Do you make your tenants clean before they leave?

Question

Just curious, do you expect the tenants to clean prior to vacating the property at the end of their lease? And if they don’t, do you charge then a cleaning fee? Obviously if this is expected, it needs to be in the signed lease agreement.

Joe Splitrock · Answer

@Veronica Thomas we expect the property to be as clean on move out, as it was on move in. Our properties are very clean.The refrigerator should not have a spec of dirt in it. Poop or any dirt in the bathroom is unnacceptable. Broken blinds you charge for the cost of new ones (save receipts). Paint or marker on brand new carpets, attempt cleaning and if stain persists, charge for replacement minus prorated life. For example one year old carpet with expected 7 year carpet life means you can charge 1/7th the cost of carpet. Nothing for pad replacement unless there was pee damage from the dog. Dog chewed up window deal and hard would floor damage, charge for repair costs. It is difficult if you don't outsource repairs or cleaning. You need to careful records of time spend and bill at a reasonable rate. Reasonable is defines as what an experienced professional would charge. Cleaning services are usually $30 per hour. Handyman may be $40-50. It is really best if you hire cleaning and repairs to avoid dispute over the actual cost. If they challenge you in court for the cost, you need proof of the expense. Take lots of photographs and keep time logs that show start and stop time for cleaning. I also take "after" photos for cleaning and repairs, so there is no question the work was done. Ideally you also took photos before they moved in to avoid them claiming the damage was pre-existing.

Scott M. · Answer

'Make' is a strong word. We expect the property to be returned in the condition in which it was given to them. If not, they are charged, minus wear and tear of course. More of a request then a force. And if not, charge.

Colleen F. · Answer

@Veronica Thomas Make is a strong word, expect is more like it. I never expect them to clean good enough to not have to do any cleaning for the next tenant. Although they get a checklist they often don't look at it and I am still waiting on a tenant who will clean under stove, fridge, or baseboard heaters. If they do a reasonable job I don't charge a cleaning fee.

Daniel Smyth · Answer

@Veronica ThomasProperty is video recorded prior to a lease. I require all to be broom clean and within normal wear and tear. They get a copy of the before video a month before the lease ends. I paint everything before I re-lease anyway. Usually I am looking for willful damage or stolen fixures. Since I am inside my properties 3 times a year, I get no real surprises.I tell them that I really don't need their deposit money. I would rather give an outstanding reccomendation to the place they go next!

Colleen F. · Answer

@Veronica Thomas States vary, in some states you can charge a reasonable hourly rate for landlord repairs, in some you cannot. I charge against the normal cleaning rate in our area otherwise if I can get someone in a timely way, I charge what they charge me. Charge all supplies. Honestly if you have a deposit you are spending their money so pay someone to do those major repairs like flooring and carpet cleaning. Sometimes you aren't saving yourself anything if you do it yourself. I know you have to get the next tenant in but try to line some experts up if you know a repair is likely.

Edward Holland · Answer

I agree with the posts above. I think it's important to follow the golden rule of 'don't be a jerk' in these scenarios. A home is going to see wear and tear. As long as the property has been reasonably cleaned and there is no damage beyond typical wear and tear, I generally return the deposit. In a situation where they left garbage behind or clearly didn't make any cleaning attempt, I apply a cleaning fee and deduct it from their deposit.

Theresa Harris · Answer

They are given a check list, but if the place is dirty, I get it cleaned and it comes out of their deposit.

Bruce Woodruff · Answer

It is just common courtesy for a tenant to leave a house reasonably clean......not spotless, because obviously the owner is going to send in a cleaning crew before re-renting the property.... Obviously you should have some language in your lease about what you expect and want....

Fred Cannon · Answer

@Veronica Thomas I now charge a cleaning fee when a new tenant moves in not when they move out. This is in addition to a deposit. I have never had move out where I didn't have to clean before the next move in. Normally a tenant is in a big rush to move and will not take time to clean properly. The deposit is for damage not cleaning.

Jason Smith · Answer

@Veronica Thomas I have them sign off on a checklist through docusign that has a check-in / check-out column (fans dusted, floors mopped, self-cleaning oven cleaned, shelf out fridge cleaning, microwave inside clean, toliet scrubbed inside and out, cabinets crumb free, no chemicals/furniture/toliet brushes/brooms left on premise, no large garbage items on street curb, etc, etc) . The document also has a room by room general description of everything and a link to a google photo album with like 50+ pictures. Once they give notice I give them the document and tell them the house needs to be in similar condition and to expect to clean several hours after their stuff was out. After I started doing this I give them a spotless house, they give me a pretty clean one back. Takes about 4 man hours total to turn it back over plus any repairs/touch-ups. I don't charge them. Before this I was getting empty houses with ovens/fridges never cleaned in 2-3 years, dirty blinds/fans/window sills, having to mop multiple times and everything generally clean but not "cleaned". A bunch of cleaning supplies they apparently never used but thought I wanted. And once a couch on the curb that I had to pay to get hauled away cause I gave their security deposit back to quick. Saves me cleaning time and keeps me from having to nasty initial cleaning of someone elses toliet and fridge.