If you’re moving out and worried about your deposit, I’ll be honest with you: the clean is usually where it’s won or lost. According to the Deposit Protection Service, cleaning was behind almost three in 10 deposit claims in 2025, and it’s been the number one reason five years running. The Tenancy Deposit Scheme says cleaning comes up in more than half of its disputes.
I own and run Northfields Clean, a cleaning company based in west London. I spend basically every week hiring cleaners, talking to cleaners and figuring out whether they’ll fit in and do a good job. End of tenancy cleans are a big part of what we do. In a typical month we’ll do upwards of 10, give or take.
Most of those are booked by tenants who are moving out and want their deposit back. We also get landlords calling us in, either because the tenant hasn’t cleaned to standard, or because the property has been off the market for a while and needs a clean before the next tenant moves in. So I see this from both sides, and here’s what I’ve learned.
What landlords expect when you move out
End of tenancy cleans are generally well known. Landlords, letting agents and cleaners all know what’s expected, and the clean basically has to pass a test before your deposit comes back.
The good news is that the test is fair. You need to leave the property as clean as it was when you moved in, not cleaner. Landlords can only charge you to bring it back to the standard recorded at the start of the tenancy, and any deduction has to be for a genuine reason they can prove (Nation.Cymru).
So before you start, dig out your check-in inventory and look at the photos. That’s your target.
The areas landlords check first
Kitchens and appliances
The pain areas are kitchens and bathrooms, and I’d say kitchens especially. Every time a landlord asks us to come back, inside the appliances is where they want us to focus. These are the areas that need the most attention when someone moves out, so you need to be careful with them.
- Inside the oven, including the racks, trays, door glass and grill pan
- The hob, splashback and extractor hood
- Inside the fridge and freezer
- Inside every cupboard and drawer, as well as the fronts
Bathrooms
Bathrooms are the other one that catches people out. Limescale and grime build up slowly, so you stop noticing them, but a landlord walking in fresh will spot them straight away.
- Limescale on taps, showerheads, screens and around plugholes
- The toilet, including under the rim and around the base
- Grout, sealant, mirrors and the extractor fan cover
The dust your furniture leaves behind
This is the one I see all the time. A tenant does a good clean themselves, then the furniture gets moved out and they leave without looking again. If you’ve had furniture in a property, there’s always going to be dust collected behind and underneath it.
So even if you’ve cleaned beforehand, once the furniture has gone, do a once-over. Look at the walls, skirting boards and doors, and clean the areas where the furniture was. It’s a small job, but it makes a real difference.
A real example: when a clean uncovers a bigger problem
We had a property recently that was in a horrible shape. The tenants asked us to clean it, and when we got there we realised it was really, really bad. It needed a lot more than a regular end of tenancy clean, so we had to increase the price before carrying on.
Once we were done, luckily the landlord didn’t have any issues with it. But we noticed that in some parts of the walls there was mould, beyond regular wear and tear.
We clean mould as best we can, but a lot of the time it’s best to get a specialist in. And I’d say it’s typically the landlord’s duty to take care of mould. So what we did was document it with photos. That way the tenant wasn’t blamed for something that wasn’t down to them, and it worked out well.
Should you clean it yourself or hire a professional?
It really, really depends. It depends on how good the tenant is at cleaning, and that’s hard to judge when you don’t know someone. If a tenant tells me they’ve got everything under control, I’m not going to push it.
If you just want help with certain areas, like the oven or the bathroom, of course we’ll come in and do exactly what’s asked. You don’t always need a full clean.
One thing to be aware of is that some landlords are more particular than others. We’ve been to a property that was relatively clean to begin with. The tenant still wanted an end of tenancy clean, we did it, and the landlord still asked us to come back and redo certain spots. I won’t say the landlord was being difficult, but it does happen, and that’s where a guarantee comes in handy.
Whatever you decide, my advice is the same: once everything has moved out, look around each room and clean where the furniture used to be.
How to choose an end of tenancy cleaner
Because I’m interviewing and vetting cleaners every week, this is something I feel strongly about. If the clean isn’t done properly, the consequence is that you lose your deposit. So it’s important to ask the right questions and make sure whoever you hire knows exactly what needs to be done.
- Check their reviews and testimonials, ideally ones that mention end of tenancy cleans
- Ask whether they’ve done end of tenancy cleans before and what’s included
- Make sure they understand what’s involved, from the oven to the inside of the cupboards
- Ask if they offer a satisfaction guarantee, so if something goes wrong it can be put right without much of a fuss
- Ask if they take before and after photos
That way you don’t get stuck in a situation where there’s an argument over whether the property is clean enough for you to get your deposit back.
How much does an end of tenancy clean cost?
At Northfields Clean, we price end of tenancy cleans by property size. We start from £179 for a studio apartment with one bathroom, and it goes up from there depending on the size of the property.
Where possible, we ask clients to send us pictures before we arrive. If the property isn’t as presented, and it needs a much deeper clean than the usual tidy-up after someone moves out, we’ll renegotiate the price with you before we carry on. Sending photos upfront is the easiest way to avoid any surprises on the day.
When to book and how to prepare
End of tenancy is quite definite. You know when your tenancy agreement ends and when you’re moving out, so there’s no reason to leave it to the last minute. I’d suggest booking your clean 2 weeks to a month before the day you need it.
That matters even more because most of our end of tenancy cleans cluster around the end of the month, when most people are moving. Rushing to find a cleaner a few hours or a few days before you move out is a hassle you don’t need.
To get the property ready for the cleaners:
- Book the clean for when all your belongings and furniture are out, so the cleaner can do a thorough job
- Empty the fridge
- Turn the fridge and freezer off ahead of time, so any ice in the freezer can thaw
- Send your cleaner a few photos of the property
What to do after the clean
Take before and after photos
We always take pictures of every property before and after, especially on end of tenancy cleans. If a landlord complains, we go back to our pictures and check whether it’s justified. If you’re cleaning yourself, take your own photos of every room once you’re done.
Inspect the property straight away
It’s a good idea for the landlord to inspect, or at least for you to inspect, once the cleaning is done. That way you can flag anything that’s been missed while there’s still time to fix it.
Use your satisfaction guarantee
Our satisfaction guarantee says that if you let us know within 24 hours, we’ll come back and make good within 7 days. It gives clients peace of mind, and the landlord can rely on it too if they think some areas have been missed. We don’t often have the guarantee used, but when we do, it’s quite straightforward.
If you still can’t agree
If you and your landlord still can’t agree, your tenancy deposit scheme has a free dispute resolution service. It usually takes four to six weeks (Nation.Cymru), and your photos will be your best evidence.
My best advice for getting your deposit back
If you remember one thing, make it this: don’t book last minute. If you know you’re moving out on a certain day and you think you need a clean, just go ahead and book it.
Choose a cleaner with good reviews and good testimonials, so you know they know what they’re doing. Go with one that offers a satisfaction guarantee, so if anything goes wrong it can be rectified without a fuss. And before you hand back the keys, do one last once-over where the furniture used to be.
If you’re moving out in west London, Northfields Clean does end of tenancy cleans every week, and we’d be happy to help you get your deposit back.
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