The average length of a single tenancy in large metropolitan cities such as London is 20 months for long lets and of course less, for the lucrative short tenancy market. That means that over the course of several years, your property will have many tenants coming in and out. Each one of these tenants expects a beautiful and pristine property when moving in. However, over the course of a tenancy, these standards may not be maintained and when the time comes for your tenant to leave, you will be facing the same old problems over and over again.
The end of a tenancy is already an overwhelming process for all, and the end of tenancy cleaning arrangements is one more hurdle for you. Below we have answered some FAQs to help you understand:
Who cleans what?
Tenants are responsible for the daily cleaning and upkeep of the property throughout the duration of their lease. While some tenants may uphold the cleanliness of your home, other tenants may lack the hygiene standards and respect for your property. More importantly, tenants are responsible for making sure that when it’s time to give you back your keys, the property is restored to its original condition. In order to achieve this, tenancy contracts often advise tenants to hire trusted professional cleaning services for a very thorough “End of Tenancy” clean.
However, not all tenants make the decision to use these reputable companies. Some may seek other inexpensive and less established options or may even attempt to clean the house by themselves. This can be tricky, as standards may not be aligned, leaving you with a half-cleaned house.
End of Tenancy Cleaning Checklist
It is important to establish a standardised hygiene checklist for your tenants. If then, you feel that the cleanliness of the flat at the end of the tenancy does not meet these standards, you have the right to call in a professional cleaning company of your choice.
Whole House:
- Wipe down all doors and door handles
- Wipe down skirting boards and all wooden furniture
- Wash windows internally including window sills and ledges
- Clean inside and outside of cupboards and drawers
- Clean and polish mirrors, glass and picture frames
- Clean window sills, window ledges, and windows themselves
- Clean plugs sockets, light switches, and lampshades.
- Clean behind and underneath any furniture
- Vacuum upholstery
- Vacuum and mop hard floors and carpets
- Clean carpet and furniture stains
- Check mattress condition
- Check for dampness
- All rubbish disposed of and bins should be cleaned inside and out
- Clean scuff marks and handprints from walls
- Clean balcony floor and furniture
Bathroom:
- Clean sinks and taps
- Remove limescale from everywhere
- Check silicon for deterioration and mold
- Clean, polish and descale the bath, sink, shower, shower screen, and fitting
- Clean and descale toilet seat and brush
- Polish and clean mirrors
- Clean all drawers or cupboards
Kitchen:
- Clean and descale sinks and taps
- Clean oven internally and externally
- Clean oven extraction filters and hood
- Clean microwave inside and out
- Clean and polish all appliances (e.g descale kettle and clean toaster)
- Clean washing machine and tumble dryer
- Empty and wipe down all food cupboards
What’s a reasonable end of tenancy cleaning price?
In theory, if all goes well, it should not cost you a penny. If your house is returned to you in good condition, you are ready for the next tenant! However, if you have to personally coordinate a new cleaning of the property, you will need to spend between £120 and £240, which is the average cost for cleaning a 2 bedroom flat in London. Here are the approximate prices for an end of tenancy cleaning across the UK:
- London studio flat: £98
- London 1 bedroom flat: £132
- London 2 bedroom flat: £154
- Birmingham 1 bedroom flat: £120
- Bristol 1 bedroom flat: £120
- Manchester 1 bedroom flat: £143
- Oxford 1 bedroom flat: £112
Usually, the tenancy agreement allows you to deduct the costs of these services from the tenant’s deposit. So, while you might not have to pay for anything, in the end, the process can be stressful. Always remember to obtain a receipt from the cleaning service so that you can claim the full amount from the deposit.
Why is it important?
As we said, there are no extra costs if everything goes well. However, leaving the responsibility of cleaning to each individual tenant may be a gamble. If you get dealt a bad hand, you could pay the price (literally). Lack of maintenance and neglect over a period of time can cause accumulated damage to your property that cannot simply be scrubbed away. Whether it’s due to the absence of cleaning or misuse of products, the lack of care and love will eventually show in the overall condition of your home. This will call for more invasive methods that will ultimately lead to financial costs, as you end up paying to restore your property. It is important to have high standards of cleanliness to ensure your property’s future marketability. When you are looking to rent or sell your home, a clean, fresh-smelling property can make all the difference in finding reliable future tenants.
Make things much easier for yourself
A solution to all these problems is to engage a reputable housing provider such as Blueground. As a property owner using this letting solution, you get to sign multi-year leases, providing peace of mind for the long-term. In addition to our other services, we offer housekeeping and maintenance work which respects and preserves the condition of your property throughout each tenancy.
We also handle the end of tenancy cleaning process, so you never have to sacrifice marketability. Our professional team can ensure that your flat stays in the same immaculate condition with each turnover. The years can roll by, without you having to concern yourself with the beginning and end of tenancies. As a property owner working with Blueground, all you have to do is sit back, relax and collect your passive income.
