End of Tenancy Cleaning

Whenever your tenants move out of your rental property, you should expect the property to be as clean as it was when the tenancy began. This is because tenants have the responsibility to keep the property clean during their stay.

At MN Property Nerds, we recommend you perform an end-of-tenancy cleaning before your tenants move out. This is a deep cleaning of the rental unit a few days before the scheduled move-out.

When performing a deep end-of-tenancy cleaning, tenants should also consider cleaning the furniture and appliances provided by the landlords. If the tenants made any alterations to the physical appearance of the rental unit, they should make sure to revert these alterations back to their original state.

How Clean Should a Property Be?

In general, landlords expect the property to be as clean as it was before the beginning of the tenancy. Typically, landlords use the list of inventories made when the tenant moved in as a reference to determine the level of cleanliness required.

Ideally, the inventory should include photographs and a written explanation of the condition of the property when it was turned over to tenants.

Normal Wear and Tear

The term normal wear and tear refers to the depreciation of a property’s physical condition due to the normal use of the rental unit.

The damage caused by normal wear and tear usually happens gradually and is due to the usual day-to-day use, including external factors like changes in weather. This is in contrast to maintenance where a fixture or appliance is damaged.

“Wear and tear” are inevitable and it’s expected if you rent out your rental home. Damages due to normal wear and tear are typically covered by the landlord and should not be charged to the tenants. But any damage that is caused by a tenant’s neglect or abuse should be charged to their security deposit.

End-of-Tenancy Cleaning Checklist

The level of cleanliness will differ from one property to another. To ensure that the property is as clean as expected, tenants should have a checklist as a point of reference. The following is an example of such a checklist:

Walls, Doors, and Ceilings:

• Clean scuff marks off the walls or touch them up with paint of the same color.
• Check light switches and electrical sockets for dust. Make sure to wipe and polish them as needed.
• Remove dust and cobwebs from ceilings using a long-handled duster.
• Clean door surfaces from top to bottom, as well as door and handles.
• Clean every corner of the door frame as this gathers more dust.
• Clean the skirting boards, the inside of windows, windowpanes, windowsills, and every corner of the windows

Fixtures, Fittings, and Furnishings:

• Check the tops of wardrobes, shelves, and cupboards, and make sure that they are clean.
• Wipe the tops of mirrors, picture frames, curtain rails, and other accessories.
• Dust and wipe clean light fittings, lampshades, and lightbulbs.
• Clean and polish the surfaces of tables, chairs, desks, and sideboards.
• Dust off or vacuum any sofa cushions.
• Empty the cupboards and clean them as necessary.
• Inspect any furnishings you have provided.

Kitchens:

• Clean the hob and all of its parts.
• Make sure to de-grease the oven.
• Wipe down and polish all countertops.
• Clean and polish the kitchen
• Empty the refrigerator and clean it inside and out.
• Empty, clean, and disinfect garbage bins and their surrounding areas.
• Wipe the extractor fan and filter with a wet washcloth to remove grease and dirt.
• Empty all cupboards and drawers and clean them inside and out.
• Wipe wall tiles and clean the floor.
• Clean and polish all kitchen appliances provided by the landlord.
• Wash all utensils, plates, and cutlery and replace them inside a drawer.

Bathrooms:

• Clean and polish the basin, sink, taps, and fittings using a special cleaning solution.
• Remove any water stains from the bathtub.
• Clean and disinfect the toilet.
• Wash and polish all the tiles and remove any mold.

• Pay attention to the showerhead, handles, and shower rails, and make sure they are also clean and polished.
• Use a proprietary drain unblocker to remove obstructions from the drains.
• Wash or dust off extractor fans.

Floors:

• If the property is carpeted, make sure to vacuum the carpet and remove any carpet stains.
• If there is no carpet, use any floor polishing material to polish the hardwood floor.

Exterior:

• Cut weeds and mow the lawn.
• Any outdoor lighting fixtures should also be wiped clean.
• Keep garbage bins empty and sweep around the area to get rid of any debris.

Can a Landlord Deduct Cleaning Fees From a Security Deposit?

Under the Tenant Fees Act 2019, landlords are prohibited from requiring tenants to pay for professional cleaning when they move out at the end of the tenancy. In the past, landlords used to include a clause in the rental agreement requiring tenants to organize or pay for a professional cleaning upon the end of the lease term.

But with this law, landlords can no longer do this. Cleaning fees are also usually not allowed to be deducted from a security deposit unless proven that the tenants did not perform their duties to keep the rental unit at a certain level of cleanliness.

Bottom Line

It is important that your property be cleaned at the end of your tenancy. If you have any questions about this or any other aspect of property management, don’t hesitate to contact us at MN Property Nerds.

We are a full-service property management company working out of Minneapolis, MN contact us today for more information!