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?

My dds LL claimed they needed to hire a cleaning company to do the end of tenancy clean but they elected to clean it themselves. And got all the deposit back.

We let a couple of flats. It’s in the contract regarding deep clean before leaving the property. If the tenant has cleaned to a high standard we would accept but sometimes it isn’t left the way they got it.
We do dated detailed photos on the day of let as we have been bitten before. Check the contract.

Dated photo from the start. A proper clean. The housing act does mention fair wear and tear, so you can challenge anything which isn’t. I had to help ds do this, and successfully.

I don’t mean fair wear and tear I mean cleanliness and expect fair wear and tear. Our tenants have been 5 years in flat. I expect to redecorate and replace carpets, I feel that’s fair. Don’t expect damaged sanitary wear but do expect wear and tear on kitchen worktops. It’s only fair to treat tenants with respect.

My DDs took the view, as @Hoppinggreen suggests, to pay for a clean to protect the deposit and hassle. They had decent landlords and the cleaning cost wasn’t onerous between the flatmates.

Was an inventory done before tenancy and after tenancy if not the landlord will struggle to justify the clean charge. They should dispute with the tenancy deposit scheme and say that they left the property as they found it or better. The deposit scheme will probably find in their favour.

If it’s in the contract the tenant needs to do a deep clean. We add to contract at start of tenancy

I would say it needs to be cleaned to the standard it was cleaned to when the current tenants moved in. If it was actually cleaned to a professional standard, the tenants should ensure it is again either by putting a bloody lot of effort in, or by deciding to pay a professional cleaner themselves.

If the LL wants a professional clean regardless of how good the tenants are, he/she should be saving up to get that done from the rent through the year. Withholding the deposit is because something has actually not been done that the tenants agreed to do, not simply because the LL wants it better than ever.

So if it’s professionally cleaned on entry and stated in signed tenancy agreement then it should be professionally cleaned on exit. Not out of rent accumulated. I think some people do not recognise increased insurance, repairs, landlord fees to local authorities. It’s got to work both ways. Respect to both parties.

You should clean the place to the standard it is cleaned to on entry. If you have good mates or parents who keep their houses spotless anyway then you can use them to get it cleaned. If you want to do it by paying a professional that's you choice. If the LL want it cleaned by a professional regardless of condition they use the rent you've paid to get that done. Unless I was being fined for leaving the place a mess, I would not expect an extra cleaning fee.

It is illegal for a contract to state it must be cleaned by professionals.

It can say it must be cleaned to professional standards.

it is the choice of tenants to do it themselves or to pay someone.

If the property was not at a good standard when tenants moved in and they have evidence of this, if the LL tries to withhold Deposit the arbitrator who holds deposit will likely rule in their favour if the property is the same standard they got it, even if not professionally cleaned.

So tenants must be prepared to challenge deposit deductions within the allowed timeframe. And they must take pics in arrival and log with LL/agent anything unsatisfactory on arrival.

I correct my mistake. We have a professional clean prior to tenant commencing tenancy.
Our contract stated cleaned to the same standards.

I'd do this TBH.

We rented prior to the deposit scheme and always had agencies chancing it - so at least there is a way to push back for tennants.

If it was clean when the tenants left - they have photographic evidence? Then the landlord cannot charge the tenants a cleaning fee.
Whats in the check out report? Where the tenants and landlord there together got check out.
Renting a furnished student house is not like a holiday let - the cleaning fees are not included in the monthly rent.
The tenants are expected to leave the accommodation in a clean state - as clean as when they move in. But not cleaner. The check in a check out report should give helpful information about this.

It’s good to meet for the landlord and tenant to meet for handover. Fair for both.

In my experience landlords take the piss with this. My DD left her flat far cleaner than when she moved in, but was still charged for deep clean from her deposit. That never happened to me in the many flats I rented back in the day - and I was considerable less clean than my daughter.

Landlords seem to have become increasingly greedy and reluctant to meet any of the reasonable costs of providing rental property themselves. The problem is there is such a shortage of private rental they can get away with it.

Where was the property? England or Wales?

This is correct legally, even with a clause in the contract its not possible to enforce paying for a professional clean (I work for one of the accreditation schemes for agents and landlords)

Most students clean it themselves. A professional clean isn't needed but it must be returned as it was handed over.

My experience is most landlords will try and charge you for a deep clean, and then obviously don't do it. I'd the property wasn't handed over in a professionally clean standard (which they rarely are) then they aren't going to actually get it deep cleaned. In my experience if the property is handed back as it was received the DPS will side with the Tennant even if there's a "it needs to be cleaned to a professional standard" clause, because professional standard is not definable

One of our landlords tried to charge us for a professional clean even though we had had a professional clean with the company they told us to use! Another one handed over a property with mouldy fridge, washing machine, stained carpet, stinking of curry and then said it wasnt professionally clean on handover. It was about 20x cleaner than when we received it, they didn't win that with the dps

As a landlord of 3 flats I would agree the safe deposit scheme always back the tenant.
We let to a mature lady for 5 years. No complaints from her, regular check in’s to ensure no new issues with flat. Any issues with appliances we just replaced as repairs are not cost effective. All repairs carried out by our factor (local authority).
The flat was filthy at end of tenancy. Rotten fruit on skirtings. Filthy oven, damaged kitchen worktop, carpets damaged and stained. We replace anyway but that wasn’t the point. I submitted photos to safe deposit however the originals were dated but not the exit ones as I had forgotten.
the women’s daughter helped her make the claim to safe deposit and she won her case.
she claimed dampness however didn’t provide and evidence. We were not allowed to submit further evidence of all repairs carried out by factor and of dry walls.
the only dampness was in a cupboard where she had allowed her washing machine to leak water.
the cupboard needed treated with a dehumidifier for weeks on her exit.
We now have 3 excellent tenants who we treat with respect and keep the flats well maintained. There are some decent landlords. Recently one asked if they could replace the carpet so I took the couple to choose a new one and directed them to a more expensive one as it was softer for their toddler. We are happy they look after out properties.