Can a landlord make you pay for a cleaner?
Landlords often run into significant challenges when they have to deal with renters that are messy. The value of a property may decrease if it is plagued by vermin or mould, both of which are brought on by the accumulation of dirt, food, and standing water, Which leads to cleaners to play a role.
If a property is left in an unlivable condition or is extremely unclean, the landlord in some cities and states may be able to charge the tenant for cleaning the property with the bond money.
In this article, we will discuss when it is appropriate for a landlord to charge a tenant for cleaning and when it is not appropriate to do so, as well as provide some pointers on how much a landlord should charge, and offer advice on how to set the right expectations for cleaning with a tenant in order to help avoid conflict if and when the tenant moves out.
Concerns to address before deciding to charge for cleaning by professional cleaners
The amount of money that should be charged for cleaning a rental property is contingent on a number of different factors, from cleaning carpets to hiring a cleaning company.
For instance, a landlord ought to compare the state of the property when the tenant moved in to the state of the property when they are moving out, and determine whether or not more cleaning is required over and above what may be deemed usual by state laws or tenancy agreements.
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Before you decide to charge a renter for cleaning, you should first consider the following important questions:
- Does the lease agreement stipulate that the tenant must maintain a specific level of cleanliness, such as sweeping the floors once a week and vacuuming the carpets on a regular basis?
- Have you checked the interior of the property on a frequent basis to ensure that the renter is maintaining a clean and liveable environment?
- During the routine inspections, if any problems with the cleaning or maintenance were detected, were they documented and brought up with the tenant?
- Given that floors and surfaces become worn down over time, does the quantity of cleaning that has to be done need more effort than what would be deemed normal?
- Does the property need more cleaning, such as the removal of food stains or debris from the walls or floor, or more intensive cleaning in the restrooms?
- Is the condition of the carpet significantly worse than what can be categorized as typical wear and tear?
- In the event that the renter had pets, were the terms and conditions of the pet addendum followed to, and was there an increase in the amount of cleaning that needed to be done because the tenant had pets?
- How long has the renter been residing in this particular location?
- When the renter moved in, was he or she required to pay a cleaning fee that was non-refundable?
- When compared to the condition report of the property on the day the tenant moved out, how clean was the rental unit when the renter first moved in?
- How much money should be made from cleaning?
When you have the answers to these questions, it will be much simpler for you to calculate how much you should charge a renter for cleaning.
A move out cleaning for a single family home may cost anywhere from $300 to $500, depending on the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, as well as the total square footage of the residence and the condition of the property.
Cleaning up after moving out
The following are items that are often cleaned once a renter vacates:
- Clean the floors with a broom and a mop.
- Carpets need to be vacuumed and cleaned.
- The surfaces of the wood are polished.
- Cleaning the curtains and other flat surfaces
- Cleaning of the interiors of the cabinets and closets
- The cleaning of toilets, sinks, and faucets, as well as mirrors
- Cleaning of appliances, including the refrigerator and the oven
- Housekeeping duties cover the entirety of the dwelling.
- Additional scrubbing is required.
Additional cleaning may be required for single-family rental properties depending on the features and layout of the property, as well as the cleanliness or messiness of the previous tenant:
Beyond the scope of regular wear and tear, carpet cleaning and repairs
- Sweeping of the chimney, as well as cleaning of the basement and attic, if the renter made use of such places.
- Cleaning of swimming pools and spas, as well as treatment
- Clean the outside of the home, as well as the garage flooring, driveway, and walkways, with a pressure washer to remove any grease or other stains that the renter may have left behind.
- Cleaning of the gutters and downspouts to eliminate any debris that may have accumulated if the renter was responsible for the landscaping.
- Cleaning of the air filter and the ducts to get rid of the dust and pollen buildup that a messy renter causes
- Check the backyard as well as any storage containers for any rubbish that the previous renter may have left behind.
- Hire a professional home cleaning company or suggest it to your real estate agent. who have years of experience a may suggest a professional cleaning service for your needs.
Is it possible for a tenant’s security deposit to go towards cleaning costs?
If a tenant’s cleaning costs go above and beyond what would be considered “regular use,” the landlord may be permitted to deduct such costs from the tenant’s security deposit.
If a tenant vacates a rental property in such a state that it is no longer live able, the landlord may have the right to sue the renter in court to recover any additional cleaning costs incurred as a result of the vacated property.
Before you go ahead and do this, you should make it a point to consult with your property management and look into the landlord-tenant rules of both your city and state to find out what kinds of expenses can and cannot be deducted from the security deposit.
The misconception that the security deposit may be used to supplement one’s income is a common pitfall for landlords who are just starting out. In most cases, it is more beneficial for the owner of a rental property to follow the standard business practice of giving the renter back their security deposit. In this approach, disagreements with tenants may be kept to a minimum, and landlords can avoid having their tenants take them to a local small claims court.
A residential contract should stipulate that the renter is responsible for keeping the unit in the same level of cleanliness as it was before they moved in.
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However, landlords who do not keep detailed records including a copy of the move-in walkthrough, photographs, and detailed notes from periodic property inspections could end up losing in court and being forced to pay double or triple the original amount of damages to the tenant for mishandling the security deposit. This is because landlords who do not keep detailed records are more likely to make mistakes with the tenant’s money.
Compared to the typical deterioration caused by use
In most cases, a landlord is allowed to charge a renter for the cleaning costs associated with restoring the rental property to the state it was in when the tenant first moved in. However, a landlord is not allowed to charge the renter additional fees or utilize the tenant’s security deposit to cover regular wear and tear on the property.
