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End of tenancy cleaning specialists - what you need to know

What does end of tenancy cleaning involve?

In a survey about moving house, we found that 90% of renters who hired an end of tenancy cleaner thought it was worthwhile. 70% of them even said it saved them from losing money on their deposit. And that’s backed up by the Deposit Protection Scheme, who say that 56% of all deposit disputes are about insufficient cleaning.

An end-of-tenancy clean isn’t just a quick once-over, it’s a thorough, deep clean of your whole house or flat. Moving out is always stressful, and much like underestimating how much stuff you’ve got, it’s easy to underestimate how many places there are to clean.

A decent end-of-tenancy clean can cover all of the following, and some people will even guarantee you get your deposit back. Certain things are optional, and you may not want absolutely everything done, so just be clear about what you need when you get a quote.

Kitchen

• All work surfaces.
• The insides of all cupboards and drawers, getting rid of old food etc.
• Sink and taps – getting rid of limescale, cleaned and polished.
• Wall tiles and grouting – degreased, cleaned and polished.
• Oven – inside and out.
• Extractor – removing all grime build-up.
• Fridge freezer – full clean and defrost.
• Washing machine – inside and out, including the rubber seal.
• Dishwasher – inside and out.
• Exterior of all other appliances like kettles and microwaves. 

Bathroom

• Shower screens – de-scaled, cleaned and polished.
• Wall tiles and grouting – degreased, cleaned and polished.
• Bath, sink and taps – getting rid of limescale, then polishing.
• Toilet de-scaled, cleaned.
• All soap and shampoo removed.
• Mirrors cleaned and polished.
• Floors washed and sanitised.

Bedrooms

• All bedroom furniture – cleaned inside and out.
• Carpets cleaned.

General cleaning

• Carpets cleaned throughout (usually optional).
• Everywhere vacuumed.
• Everywhere dusted – including light fittings, shades, light switches, dado rails, skirting, banisters, curtain rails, wall pictures, mirrors, and radiators.
• All light furniture to be moved and carpets to be vacuum cleaned.
• Dust skirting boards behind furniture.
• All floors washed, using correct cleaning products for each surface.
• All glass cleaned – furniture tops, mirrors, picture frames etc
• Windows cleaned internally. Window sills wiped down.
• Windows cleaned externally (usually optional).
• All doors and tops of doors. Door handles polished.
• Drawers and shelves cleared of rubbish.
• Upholstery vacuumed.
• All wooden furniture to be carefully wiped clear of dust.
• Rugs cleaned.

Cost of end of tenancy cleaning

This depends on how big your flat or house is, and how extensively you want the place cleaned. For example, carpet cleaning is often an extra charge, and you don’t necessarily need to get everything done on the list above. That said, you can expect to pay about £70 minimum for a studio flat, and about £190 minimum for a 3-4 bedroom house.

If you want absolutely everything in the list above? Expect to pay a little more, but a professional company will have it all done faster than Usain Bolt, and it also means you’ll avoid any arguments about your housemate Dave’s dubious cleaning standards.

Insurance for cleaning work

There is no legal obligation for cleaners to be insured but some cleaners may choose to get public liability insurance so they’re covered in the case of an injury or accidental damage to a property.

Questions you should ask a cleaner

• How long have they been trading?
• Will they supply the products for the job?
• Do they have public liability insurance and what does this cover?
• Do you need to move furniture or clear a room before they clean?
• How long will it take to clean the property and is the quote for the finished job or per hour?