If you plan on moving soon one of the most important things you will need to consider is how to clean your house at the end of tenancy. A lot of people are unaware of just how important this is. But if you hope to retrieve your security deposit in its entirety that hope rests largely on your ability to present the landlord with a flat or house that is in the same condition as it was the day you moved in. If you have been in the flat or house for some time that could pose a significant challenge. Your best bet then is to contact house cleaning services in London about end of tenancy cleaning.

 

End of Tenancy Cleaning: Whatā€™s Involved?

Before you moved into your current home or flat you signed a rental agreement. Somewhere in that agreement was a stipulation that you agreed to leave the premises in the same condition you found it in. If you did not – the stipulation went on to point out – any necessary cleaning and/or repair work the landlord needed to carry out would be paid for out of your security deposit. In order to fend off that unhappy possibility you need to engage in what is known as end of tenancy cleaning.

 

Is This Something You Can do Yourself?

Of course you always have the option of cleaning the house or flat yourself. But, just as you are better off handing over auto repairs to a professional mechanic, you stand a much better chance of satisfying a landlord if you enlist the help of professional house cleaning services in London to handle end of tenancy cleaning. Thatā€™s because they do this type of thing for someone almost every day. They know exactly what landlords are looking for and how to achieve that. So before you decide to undertake this type of project yourself in the hope of minimising end of tenancy cleaning costs consider the following:

  • It might take a full day or two of work to return the space to its former state. Do you have that much time to dedicate to the job?
  • There are a hundred tiny details landlords will check for. Professionals like those at Cleaners of London know all of them. Do you?
  • The level of cleanliness at the end of a tenancy is the number 1 cause of security deposit disputes.

The fact is that by trying to minimise the end of tenancy cleaning cost you may wind up losing far more money than you would have paid to the professional cleaning company. Now letā€™s take a look at some typical cleaning checklists.

End of Tenancy Cleaning Checklists

Throughout the Property and Bedrooms

These are features and items that are generally found in the living and bedroom areas of most homes, condos and flats. Our house cleaning services in London move through the space in a methodical manner making sure no stone is left unturned.

Dust through

  • Remove all cobwebs from ceilings
  • Clean mirrors and pictures
  • Clean top of picture frames

Light ļ¬ttings and shades

  • Clean all switches
  • Wipe top of all doors
  • Clean all skirting boards
  • Check and wipe behind
  • Curtains – hoover and dust both sides
  • Wipe curtain rails
  • Wipe ļ¬re place and surrounding area

Windows

  • Clean internally (externally for extra charge)
  • Wipe down window sills
  • Wipe doors, remove ļ¬ngerprints
  • Clean top of the door

Drawers and shelves

  • Clear out
  • Dust through

Furniture

  • Wipe down tables
  • Wipe away ļ¬ngerprints
  • Remove cushions, hoover inside sofa
  • Move beds and drawers, clean underneath
  • Move sofa, clean underneath

Carpets

  • Vacuum through to edges
  • Move furniture for access
  • Steam clean if needed (for extra charge)

Hard Floors

  • Wash down
  • Check for residual hair and dust

The Kitchen

The kitchen is the most used room in any home. It is also the room that requires the most day to day cleaning and the most upkeep for hygienic reasons, but you might find you need to give your kitchen a deep clean. A cleaning checklist for a typical kitchen will include:

Cupboards and drawers

  • Clear inside out
  • Check if it is sticky around handles
  • Look for marks around handles
  • Throw away any unneeded items

Sink

  • Clean
  • Descale

Wall tiles

  • Clean and dry

Fridge

  • Remove all grime, mildew, and food deposits
  • Wipe door handles if sticky
  • Clean the rubber seal

Freezer

  • Clean inside and out
  • Wipe door handles if sticky

Dishwasher

  • Remove all grime, mildew, and food deposits
  • Check ļ¬lters

Microwave

  • Clean inside and out
  • Check inside top of oven

Oven

  • Degrease oven, hob and grill
  • Scrub grill pan and oven racks
  • Clean the inner top of the oven
  • Wipe clean the rubber seal

Toaster

  • Clean and remove any leftover crumbs

Extractor

  • Wipe clean if sticky

Miscellaneous

  • Throw away any leftovers
  • Wipe rubbish bin inside and out

Washing machine

  • Wipe down inside and out
  • Check the rubber seal
  • Clean soap dispenser drawer

Tumble Dryer

  • Wipe inside and out
  • Clean dust and lint ļ¬lters
  • Check handles and rubber seal

The Bathroom

After the kitchen the bathroom is the room that requires the second most hands on attention. Here is a typical end of tenancy cleaning checklist for the bathroom:

General

  • Clean taps and ļ¬ttings
  • Remove all lime scale
  • Clean soap dispenser
  • Wipe and dust the radiator and towel rail

Shower screen and tiles Ā Ā Ā 

  • Remove all lime scale

Bath, WC’s, bidet, shower cubicles Ā Ā Ā 

  • Check for hair around the drainage
  • Remove all lime scale
  • Wipe tiles with dry cloth or paper

Mirrors/glass

  • Dust and clean
  • Clean the shower glass

Extractor fans

  • Wipe clean from dust and dirt

Pipe work

  • Clean pipework and plumbing behind the WC if accessible

Floors

  • Hoover & mop

See also: The Ultimate House Cleaning Guide

Getting Your Deposit Back

By following the tips provided in the above checklists you have a good chance of passing the final inspection conducted by the landlord and having your deposit returned to you in full. You have an even better chance of success if you enlist the help of professional house cleaning services in London to handle your end of tenancy cleaning. But the choice is ultimately yours.

 

Booking End of Tenancy Cleaning

There’s lots of reasons to use a professional cleaning service in London in this scenario. If you’re considering the help of professional cleaners London for your end of tenancy, there a few things to note.

The entire property should be completely empty of personal belongings and no one should be occupying the space by the time of the inventory check so we can get to work on your clean. There should, however, be water and electricity available so that the cleaners can go about their business unhindered by logistical concerns.

While our end of tenancy cleaning is thorough please note that it does not include the cleaning of gardens, driveways or pathways, does not extend to external structures such as sheds and garages and does not include cleaning of the external portion of windows.

In addition our house cleaning services in London do not include cleaning of the blinds, curtains, ceilings or painted walls. Nor do we guarantee the removal of mould from grout, sealant or rubber rings on the washing machine or any other appliances. Finally, we remove up to 5 rubbish bags and provide all cleaning equipment and materials. If parking fees and/or congestion charges apply they will be added to the ļ¬nal bill.