Cleaning Fees - Yes or No

[Allen Clark]

I rent out premium properties and charge a premium price. I charge a high rent and I don't charge extra fees. This works for me and generally works for my tenants as well. I come in every four months or so to make sure that upkeep is good. I was recently under whelmed with the cleanliness of one of my properties as the tenants were moving out. So we took care of the issue with professional cleaners. No problem.

It's very common in Seattle to charge a $300 non refundable cleaning deposit. I don't charge this today. My theory is that I want people motivated to keep a clean house. If they know that they've already paid for the move out cleaning then maybe they never clean it at all?

This recent move out has me reconsidering that. Maybe I should collect the $300 fee and then that ensures a deep clean when people move out? What are your experiences with this?