Cleaning before vacating rental

[WipsGlitter]

I rent a small house. The tenant has given notice. I went to have a look round on Saturday. It's in ok shape but needs a really good clean - floors need mopped and hoovered, loads of rubbish in the kitchen. The floors/carpets had been professionally steam cleaned at the start of the tenancy.

I want them to allow viewings during the notice month but its such a state it would put people right off. I'm going to ask the tenant to clean it this week or I will arrange a professional clean (although all their stuff is still there). Is that ok?

Where do I stand re the carpets? Can I get them to get them cleaned. Also the handle on the fridge is broken - can I deduct money from the deposit?

They need to get the carpets cleaned when they move out, or you can deduct. All cleaning can be deducted. Problem is, why would they do it before moving out? Look at the lease - does it say something about presentable condition for viewing?

If it does, and if they don't, and if you can't get a tenant because of the condition, then you can put the deposit in dispute - ask the potential tenants why they don't want the property and if it's the condition, and IF this is in the contract, then get them to put it in an email. It would help with a deposit dispute.

Otherwise I'd be tempted to ask the tenants if you can go round and spend a morning there clearing it for viewing. If you steam clean the carpets at your expense now, they still have to do it when they leave if they're dirty again.

As a landlady, I tend to just leave tenants and their houses well alone until the tenancies are up and they have moved out.

A lot of houses will look in a bit of a state when people live in them, and so I would hope prospective tenants wouldn't be put off by the need for a bit of a clean.

Your tenancy agreement is a good place to start when thinking about carpets being cleaned - mine say that if the carpets had been professionally cleaned at the start of the tenancy then the tenants must do the same at the end of the tenancy.

Personally, I can't see the point of arranging a deep clean now and then again at the end of the month. But asking the existing tenants to tidy up a bit is OK, but nothing more than that, and if they don't do it, then accept there isn't anything you can do about it.