End of Tenancy Cleaning: the complete guide
The agency-standard checklist clean that decides deposit disputes — what it covers, what it costs by property size, and the guarantee worth insisting on.
Typical UK price: from £120 per property
Typical time: 3–8 hours depending on property size
Cleaning is the single biggest cause of deposit disputes in the UK — and the easiest to avoid. A professional end of tenancy service follows the same inventory checklists letting agents use, so the property is returned in the condition your contract requires: oven spotless, limescale gone, inside every cupboard wiped.
Two contract details matter more than anything. First, most tenancy agreements specifically require professional carpet cleaning on checkout, with a dated receipt — a domestic vacuum won't satisfy the clause. Second, the industry-standard '72-hour re-clean guarantee' means the company returns free if the inventory clerk flags anything. Booking a firm that offers both, with receipts, removes almost every cleaning argument a landlord can make.
Why end of tenancy is worth understanding
The 72-hour re-clean guarantee
Standard among reputable firms: if the agent or landlord flags any cleaning issue on the inventory check, they return and re-clean free. Don't book without it.
Agent-standard checklist
Ovens, limescale, skirting, inside cupboards and windows — a proper end of tenancy clean works to the inventory standard, not a 'quick once-over'.
Carpet cleaning bundles
Most firms add professional carpet cleaning at a discounted per-room rate with a dated receipt — which is exactly what most tenancy agreements demand.
Fixed prices by property size
The industry prices by bedrooms, agreed upfront. Hourly quotes for end of tenancy work are a red flag for creeping bills.
How a professional visit works
- 1
Priced by property size
Studio to 5-bed — fixed quotes based on size and condition, agreed before the day.
- 2
Full checklist clean
Kitchen deep clean including the oven, bathrooms descaled, all rooms dusted, wiped and vacuumed edge to edge, inside cupboards and windows.
- 3
Carpet cleaning (usually optional)
Professional hot water extraction with a dated receipt — satisfies almost every tenancy agreement's carpet clause.
- 4
Guarantee period
Inventory issues reported within the guarantee window (usually 72 hours) are re-cleaned free.
End of Tenancy FAQs
Typical UK fixed prices: studio from £120, 1-bed from £150, 2-bed from £185, 3-bed from £230, 4-bed from £290. Carpet cleaning adds roughly £25 per room when bundled. London prices run 15–25% higher.
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