Cost of Bond Cleaning
Have you just awoken in the early hours of the morning in a cold sweat, shaking off the horror of your property management ringing to tell you that they are deducting $800 from your bond payments to pay for a bond cleaning service?
We’re sure it’s a frequent nightmare around the country, so don’t worry. Will the coffee stain in the corner be noticeable in the carpet? Professional carpet steam cleaning will take care of it.
You could easily give up coffee to avoid ever producing a spillage again, but no one ever wants to give up coffee. Don’t even bring up wine. Instead, leave this tab open for the duration of your lease and memorise your duties for vacate cleaning and receiving your bond back in full.
You may also like to read: Do you need professionals for thorough bond cleaning?
Unfortunately for the more clumsy, a property management or landlord has the authority to use a portion of your bond payment to pay for cleaning or repairs beyond the end of your lease, as long as this cleaning does not address concerns that are termed “wear and tear.’
End-of-lease cleaning and general “wear and tear”
In Melbourne, the law specifies that a landlord should expect their property to be maintained “fairly tidy,” but should allow for “wear and tear.” This language allows for common sense to enter the picture when negotiations between a landlord or property management and their renter begin.
If they cannot agree on what constitutes wear and tear, they can take their case to VCAT, the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal. Similar procedures exist in other jurisdictions, with the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal serving as the point of contact for any claims brought by a landlord through NSW Fair Trading.
Generally, determining what constitutes reasonable wear and tear is straightforward. Only damage caused by careless, reckless, or purposeful behaviour is considered the tenant’s duty in NSW.
Take a stroll around the grounds.
Is the paint on the walls flaking off? Carpets and curtains that have faded? Tired-looking hardwood flooring or sliding doors that refuse to open? That is not your obligation, as wear and tear is the landlord’s responsibility to repair at their expense.
Some dishonest landlords may argue that it is your job to report this wear and tear, and that if you do not, you must pay for its repair. This is not correct. The landlord is responsible for conducting regular property inspections, and it is during these that such problems should be discovered.
So, what kind of bond cleaning do you need to conduct?
While you can leave a home without cleaning it at the conclusion of the lease, you should expect the property manager to set aside a portion of your bond to pay for a general cleaning of the property.
Spend time cleaning the following locations where a property manager would search for dirt to save money:
Pantry and kitchen cabinets
A thin layer of filth and grease from numerous culinary items accumulates in kitchen cupboards and drawers. If you are a tenant, you are probably familiar with the feeling of walking into a house and discovering kitchen cabinets that need to be cleaned before you can even move your boxes. Make a point of cleaning this area before handing over your keys.
Bathroom
Another location that easily accumulates filth is the bathroom. Some bathrooms may lack adequate ventilation, allowing you to claim that any mould growth is the landlord’s fault. If not, clean up any spots where filth has accumulated, such as between tiles and below the toilet.
You may also like to read: The Sequence of Kitchen Renovation?
Even when renters reside on the property, these are frequently overlooked. Skirting boards quickly accumulate dust but are readily swept. When a house is abandoned, the dust along the skirting board becomes obvious, prompting property management to hire a professional cleaner at your expense.
When moving out, windows must be cleaned. A cleaner may charge more for particular windows, so save money by doing it yourself at the end of your lease.
Areas outside
When cleaning, it’s easy to overlook these. You don’t have to hire a high-pressure hose, but cleaning up exterior areas and weeding any places that have turned into suburban jungles will ensure you get your entire bond.
If you just take one thing away from this post, make it the recommendation to keep your property tidy during your lease. Even if you start cleaning a few weeks ahead of time, it will make the job much simpler on moving day. Spend a morning cleaning a room, such as the bathroom, so you don’t have to put on cleaning gloves after a long day of lifting boxes.
Aside from cleaning your home, there are a few more things to consider. You can hire a cleaning company at a hourly rate or flat fee to save time and money on cleaning products.
Lease cleaning cost vary depending on the lease cleaners and whether carpet cleaning is required by the real estate agent all add to the factor.
