Although the vast majority of tenants leave their previous homes in good condition, many people still worry about their landlords deducting money from the deposit for end of tenancy cleaning. So can your landlord really dip into your deposit to have the carpets shampooed? And how can you ensure you get every penny of your deposit back when you move out of your rented property?
Deposit Deductions
According to the Tenancy Deposit Scheme, cleaning costs are the most common reason that deductions are made from a tenancy deposit. Although some wear and tear is allowable over the course of a tenancy, it’s important to remember that things that are worn or even broken should still be clean. Renters who leave their properties dirty or damaged may find money is taken out of their deposit to pay for professional cleaning and essential repairs.
Tenancy Agreements
As your current tenancy draws to a close, it’s a good idea to take a look at the contract you signed when you first moved in. In the agreement it should state what condition you’ll be expected to leave the property in when you move out. In most cases, landlords will simply ask you to ensure the property is in the same state it was in when the tenancy agreement began.
Hire professionals
In some cases, the agreement may state that you’re responsible for hiring professionals to carry out a full end of tenancy clean. If you fail to leave the property in good condition, your landlord will be entitled to deduct money from your deposit to pay for a professional end of tenancy clean.
Tenancy Deposit Scheme
Since 2007, landlords and agents have been required to place the deposit you pay into a government-backed Tenancy Deposit Scheme. This has made it a lot easier for tenants to challenge deposit deductions that they feel are unfair. If you do challenge the charges that have been made by your landlord, the Tenancy Deposit Scheme will protect your money until the issue is resolved.
How To Make Sure You Get Your Full Deposit Back
Ideally, you want to ensure that, at the end of your tenancy, your landlord is happy with the state of the property and you get your full deposit back. When you first move into your new home, take photos and videos in every room. Make sure you take note of any existing damage, dirt or wear and tear. When you come to move out, you can use these photos and videos, along with your inventory, to ensure you leave the property is the same condition you found it in.
Cleaning charges
In most cases, this will require you to carry out a deep clean. The more work you do at this point, the less likely it is your landlord will charge you for cleaning when you move out. If you don’t have time to clean, or if you just need a helping hand with the scouring, vacuuming and dusting, why not call in a professional team to do the work for you?