URGENT! Letting agent to charge ridiculous amounts for a professional cleaner

Former Member

Apologies for the drama - I need to sort this ASAP. I'm due to move out of my shared (5 people) house on Saturday. The new tenants have been round to drop some stuff off, and while they were here they seemed to believe the letting agent had arranged for a professional cleaner to come. So my housemate called them yesterday and the conversation went as follows:

Housemate: "We heard you're getting a professional cleaner"
Agent: "Yes"
Housemate: "Is that coming out of our deposit?"
Agent: "Yes"
Housemate: "Is that in our contract?"
Agent: "Yes".

I was immediately dubious about this. I knew the contract would normally state the house must be left in the same condition as it was when we moved in, but specifically mentioning a cleaner, I found difficult to believe. The letting agent also said the cleaner will cost £500(!!).

Here is what the contract says:

Repairs and damages... (2.13) To keep the interior of the Property and the Contents in at least as good and clean condition and repair as they were at the commencement of the tenancy (fair wear and tear and damage by accidental fire and other insured risks excepted). To keep all water pipes, baths sinks, taps lavatories, cisterns, drainage systems and gulleys (where part of the property) clear and freely running and to promptly repair or cause to be repaired any burst pipes and clear any blockages to drains and waste pipes caused by the negligence of the Tenant (or any persons acting on his behalf and to meet those costs.

This is the only mention of cleaning in the contract. My understanding is this contract does not imply they have the right to bring a professional cleaner without first proving that the condition is NOT the same as when we moved in. The flat has not been officially inspected, and we had not even been notified that (a) a cleaner would be coming, or (b) the cleaner would be coming on specified day (for which they need to give us 24 hours notice anyway, right?).

Please can someone confirm my legal standing before I call the letting agent again to refuse this cleaner? I should also mention the house is in a reasonable state and will be cleaned completely by us before moving out.

Thanks.

Former Member

Thats sounds like them pretty much admitting that they intended to keep your deposit from the start, which is very dubious.

My letting agency a few years back tried pulling this stunt, and when i actually rang the land lord, he said he would be happy for him and his wife to come along and give it a quick once over.

Letting agency still tried to push for getting money out of me for a professional cleaner till i got the landlord to ring them.

Former Member

Well I rang the letting agent and they said the decision to get the cleaner in was down to the landlord. Called the landlord and convinced him to come and inspect the place tomorrow night after it's been completely cleaned.

**helen**

wooooooooah wrote: »

Well I rang the letting agent and they said the decision to get the cleaner in was down to the landlord. Called the landlord and convinced him to come and inspect the place tomorrow night after it's been completely cleaned.

Good work. If he insists on getting a cleaner after the inspection, then you could try asking which company he plans to use for it and you can definitely ask to see receipts afterwards.

Here's what Shelter says on the topic of cleaning:

Can I be charged for cleaning?

Tenancy agreements often state that carpets and curtains must be cleaned to a professional standard before the tenant moves out. This does not mean that they have to be as clean or cleaner than when you moved in.

You are only required to clean any items soiled above normal wear and tear.

Good luck!

Former Member

Also... at a private tenant you should have had your deposit placed in a tenancy deposit scheme. They hold the money separately from the landlord and in the event of a dispute, you can go to them for a ruling. If your landlord or letting agent hasn't fulfilled this, they're in very dodgy legal ground - it's a legal obligation now.

I hope it gets sorted out before it comes to that stage, but a professional clean should not be the responsibility of the tenants, unless the house was absolutely pristine when you moved in to it. Usually a landlord gets it done between tenants, out of his own pocket.

Former Member

If anything like the worst happens, get them to provide quotes for the cleaning from different places.