News Updates
Handing a house back clean and tidy at the end of term is a cause of friction between many students and landlords.
Many students just do not want to put the time and effort in to cleaning their house when they have exams and summer jobs or holidays on their minds.
Landlords often feel students have failed to look after their property and dock the deposit to cover the cost of putting the matter right.
Landlords and students – and any other tenants – can reduce this stressful time by agreeing a cleaning checklist for the property handover that highlights the priority work.
All tenants should make sure they have a cleaning schedule to reduce the risk of losing their deposit that includes:
- Clean all the windows from the inside
- Wipe down paintwork like skirting boards, sills and doors
- Remove fingermarks from plugs and sockets
- Vacuum carpets
- Wash wooden or tiled floors
- Dust shelves and light fittings and wipe them over
In the kitchen and bathroom, thoroughly clean any appliances, like cookers, fridges, freezers and extractor fans. Wipe down tiled surfaces and in the kitchen, make sure any grease is removed. Properly dispose of any rubbish. If bulky items are left like tables, chairs or sofas behind, expect a bill for removing and dumping them. Soft furnishings around the house, like curtains, sofas, and cushions, need to be washed or vacuumed as appropriate.
Landlords expect normal wear and tear – but this does not include marks or stains on soft furnishings or carpets nor damage to fences or other property. Landlords should manage the end of tenancy clean by providing their tenants with a checklist that lays out the expected standards at hand-over.
Sending a list a few weeks before the end of the tenancy and perhaps adding the details of some local cleaning firms who will do the work for a reasonable fee helps tenants understand what is expected from them.
For further news items, please view: http://www.merchantlettings.com/news
