as per the Inventory
I work in this area (not student lets though) and I advise outgoing Tenants to get a Pro Clean as its easier to challenge a deposit deduction for cleaning if you have an invoice proving it was cleaned to a high standard. The companies I use for an EOT clean usually return at no extra cost if the LL or Agency highlights any areas not cleaned to the expected standard
Basically getting a proper EOT clean by a Pro company usually costs around £200-300 and if the deposit is much more its worth it