Moving out of your student home can be a bittersweet feeling but it's important to leave the property in good stead for the next tenants. Find out from our Advisors how you can leave the property in the best condition possible.
Leaving your student home can be a bittersweet feeling. Many memories were made there and new responsibilities were undertaken. To ensure you leave the property in good stead for the next tenants you want to try your best to leave the property in the best condition possible. This is also necessary to receive a good amount of your deposit back.
The Tenant Fees Act 2019 states that for tenancies starting after 1 June 2019 as a tenant, you can opt-out from paying for a professional clean. Your landlord cannot force you to pay for it! However, if you choose not to, you have the responsibility of cleaning up the property allowing for reasonable wear and tear that occurs in any property over time.
“Ew…I’m not cleaning that!”
If you choose to hire your own professional cleaners, we asked around and found some local cleaners recommended by others for you. We cannot recommend particular cleaners, but we’re happy to share others’ recommendations with you.
TOP TIPS FOR USING END OF TENANCY CLEANING SERVICES
- Get a few quotes in writing to secure the best deal. You can always try to negotiate the given price.
- If one quote is much cheaper than the others, it’s usually a bad sign, unless they have been recommended by someone you know.
- You shouldn’t have to pay until the job is done, though a small deposit is normal.
- Someone should inspect the property before paying – if anything is unsatisfactory, you should ask them to please go over it.
- Good services guarantee in their quote that they will come back to finish the job if the landlord is not happy.
- Never pay in cash.
- Take lots of photos of the clean property before leaving, including outside and hall areas and stairs.
- Contact the Advice Centre if you have problems with the service you use.
CLEANING YOURSELF
If you decide to take on the task to clean the property yourself. Here are some helpful tips
- Work out in advance how you and your housemates will clean the property. You can divide up the tasks for the communal areas which include: the kitchen, bathroom, lounge, corridors, stairs, and any outside space. You may choose to work together- one room at a time. Whatever works for your cleaning team!
- Ensure that the tasks are divided up fairly so that you can share the cleaning equally. You may not all be available to clean on the same days but ensure you do your part!
- You can create a to-do list so that you can check off every area when you are done.
WHAT IF THE LANDLORD IS NOT HAPPY WITH THE CLEAN?
They should tell you immediately and give you a chance to put it right. Contact the Advice Centre for help if you have problems. If the property is left unsatisfactorily clean, then the landlord/agent can charge you for cleaning - they do have to provide you with a receipt proving the cost though. We have seen many inflated cleaning bills, so please email us with your cleaning bills if they seem unreasonable to you, and we can look into it for you. Unfair bills can be challenged and our Advisors will show you how. The agreed cleaning amount will then be deducted from your security deposit.
See our Private Housing Leaving Guide for how to get your deposit back and other useful information.