Professional vs. domestic cleaning at the end of a tenancy
If you’ve been renting and are moving out at the end of your tenancy, your landlord or letting agency will expect the property to be returned to them in immaculate condition. Failure to do so can result in a partial or total withholding of your deposit as you leave.
If you already use a regular domestic cleaning company, you may be wondering whether the same firm could also tackle your end of tenancy cleaning London. After all, it’s true that domestic cleaners are professional cleaners who make their living this way and who, most of the time, do a good job keeping on top of the weekly tasks.
But there are various reasons why you may need something different when you leave a flat or house completely, and there are several benefits to using a professional end of lease cleaning service, even if the cost may initially seem higher. After all, if you had a heart condition, you wouldn’t see a lung specialist would you?
Read also: Alarming Trend: End of Tenancy Deposits Disputes Over Cleaning On the Rise!
For example:
1. While a standard domestic cleaning firm will be perfectly fine for things like dusting, wiping down surfaces and the like, a different approach is needed after a tenancy. While they may well have been very diligent and reliable in terms of keeping on top of the obvious routine cleaning tasks, deep cleaning may not have taken place, perhaps for many months.
2. Regular domestic cleaners usually use whatever products the customer happens to have in their home. A specialist professional cleaning firm will use their own products that they know work well and are effective. These kinds of professional cleaning products will tend to get the best results.
3. The job will simply be done better for the next tenants, while at the same time a proper end of tenancy clean means you’re much likelier to pass the inventory check and get your deposit refunded promptly and in full.
4. Specialist, professional operators have extensive experience of this kind of cleaning. You can look forward to a deep clean of the property from side to side. That includes a thorough going over of all your kitchen appliances, every inch of the bathroom, and things that regular cleaners just won’t do every week, such as doors and skirting boards.
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Most organisations providing professional end of tenancy cleaning services have a tried-and-tested schedule that they stick to, and they have a good understanding of what exactly needs to be tackled.
Specialists also know what doesn’t work. Washing painted walls, for example, can be a bad idea because they can look rather patchy once they’ve dried out. And, while heavily scuffed walls may need to be redecorated, a few marks should only be considered as ordinary wear and tear.
Read also: Do you want “Cheap” or “Best Value” end of tenancy cleaning?
When it comes to the windows, some letting agents or landlords do insist on having them cleaned inside and out, so tenants should check in the written agreement to find out exactly what needs to be done.
Carpets also need to be given some attention when it comes to moving out of a property. If they are carpeted rather than wooden or tiled floors, or if there are soft furnishings, these usually need professional carpet and upholstery cleaning. So it’s always worth making sure that the cleaners you hire are qualified and are able to do the carpets as part of an end of tenancy clean.
Before taking on your London cleaning company, make sure you let them know what condition the property is in, how big it is and so on. This is because you may be charged more on the day of the clean, or your booking may even be cancelled altogether, if the company finds a much bigger place than they anticipated working in on arrival, or if it is in a particularly bad condition.
Anyone hiring end of tenancy cleaners also needs to understand what the company’s terms and conditions are – the same as when you enter an agreement with any service provider.
If you fail the check out process, for example, and it is suggested that some areas of the place haven’t been cleaned thoroughly enough, most companies won’t go back free of charge. That’s because someone else may have already moved in, or the reported problems may fall outside the guarantee period.
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You can ask your landlord or estate agent to recommend a cleaning company, as they may well know of a good one, or you can ask friends and family for recommendations. Just be wary of fancy websites that promise a lot but fail to deliver! In particular, be careful with any company that sub-contracts its work to a third party firm.
At Cleaner Cleaner, we provide an impeccable end of tenancy service across London, and have a lot of experience with these jobs in all types of property. Talk to us today.
