End of tenancy cleaning has obvious benefits for both tenants and landlords. Tenants ensure the safe return of their deposits and good references for the future, while landlords get their property back in the condition that they’re reasonably entitled to expect it. But this leaves tenants with an important decision to make as they approach the end of their tenancy; do they go it alone and clean the property themselves or hire a professional to do it for them?
DIY End of Tenancy Cleaning
Landlords are entitled to have their property returned to them at the end of a tenancy in the condition in which they let it out in the first place subject to what’s considered ‘reasonable wear & tear’, and DIY end of tenancy cleaning means taking on the job yourself.
Pros of DIY End of Tenancy Cleaning
Cost-Savings
The idea of hiring professional end of tenancy cleaners feels expensive, doesn’t it? Cleaning materials will cost you money if you do it yourself, but that should be a relatively small amount in comparison with the costs of hiring a company. And while it’s easy to scoff at this, with rent prices increasing and, since they’re usually based on a multiplication of rent, deposit prices doing the same, leaving a property is a time when finances are going to be extremely tight.
Control
If you clean the property yourself, you’re in control of it. It may be that you have weeks or months to get it done and that you can do it bit by bit, or that you just want to ensure that every corner that cleaners might miss is covered.
Flexibility
Professional cleaners would need to come at a specific and pre-arranged time, and working arrangements may not allow you the time to be present to let them in or out, or to be present while they get on with their job. Doing the cleaning job yourself ensures that what needs to be done can fit around your schedule.
Cons of DIY End of Tenancy Cleaning
Cost
Cost can be a two-way street. The cheap cleaning materials that you buy from a supermarket might not be enough for the level of clean that you need to achieve, while it may be that you have to hire expensive equipment to get the job done. The financial savings made from not hiring professionals can be eaten into very quickly.
Time
A successful deep clean for the end of a tenancy agreement isn’t something that you can just rush through in a couple of hours. It may take all day. It may take longer. Planning for it will only add to the amount of time that it eats up. At a time when you are likely to be extremely busy doing other things as well, is this an amount of time that you can afford?
Stress
In a 2023 poll carried out by the insurance company Legal & General, it was found that 57% of those questioned said that moving house was their most stressful life event. Knowing that you have this extra (and not insignificant) job to do is only likely to add to those stress levels.
Physical Effort
Vacuuming, cleaning windows and surfaces, and all that scrubbing isn’t just hard work in terms of the amount of time it takes. Cleaning is also a physically draining job, and hiring a professional will save you that exertion at a time when your energy might be better used elsewhere.
Lack of Expertise
You can watch as many YouTube videos as you like, but nothing beats experience when it comes to work, and no matter how much you think you may have learned, there’s every possibility that you will miss key areas or otherwise not get the job done to the standard that is expected of you.
Professional End of Tenancy Cleaning
Professional End of Tenancy Cleaners are specialists in this specific area of the cleaning market. Government statistics show that there were just over a quarter of a million new social housing lettings in the period from April 2022 to April 2023, and that means that there’s a lot of end of tenancy cleaning to be done, every year.
Pros of Professional End of Tenancy Cleaning
Thoroughness
Professional cleaners are trained to deliver an exceptional level of thoroughness and meticulous attention to detail. They’ll adhere to a comprehensive checklist that takes in all areas of the property, including those that may be missed in a DIY clean, such as the tops of cupboards, behind appliances, and inside light fixtures.
Cost
As mentioned above, cleaning materials and equipment hire can eat into your cost savings. With professional cleaners, you know how much you’ll be charged from the outset, giving you the assurance that you know how much you’ll be paying to get the job done. Depending on the job at hand, not hiring professional end of tenancy cleaners can easily turn out to be a false economy.
Guarantees
Most professional cleaning companies offer a service guarantee, providing a re-clean at no additional cost if the landlord is not satisfied with the initial result. This should ensure that if they do miss anything, it gets sorted out at no further cost to you, whether in terms of money, time or stress.
No learning required!
It may well be that you don’t want to spend a couple evenings watching videos on YouTube about specific types of stain removal or how to clean stainless steel without scratching it. End of tenancy cleaners come with all that knowledge from years of experience, so you don’t have to accumulate this knowledge yourself.
Making Your Choice – Factors to Consider
What’s your budget?
Compare the costs of doing it yourself and getting someone in to do it for you. Take a holistic approach over this, and bear in mind that hiring professionals includes labour, professional expertise, and high-grade cleaning equipment, which will collectively deliver a level of cleanliness that may be challenging to achieve independently.
How much time have you got?
The amount of effort you’ll have to expend to get the job done is worth taking into account. DIY cleaning can be a time-intensive process, often necessitating several days to meticulously clean an entire property. This process can entail strenuous physical tasks, including scrubbing, vacuuming, and shifting furniture. Bear in mind that a DIY clean isn’t the same as a normal property clean.
How do I choose a reputable cleaning company?
There are a number of factors that you should consider when deciding which cleaning company to engage with. These may include:
- What’s their reputation like?
- Do they get strong reviews from other customers?
- How do they vet their staff?
- What’s their availability and flexibility like?
- Do they offer a complete schedule, detailing what they’re going to do?
- What guarantees do they offer in the event that the landlord is unhappy with the job they’ve done?
- What insurance do they have to protect against possible damage to the property while working on it?
It’s worth remembering that word of mouth is still a highly effective way of establishing whether a company is reputable or not, so speak to friends and family who have used them before. Also bear in mind that, at some times of year, it may prove more difficult to get appointments. The start and end of the academic year can be particularly busy for end of tenancy cleaners. And always start your search early. The earlier you can start your search, the wider a range of options of cleaners you’ll have.
At Hashtag Clean, we can offer exactly this sort of service. Contact us to talk about it further, if it’s a job that you feel we might be able to help with. We cover Sussex and beyond, so there’s every chance that we could be the solution that you’re looking for.
The end of a tenancy contract can be a stressful and expensive time. Future references and the return of deposits is important to tenants, and the ticking of the clock in those last few days and weeks before your moving date can certainly be difficult. For some tenants, an end of tenancy deep clean isn’t necessary, but for the majority it’s about the most reliable way of ensuring that you leave the property in the condition in which it’s expected to be left. Bring in the professionals, and get the end of tenancy clean that you and your property deserve!
