How could asking your tenant to professionally clean your property potentially cost you £5000?
Posted 22.11.21
The Tenant Fees Act 2019 bans you from doing this!
At the end of every tenancy, it is a customary task to tackle any neglected or incomplete cleaning issues with the outgoing tenants. The Act does not say you cannot ask your tenant to clean the property to the standard it was when they moved in, but it does say you cannot force a tenant to have the property professionally cleaned, even if you had it professionally cleaned for when they moved in! It is called a prohibited payment.
The importance of having an inventory
You can ask your tenant to clean the property to the standard it was at the start of the tenancy, dependent on whether that was to a reasonable, high, or even ‘professional’ standard. So the only way to prove this is to have an inventory that is a record of the condition.
You cannot press the tenants to have the property professionally cleaned at the end of the tenancy but it is their responsibility to return the property to the standard they received it in.
The difference in your request could be a hefty fine!
The tenant Fees Act 2019 states that a landlord could be fined up to £5000 if they are found to be in breach of this Act. If you would like more information about why you should have an inventory, please Click here
David Rose MARLA
Director
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