The latest data from the Tenant Deposit Scheme shows that cleaning continues to take the lion’s share of deposit disputes, up almost 50% over the last five years.
Indeed, cleaning has consistently been the most common dispute in cases brought to the TDS and arises in 58% of the cases they deal with.
According to Imfuna, agents and landlords are increasingly facing filthy properties at the end of tenancies. Many tenants claim their landlord or agent failed to make it clear that the property should be left clean at check-out,’ said Jax Kneppers, the firm’s chief executive officer.
She pointed out that it is essential that landlords and agents conduct a thorough inventory, with photography and detailed descriptions on the condition of the property at the start of the tenancy. This ‘proof of condition’ should be shared with the tenant when they are issued with the tenancy agreement.
The biggest problems that agents and landlords face are dirty ovens and fridges, stains and marks on carpeting and flooring, bathrooms which have not been cleaned for months and pet hair and excrement on floors, furniture and soft furnishings.
‘At the check-out stage, the tenant should be made aware of the areas requiring cleaning and the potential cost involved. It is important to remember that the tenant is only obliged to return the property in the same state of cleanliness as at the start of the tenancy, after allowing for fair wear and tear,’ added Kneppers.
Howard Lester, director of Balgores Property Group, said he has seen a sharp rise in the number of properties that require professional cleaning services at check-out over the last 12 months.
‘There is a definitely a lack of respect for property amongst tenants and it appears that they are happy to live in dirty accommodation. Many tenants fail to leave their property in the same condition when they leave a property and we have seen many properties in a filthy state at the end of the tenancy,’ he explained. In these situations you often have to call in professional firms such as Prolux Cleaning to carry out deep carpet cleaning before the next tenants move in.
He pointed out a recent case where the property was left in a disgusting state. The tenants had not cleaned the oven for months and it was caked with grease and spills on the hob and on the inside. Bags of rubbish were left in the kitchen and the worktops were filthy with grime. The carpets were heavily marked with pet excrement and numerous spills. The garden was left with an old washing machine, rusty bikes and worn out tyres. It cost the landlord several hundred pounds to have the property professionally cleaned.
‘Tenants are often shocked to realise that professional cleaning can be costly, depending on the area and type of work required. Some tenants think cleaning issues are just normal wear and tear,’ he added.
Imfuna Let has found that ovens cause the most problems and burn marks to any part of the appliance means it is not clean. Next is stained and marked carpets with tenants trying to hide them. Some have even cut out the stain and filled the hole with carpet they have cut from another part of the property such as under the bed.
Heavy limescale to kitchen and bathroom taps and showerheads are another frequent issue and the response from tenants is often that it is not my fault as the house is in a hard water area.
Grease deposits throughout the kitchen can also be an issue where surfaces and cupboards may look clean but will feel sticky to touch. Then there is thick dust and cobwebs, particularly around furniture and on ceilings.
