New data from flat-sharing platform SpareRoom shows what it calls “the staggering financial impact of cleaning-related deposit deductions on renters.”
It claims that a survey suggests almost two thirds (63%) of UK renters have experienced deposit deductions due to cleaning-related issues, leading to over £724m worth of losses overall per year in the UK. These losses are based on claims that the property was not thoroughly cleaned prior to the tenancy ending, and therefore landlords have needed to pay for professional services.
The average amount of money deducted from renters’ deposits was £250, but 29% suffered deductions of more than £500, and 16% had over £750 subtracted.
Of those who experienced cleaning-related deductions, only one third (34%) proactively contested them and of those who did contest, 41% were able to reach an agreement with their landlord to reduce or cancel the proposed deductions.
And the topic of household cleaning also rears its head as a common cause of breakdown in flatmate communication.
Whilst 27% of renters say they’ve created a cleaning rota to determine who cleans when, 28% say they don’t have a system at all, and simply chip in when needed. The latter, however, doesn’t always prove fruitful, as almost three in five (59%) renters said they’d experienced arguments with flatmates over cleaning. This is despite ‘similar standards of cleanliness’ ranking second in a recent SpareRoom poll of the most important flatmate characteristics.
Only 17% of renters said they paid for a professional clean prior to moving out.
Matt Hutchinson, SpareRoom director, says: “Navigating the moving out process can be a stressful one, for both renters and landlords, and ultimately landlords want to ensure their property is left in a good condition as much as renters want their deposits back.
“Although landlords can’t legally demand that tenants pay for professional cleaning, to minimise the risk of cleaning-related deposit deductions, renters should ensure that they’ve conducted a thorough clean either themselves or using a professional service, as well as staying on top of cleaning throughout the tenancy. It can be a tricky road to navigate, but transparent landlord-tenant conversations throughout the process can help to ensure there are no surprise deductions at the end of the road.”
According to SpareRoom’s research, the oven is the most dreaded appliance to clean, meaning renters put off cleaning it longer than they should, followed by kitchen cupboards and drawers.
Want to comment on this story? Our focus is on providing a platform for you to share your insights and views and we welcome contributions.
If any post is considered to victimise, harass, degrade or intimidate an individual or group of individuals, then the post may be deleted and the individual immediately banned from posting in future.
Please help us by reporting comments you consider to be unduly offensive so we can review and take action if necessary. Thank you.
.jpg)
Join the conversation
Jump to latest comment and add your reply
It is quite rare to get a house back that doesn't need cleaning & quite staggering the conditions that some tenants live in. The worst things are usually the oven & the plastic seal on the shower screen! I have taken back houses with showers I would not get in unless fully clothed!
It's a "never" on getting a flat returned cleaned and maintained to the level of a what a homeowner would expect.
Recovering the full extent of these costs is also a "never"
Amazing how the deduction is viewed as a loss. The tenant lost £150 from the deposit so the landlord can do all the cleaning that would cost £250 if they paid for it. Who really loses out?
Oven cleaning is a pain, but generally the oven is used far less than expected - I base that on the fact that I very rarely have to replace an oven or grill element in a rented house. I've done so more in my own home in the last 10 years than in 5 rental homes added together. I presume eating out and takeaways more frequent for the cash strapped tenants?
Carpet cleaning needs to be done several times I find, so typically I take a good few days between tenant departing and agent round to re-market, this only done when the house is ready with fresh paint and spotless. This void time - to get it back to how it was doesn't count as a loss right?
You are right, the landlord bears the financial cost. The loss of a deposit clearly doesn't bother tenants, as they know they have caused damage and/or have rent arrears in excess of whatever paltry sum they paid. Would need to be several thousand before they stared to worry about it. It's a great shame deposits have been capped at 5 weeks.
Over the 20 years I've been renting out properties cleaning standards seem to have deteriorated. My current tenant seems quite house proud but generally I've needed to spend hours cleaning after tenants have left, even though they swear that they've left the property clean. Those with pets have been the worst, dog hairs underneath kitchen cabinets and around the washing machine door, cat hairs all over curtains, dog poo in the garden. Even those without pets seem to have no clue how and where to clean. If people spent less time on social media or watching TV maybe they could find time for housework!
I must be incredibly lucky with my tenants. The cleaning is usually pretty good. In the last year 20 tenants have moved out and 15 got back their full deposit. The previous year all 19 got back the full deposit
I deducted £30 from one HMO deposit as he hadn't even hoovered his room. So hoovering, dusting, window cleaning and wiping a few marks off the paintwork. One of the student houses lost £950 of theirs but that was partly due to lack of cleaning and mainly dealing with soot damage after one of them had burnt candles and incense in their room for 2 years. That room needed extensive cleaning, stain blocking and multiple coats of paint which a decorator charged £500 for. The rest of the bedrooms needed all of the paintwork thoroughly cleaning due to lower levels of soot. Most of the house hadn't been properly hoovered or dusted, the wooden floor in the lounge needed a paint scraper to get some of the grime up.
The bit tenants don't think about is that if they know they are rubbish at clearing or can't be bothered/don't have time to do it properly it would be cheaper for them to book a professional cleaner in and pay them their regular price. It would also enable them to produce evidence the cleaning had been done to a professional standard in the event of a dispute. If they just hand back the house in a dirty state we have to either find a cleaner at short notice, which often involves paying a much higher price, or do the cleaning ourselves and charge whatever we think our labour is worth. As I get paid between £16.74 and £23.50 an hour in my ZHC warehouse job I certainly don't do other people's cleaning for less than that.
I must speak as I find. Many tenants have had minor deductions for cleaning, but the last two properties, which were then sold, were left in excellent condition.
To walk out and not clean is down right rude, I'll clean up after them @40 pounds an hour
The only time I have got a flat back immaculately clean was when my lovely Hong Kong tenants employed a professional cleaner before handing it back to me. My leases state the flat should be professionally cleaned but this is usually ignored. It is a shame Home Economics is no longer taught in schools which included cooking and housekeeping.
Please login to comment