The right end of tenancy cleaning services provider can help ensure your deposit is returned and make things run smoothly at a stressful time. You can choose to do the end of tenancy clean yourself. However, many find that it is an enormous job, requires professional assistance, and helps them to manage limited time. Yet, how do you know which end of tenancy cleaning company is right for you?
This is a comprehensive guide to choosing the best end of tenancy cleaning service for you.
Why choose a professional end of tenancy cleaning company
Before you can assess companies, you need to know what you’re looking for. In order to do this, you need to understand your reasons for choosing a specialist cleaning company.
In our experience, outgoing tenants choose to use professionals for some or all of the following reasons:
- Deposit: It can be nerve-wracking trying to ensure you secure the return of your rental deposit. Feeling like it’s out of your control is difficult. Using professional cleaners shows that you are committed to leaving the rental property in an exceptional condition, which will help ensure your landlord returns your full deposit.
- Time: Moving out is time-pressured. Whether you’re moving locally into other rented accommodation or buying, or perhaps moving elsewhere altogether, time is hard to manage at the moving stage. You will need to oversee other elements of the move, and won’t have the time or energy to do the clean justice.
- Stress: Closely related to time management, is the stress that an end of tenancy clean can cause. The last thing you want to be doing when you’ve spent weeks decluttering, packing boxes, and organizing practicalities is deep cleaning.
- Knowledge: Deep cleaning, required at end of tenancy, is a specialist and professional task. Do you have steam cleaners, power washers and specialized carpet cleaning equipment? Do you have the knowledge to do a deep and thorough clean?
- Logistics: Lastly, the logistics of moving out and cleaning are difficult to manage. The ideal time for an end of tenancy clean is when all boxes and furniture (if relevant) have left the property. Realistically, you will need to move with your belongings, not hang back cleaning a property. Plus, do you have enough hands to get it done in time?
Once you know your reasons for choosing a professional end of tenancy cleaning services provider, you can then look at what you need from them. Many companies say they offer end of tenancy cleans, but they aren’t all up to the same standards or include the same guarantees and services.
Assurance and dedication
Before looking further at individual companies, consider what they promise. You need some form of guarantee regarding the quality of their service. Our promise explains how we make sure that all clients receive an outstanding service. As we say: “we are only happy when you are”. You’ll receive photo-based reports of before and after, ensuring that you can see for yourself a spotlessly clean property. You’ll then be ready to get the landlord in without any concerns.
Checklists are essential
An end of tenancy clean is not your run-of-the-mill once over. It has to be thorough and it has to be complete. Therefore, checklists are essential to ensure that every single element of the clean is completed, before the cleaners leave the property.
The end of tenancy cleaning checklist will cover all of the areas and all of the procedures and cleaning types to be used. This helps you know exactly what you are paying for as well.
A trusted professional London cleaning company specialising in end of tenancy cleaning will be very willing to provide a detailed and comprehensive checklist. They will probably even have thought of areas to clean which you haven’t!
The end of tenancy cleaning list will be split in to three main areas: general cleaning, kitchen and bathroom. By looking at the list in advance, you can work out what you may need to add, such as a patio area.
Let’s take a look at some of the things you should look for on the checklist:
- General cleaning: This should include thorough dusting of everything including light fittings, an agreement that any furniture will be moved before being vacuumed, glass and windows, what materials will be used, polishing, cleaning inside furniture (e.g. drawers and cupboards) and which upholstery will be cleaned and how.
- Kitchen cleaning: Beyond a standard clean, an end of tenancy clean should involve cleaning inside cupboards, drawers and bins, limescale removal, degreasing, thorough internal and external oven clean, internal clean of the fridge, defrosting of the freezer, clean of washing machine drawers and door.
- Bathroom cleaning: Descaling and polishing of shower screens, degreasing and polishing tiles, descaling and polishing taps and fittings, deep clean of toilet, and floor sanitized.
You should specifically check whether steam cleaning of carpets, upholstery and curtains is included if you need them. You should also check that outdoor areas are included if needed e.g. power washing a patio.
Take time to agree on the list
The list also serves another purpose. It can help you compare the different end of tenancy cleaning companies in terms of what they offer, but also what they cost. You’ll be able to compare like with like. End of tenancy cleaning companies in London varies enormously by price. Using the checklist is one way of ensuring you get a fair price for the service you need.
This is vital for tenants moving out. It doesn’t make sense to save a small amount due to lower cleaning standards if the outcome will prevent you getting your deposit back. Viewing a professional clean as an investment is more likely to ensure your deposit is returned without quibbles.
Specifically, the list also ensures that you hire professional cleaners for completing the job, not simply for a set amount of time. You don’t need the cleaners not completing the job because it was based on your estimation of time rather than a complete list of what needs doing.
You’ll then be in a good position to understand exactly what is included in the final price. Check it includes supplies and use of required tools. Specifically, also check if the quoted price includes VAT.
A word about insurance
It is essential to choose an end of tenancy cleaning services provider that carries relevant insurance. Reputable businesses, like What Cleaning, will be happy to confirm their insurance details with you. Each individual cleaner needs to be covered. This way, even if an accident happens during the clean, the property is protected.
We cannot stress this enough – many smaller, cash-in-hand cleaners will not carry the relevant insurance.
Communication and organisation
It’s also worth considering your choice based on how easy it is to communicate with the cleaning company. Not all end of tenancy cleaning companies in London operate using an office. This means it can be hard to contact the company, obtain confirmation of things like checklists and insurance, and communicate.
At What Cleaning, we have offices in both Wandsworth and Woking. You can easily get hold of us, when you need to, without constantly being met with answering machines.
How can you be sure your professional cleaners will clean thoroughly?
Whilst a promise or guarantee should help, you should also look for testimonials. The best judges of a good end of tenancy clean are previous tenants just like you. Again, the office should be happy to provide you with copies of testimonials to prove their reliability and quality.
Check out reviews too. We have a 100% excellent rating on Trustpilot.
Another good way of judging the company is to ask if they have both tenants and landlords as clients. If they work regularly for landlords, like we do at What Cleaning, they will know exactly what landlords require.
Choose the right end of tenancy service for you
It’s not always an easy choice, but it’s worth putting the effort in to get right. Follow the above guidance and you’ll make a good decision.
At What Cleaning, we offer cost-effective end of tenancy cleans in London in accordance with everything we’ve mentioned above. We work both inside the M25 and within a 30 mile radius of it. We’re also the cleaning company of choice for London landlords, ensuring you’ll get exactly what you need and get your deposit back. Call to discuss your requirements on 020 8875 5766.