Sep 10
3
End Of Tenancy Cleaning Versus Fair Wear And Tear Policy
End Of Tenancy Cleaning is often mistakenly compared with issues arising from the misunderstood fair wear and tear policy.
Allow me to clarify further by using an example I recently experienced when doing some end of tenancy cleaning at a property. The property was cleaned to our usual high standards and then inspected by an inventory clerk. The inventory clerk as you may know or not is the person that represents both the landlord and estate agent to give them an unbiased report on how the property has been maintained during your tenancy. Their job is twofold:
1. Make sure that all the contents of the property are in good order and accountable eg. crockery, cutlery, furniture, ornaments, lamps etc etc.
2. Make sure that the end of tenancy cleaning has been done to the required standard.
Now you may ask what this has to do with fair wear and tear and end of tenancy cleaning. Well, in this particular example the tenant was pulled aside about scratches and scuffs on walls, skirting boards, doors as well as residual marking on sofa covers and carpets.
Is This An End Of Tenancy Cleaning Or Fair Wear And Tear Issue?
The tenant remarked that these marks, scuffs and stains were present at the check-in and therefore not down to any fault of their own. They stated further that they had been renting the property for 3 years and a lot of these issues should be classified as fair wear and tear and not an end of tenancy cleaning problem which is correct….
Or is it? This is where the confusion sets in as the question really is: "What is classified as fair wear and tear and just plain negligence on how the tenant has looked after the property?"
Fair Wear And Tear Has Nothing To Do With End Of Tenancy Cleaning!
It seems that the inventory clerk has a lot of input on this particular aspect of the check out but please understand that they are professionally qualified and independent contractors so will make decisions based on seeing the condition of things for themselves, experience and cross reference to an original check-in report. Based on these credentials they will then advise the estate agent as to whether there is going to be any deductions from your tenancy deposit for reimbursement to the landlord for replacement of defective items or making good decoratively at the property.
Great End Of Tenancy Cleaning Can Help With Fair Wear And Issues
I have to agree that if end of tenancy cleaning is done to a very high standard then things like badly stained carpets and sofa covers can be cleaned within reason. More to the point is that if things do not clean up well and compensation is requested that you know what this "Fair Wear And Tear Rule" is all about.
A.R.L.A(Association Of Regulated Lettings Agents) which is the ruling ombudsman for most estate agents, has this to say about fair wear and tear and means making an allowance for: -
- The original age, quality and condition of any item at commencement of the tenancy
- The average useful lifespan to value ratio (depreciation) of the item
- The reasonable expected usage of such an item
- The number and type of occupants in the property
- The length of the tenants occupancy
It follows therefore (and is an established legal tenet) that a landlord is not entitled to charge his tenants the full cost for having any part of his property, or any fixture or fitting, "…..put back to the condition it was at the start of the tenancy."
What A.R.L.A further states is: " The landlord/agent has a duty to adopt the most reasonable and practical and appropriate approach to assessing remedy, and should keep in mind that the tenants' deposit is not to be used like an Insurance policy where you might get "full replacement value" or "new for old"
I hope that this has gone some way to explaining the difference between end of tenancy cleaning and fair wear and tear.
Until next time…Keep Cleaning!
Mark
DustBusters Professional End Of Tenancy Cleaning
WARNING:
What you are about to read may be upsetting to a few readers Who have been preyed upon in the past by ” Promise The Earth”…. “Deliver Nothing” Cleaning Companies.
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