One of the best ways to get some passive income is to rent out your property. However, renting out a piece of real estate is not entirely passive, as the term may lead you to believe. You need to invest a lot of effort in maintaining the property, conducting repairs when necessary, and, the most dreadful of all, cleaning after a tenant has moved out. Of course, tenants should be the ones to clean the flat while preparing to vacate it. Still, since some occupants are likely to do a shoddy job, it’s up to you to brush up on some end of tenancy cleaning tips. We have prepared some advice to help you get through this painful ordeal. You will get your property ready for new tenants in no time!

Why Is End of Tenancy Cleaning Necessary?

As a landlord, you want to minimize the vacant time as much as possible. A clean and tidy property will go a long way in achieving that. No tenant will be interested in moving into a place that last saw a deep-cleaning solution when dinosaurs roamed the Earth. Also, a clean space shows that you have looked after it properly. So, it justifies the rent you are asking for. Finally, can you really expect to attract decent tenants if the flat you are trying to rent makes a pigsty seem like a palace?

The Essential End of Tenancy Cleaning Tips

A clean rental real estate will:

• Ensure you rent your property fast
• Allow you to charge a reasonable rent
• Attract tenants that will continue to look after your property

So, let’s look at the tips that will help you make your rental spick and span.

Check the Photos You Had Taken at the Beginning of Tenancy

Presumably, you had taken photographs of what your property looked like before the tenant moved in. These will help you go about cleaning once the tenancy comes to an end. You will know what the property should look like for the next occupant and what areas to focus on the most.

Moreover, these photographs will help you determine who pays for specific repairs and even cleaning. As a landlord, it is your responsibility to provide the tenant with an inventory list that includes everything they must do before vacating the premises. The photographs will clearly document the state of the rental when they moved in. If they fail to deep clean the place or do repairs they are responsible for, you will have the grounds for keeping their security deposit.

Also, the contract you signed with your tenant obligates them to deep-clean the rental before departing. Should they fail to do so, you can hire a professional end of tenancy cleaning service and bill the tenant.

Know the Difference Between Cleanliness and Wear and Tear

Before you go wild and start wielding the cleaning and repair bills before your soon-to-be-ex tenant’s face, make sure that the problems you are having troubles with are not fair wear and tear. You can’t expect your property to be as good as new after years of usage. Dirty windows and floors are a cleanliness issue, but worn-out carpets and curtains are a consequence of wear and tear. Of course, dirty windows will get their original shine back once they experience some serious scrubbing. If there is a layer of dust and grime dating back to prehistory, you have the right to start a dispute.

But if the carpet doesn’t look brand new after years of sustaining being walked on, it’s wear and tear. You can try to breathe some life into it by hiring a professional carpet cleaning service, but you will most likely be best off investing in the new carpeting.

As a landlord, you have to learn to distinguish between what falls under the cleaning category and what doesn’t. It will help you settle any issues fast. Moreover, you will know what items are your responsibility to replace or fix.

Get Professional Cleaning Services

At the beginning of a tenancy, you have to make it clear that tenants are responsible for the cleaning. Make sure they understand that they must leave the place immaculate once they have to move out. If they don’t, you have to right to keep their security deposit or even start a dispute.

Still, some tenants may have no problem leaving the place dirty and losing their deposit. Sometimes, it can even be understandable. Put yourself in their shoes. Moving is stressful, especially when you have to do it quickly and suddenly. Life happens, and not everything can be in your control. In those situations, you would want to find movers fast and organize a simple transfer to your new place. Well, so do your tenants, and cleaning might be the last thing on their minds.

Hiring professional services would be the best course of action in those situations. After all, you will be deducting the fee from the tenants’ security deposit. Don’t think that cleaning yourself is a better and cheaper alternative because it isn’t. You don’t have the means or skills to do the job right. After all, you don’t want to risk new tenants turning around and leaving upon the first evidence of your clumsily attempt at cleaning. Also, if you decide to get those means, it will cost you money. Finally, it’s wise to consider your time as a valuable resource as well. Being a landlord is unlikely your primary job, and even if it is, you can probably direct that time into something more productive.

The bottom line is, hiring professionals to do the job right will prove to be more affordable than cleaning yourself – it will save you time,  money, and sanity.

Particular Areas to Check

New tenants will pay special attention to particular areas, such as bathrooms and kitchens. Things can get hectic when one tenancy ends, and you are preparing the place for a new one. There are so many tasks to handle and so many places to check that it’s easy to get confused and forget something. Therefore, here is a list of areas you need to pay attention to:

• Walls and ceilings:

You may have to paint the entire flat, but sometimes a simple touch up with a bit of paint will suffice. Whatever you do, make sure there are no stains, scuff marks, or nail holes – those can put potential tenants off.

• Bathroom and kitchen:

These two rooms are essential; they make people buy homes, so it’s logical to assume that the tenant will scrutinize them. Also, these two rooms get the dirtiest of all. Make sure there is no grease residue on the tiles, no mould anywhere, and no new microbiome developing an entirely new civilization in that one corner.

• Windows and doors:

Clean window frames and all the handles thoroughly. These are the things many people touch and do so frequently. Especially during the pandemic, paying attention to high-touch surfaces is crucial. The same goes for light switches.

• Outside areas:

If your rental property has a garden, driveway, or balcony, make sure everything looks clean and presentable.

Final Comment

The final of the end of tenancy cleaning tips for landlords is to make your tenants do what they are responsible for. Cleaning the property is one of those responsibilities. Still, if you need to hire professionals to deep-clean the property once the tenancy is over, know that you can rely on experienced and meticulous professionals of Royal Cleaners. Call us at 020 3637 8979 or send us an online request, and we will be happy to clean your rental property to the highest possible standards.