Tags:
Guide ArticlesRenting← Back to articles
Will Southall
a year ago - 4 minute read
Even if you enjoy keeping things tidy, end of tenancy cleaning is a whole other ball game. It’s intense, in-depth, and (if you’re hiring a professional) expensive!
While it may not be enjoyable, you can do end of tenancy cleaning yourself to save a few pounds when you’re moving.
In this article, we’ll provide an overview of everything you need to know about the end of tenancy cleaning – including what it is, what happens if you don’t do it, and how long it should take.
Plus, if you stick around to the end, we’ll provide a complete room-by-room checklist of things you may need to clean during the end of tenancy cleaning.
Put simply, end of tenancy cleaning is the name given to the intensive cleaning frenzy you need to undergo before you move out of a rental.
Usually, you’ll have a specific clause in your tenancy agreement about the end of tenancy cleaning, which outlines your responsibilities. This is generally very specific to the property you’ve been renting.
For example, if you have a garden, it should state whether you need to do things like mow the lawn before you leave. Or, if you have a balcony, it should say what condition you need to leave it in.
Always check your lease to see what specific things you need to clean before you move out.
Generally, the end of tenancy cleaning involves deep cleaning every area of the property you are responsible for.
While the exact areas depend on your lease, this usually includes your bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, living room, dining area, hallway, balcony, and even your garden.
To be straight, if you don’t clean up, you probably won’t get your deposit back in full.
More than half of renters in the UK don’t get their deposit back (or have a dispute about not getting their deposit back) because of the end of tenancy cleaning clauses.
Whether it’s completed by you or a professional cleaning company (which your landlord can’t force you to hire), you have to clean up before you leave if you want to get your security deposit back.
Related article: The secret to getting your rent deposit back in full
Make sure you give yourself enough time to undergo end-of-tenancy cleaning.
While it may not sound like much, cleaning an entire house or apartment from top to bottom can take longer than you think.
If you’re hiring a professional, they can usually get the job done in 1-2 days.
If you’re doing it yourself on evenings or weekends, it’s best to make a start at least 3-7 days before your moving date – depending on how big your rental is.
To help you plan and complete your end-of-tenancy cleaning, here’s a room-by-room checklist of things you may need to clean (always check your lease for the full details).
Make sure you bookmark this page so you can check back on progress!
In the kitchen, you may need to:
When it comes to your bedroom, you should:
In the bathroom, you should:
If you have a living room or a lounge area, you’ll need to:
Generally, you won’t need to clean a communal hallway or staircase when you’re leaving a rental if other tenants access it (and aren’t leaving).
But if you rent the entire property or your lease states you’re responsible for cleaning the hallway when you leave, you may need to:
If your property has a front or back garden, you may need to:
Unless you love cleaning, end of tenancy cleaning isn’t very fun. It’s usually intense and requires a lot of time and effort to get the job done right.
While hiring a professional end-of-tenancy cleaner is always easier, it’s much cheaper to do it yourself.
When DIY-ing your end-of-tenancy clean, make sure you do everything stipulated within your lease, and you leave the property looking fresh – so there’s no chance of losing your deposit.
Over 60% of UK renters pay a new deposit before getting their old one back. This can leave renters £2,500 out of pocket. That ain’t right.
Don’t live through the double deposit problem. With a Fronted lifetime deposit, your new landlord gets the money when they want it, and your old landlord holds onto the money until you move out. You sit there feeling smug.
Learn more about how lifetime deposits work or join our waitlist to be the first to get a lifetime deposit when we launch them.
Guide by
Will Southall
If you're a renter, we've got your back. This corner of the Fronted site is loaded with everything from moving tips, Lifetime Deposits, and anything you need to make renting, or moving, a breeze.
Fronted is a trading name of Fronted Holding Ltd. We are registered in England and Wales (Company No.12278750), registered office address is Fronted, The Fisheries, 1 Mentmore Terrace, London, E8 3PN. Fronted Loans Ltd (Company No.12307305) is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority under a Consumer Credit Licence (FCA No. 933316). Fronted Ltd (Company No.12304059) is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority under a Broker Licence (FCA No. 933317).
Fronted Loans Ltd and Fronted Ltd is a wholly owned subsidiary of Fronted Holding Ltd. We are part of the FCA regulatory sandbox - Cohort 6. The regulatory sandbox allows firms to test innovative offerings in a live environment. More information on the FCA's regulatory sandbox can be found here.
Made with ❤️ and ☕️ in London