Top Three Do’s and Don’ts For Your Tenancy Cleaning

I’ve never understood people who try to make moving out into an existential crisis. All you need is a bit of planning, and you can do the transition smoothly without even lifting a finger. As for the improvisers who leave everything for the last moment – with all due respect, you are looking for trouble! Fortunately, I am in the mood to share my experience on the three most important factors concerning your end of tenancy cleaning. Follow the do’s, and you will never get in trouble with your landlord; choose the don’ts, and you can kiss your security deposit goodbye!

Talking To Your Landlords

What to do?

Spare ten minutes of your time and discuss any specific requirements your landlord or estate manager might have. First, it is the classy thing to do. Second, it creates a positive impression and earns you some goodwill in a potentially troublesome situation. But most important – it can point you or the cleaning contractor you have booked to a specific task that you might otherwise overlook. 

In my experience, the vast majority of property owners do not have any outlandish cleaning demands. However, they all appreciate the care and respect you show with one short visit. In other words – an excellent return for a minimal investment. 

What not to do?

“End of tenancy cleaning is just a nonsensical standard procedure, why would I want to discuss it further with my landlord? Let’s get this over with already!” You might be correct, but you don’t want to end up regretting it because your landlord does not like the nonchalant attitude. And if you mess up anything with the cleaning, they will have a point saying you could have avoided it by talking to them. 

A quick aside – some of the best tenancy cleaning contractors in East London offer to take over the communication for you. It has its pros and cons – the advantage is that they know how to approach the issue from a professional point of you; the risk is that the property owners would have still appreciated a courtesy call before you left. 

Scheduling The Cleaning

What to do?

Let’s assume you have chosen to book a professional tenancy cleaning crew instead of doing it yourself. Good for you! But what is the perfect timing for the procedure? My advice is simple – there is no such thing as “too early tenancy cleaning”. You can book the service the minute you’ve packed your boxes.

And your landlord will love it too! Remember that owners want to lease their property as quickly as possible. However, they can only list their house or apartment and invite prospective tenants to check it if it has been cleaned already. Like the courtesy visit, an early move-out cleaning will get your landlord’s good graces when it matters the most. 

What not to do?

No surprises here – book the post-tenancy cleaning at the last moment. Here is what can go wrong (and I strictly speak based on my experience):

  • You’ve left yourself no time cushion at all, and it turns out no contractor can fit you within the next 24-48 hours.
  • There is some sort of emergency, and the contractor wants to reschedule the appointment. Yes, emergencies do happen.
  • The cleaning crew you’ve picked has botched the job, and you have no time to hire a new one.

Either way, you are screwed. And you could have avoided it with some common-sense planning. 

Choosing The Cleaning Contractor

What to do?

No comprehensive algorithm can tell you which move-out cleaning company is good and which isn’t. However, if you do your homework, you will probably land on a good one. Here is what you should look for:

  • Experience. Make sure the company you have chosen has been in the industry long enough (preferably at least five years).
  • Feedback. Use any independent reviews you can find – social media, local forums, etc. 
  • You must know somebody who has had to deal with the same problem – ask them for advice and what company they’ve booked. 

If you are dealing with an estate agency, do not hesitate to ask them to point you to a good tenancy cleaning company. They usually have a preferred choice which will guarantee no further problems.

What not to do?

The biggest mistake you can make is choosing with your wallet. The most affordable offer is rarely the best one. Also, never – and I mean never – book a rental property cleaning contractor that charges by hour. First, it makes no sense, given the nature of the service. Second, none of the respectable companies uses this model – instead, they charge by number of rooms or total square footage.