In our experience so far, we have had to work in many properties that were not prepared appropriately by the tenants before vacating the premises. This slows us down and sometimes impacts the quality we can offer or forces us to charge the client extra. We thought it might be useful to put together a short guide on how to prepare your property before the end of tenancy cleaners arrive.
Make Sure Your Personal Belongings are Out
End of tenancy cleaning is done once the place is completely empty from the previous tenants’ belongings. Small items that have been left in the property are assumed to be unwanted, so they will end up in the rubbish bags. Leaving too many of these, however, will slow the team down. Many cleaning companies have extremely busy schedules with several bookings a day. Spending more time at a property than planned due to lack of preparation by the tenants can result in an incomplete job or incurring extra charges.
Pieces of furniture that do not belong in the property but the tenants have not arranged to be taken out will impact the quality of the job as carpet spots covered by the furniture may not be treated. Cleaners have no responsibility to dispose of large items left in the place. For this, the tenants would need to book a removal service.
Defrost the Freezer
During the end of tenancy cleaning the team will clean the fridge and freezer, however, you must defrost the night before. Don’t forget to place towels on the floor to avoid damage from the dripping water. It is always best when you leave the fridge empty instead of leaving food and drinks inside.
Discuss Details
It is very important to give as much relevant information as possible to the cleaning team. For example, if you had pets in breach of your tenancy agreement, letting the cleaners know could save you a penalty charge. They can apply special treatment to the carpet and any upholstery staying in the property to remove pet dander and specific smells.
You should also discuss any particular items that you want cleaned. The oven, for example, is not included in the quote you receive for the end of tenancy cleaning. It can be added as an extra.
Plan Ahead
If you need to return the keys to your agent or landlord on a specific date, allow at least 24 hours between the completion of the cleaning and saying your final goodbye to the place. This is to give the carpets enough time to dry from a wet treatment and the fumes from chemicals to clear. Also, in that period you can check the work of the team and see if you are satisfied. If there’s something that was missed, you can speak to the company about it and ask if they would arrange someone to come sort it out before the agent arrives to inspect the property.
Needless to say, you must have arranged any removals before the cleaners were due to begin their work.