End of Lease Cleaning Requirements NSW: Everything You Need to Know

Looking for comprehensive end-of-lease cleaning in Newcastle? Elleisha's Property Services is one of the most well-established cleaning companies in the region. Whatever your end of lease cleaning requirements are, we know how to get your bond back.

Cleaning up after the renters vacate can take a lot of time, which is why asking someone to do the job will probably be better than doing it yourself. Hiring a lease cleaning service helps landlords in ensuring that the rental is in good condition and ready for showing to prospective tenants.

Is Professional Cleaning Required at the End of Tenancy?

According to Fair Trading NSW, tenants must leave their property clean and in the same condition as it was when they first took possession of it. As this might be considered a requirement in any tenancy cleaning agreement, property managers and landlords should not oblige their tenants to pay for the costs of a professional cleaning service.

Fair wear and tear is something that naturally happens to every property as time passes. In this phase, it is not impossible to find scratched floors, faded paint, dirty caulking or grout, loose door handles, faucets, or hinges, wall dents and blemishes, and so much more.

Given that normal wear and tear is a general nature, it is not right for landlords to expect tenants to cover these costs. Thus, damage that goes beyond normal wear and tear is the only acceptable reason to deduct from rental bonds or from their security deposit.

How Clean Should Your Rental Property Be Before You Leave?

In Australia, you should be able to pass the final inspection of your house first before you can move out. While this is a common agreement between the landlord and the tenant, there are cleaning standards that should be followed in order to say that the area has been thoroughly cleaned.

End of lease cleaning is not just a spot cleaning process, but it requires the expertise of a professional cleaning service especially if your goal is to get your rental bond back.

End of lease cleaning, also known as bond cleaning, adheres to a set of rules to help you take care of areas inside and outside your rental space that must be cleaned or returned to the landlord, as much as possible, in pristine condition.

Otherwise, the manager may terminate the agreement and receive a refund of their money if, with reasonable wear and tear excluded, the property is not in essentially the same condition as it was at the time the agreement was made.

The standard places to clean include interiors, walls, floors, kitchens, bathrooms, bedrooms, living rooms, and dining rooms. However, when you hire professional cleaners, spaces like balconies and laundry rooms are frequently excluded from the scope of the job.

Use our checklist to request an estimated final price for the entire cleaning job, including any extra services you may have requested. This way, you can make sure that the cleaning services provided meet your end of lease requirements.

What Are the Requirements for End of Lease Cleaning?

As part of the end of lease cleaning package, the professional cleaner will provide all the cleaning supplies and advanced equipment necessary to work on even the hard to reach places of the house.

In addition to cleaning the spaces in your rental property, you would also need to consider cleaning all the items you would leave behind, such as carpets, upholstery, furniture, and any other appliances.

Cleaning of Walls, Floors, Doors, and Ceilings

Generally speaking, the cleaning service provider should be able to remove any dirt that may be present on the house's walls, floors, doors, and ceiling. It would be much better if they could sanitize the entire space aside from just sweeping and mopping.

If there are mould growth on the walls and ceilings, poor ventilation can occasionally be the cause. Thus, you need to tell the cleaners to clean the air vents as well. However, if the mould is particularly terrible, you might need to repaint the whole ceiling as mould sprays won't always work.

Interior Cleaning

The typical end of lease cleaning services should be able to clean even the unnoticeable parts of the house such as the skirting boards, fly screens, and sliding door tracks. However, if there are other items left, you should check out on those and ensure that they are still working.

Before the inspection, you might need to hire a handyman to fix broken light switches and ceiling fans. If at all possible, replace faded curtains with new ones as well. Even though it might not be your obligation, making the new renter feel at home in their new residence is a good thing to do.

Kitchen Cleaning

Bond cleaning services should completely clean and degrease your oven interior and door, as well as the hob, splashbacks, gleaming counter tops, taps, sinks, drawers and shelves. Keep in mind that these parts of the kitchen are typically included in most rental house cleaning service.

And while these are included in the standard cleaning tasks, your property manager may additionally require you to clean the fridge, walls, garages, and blinds as well. Thus, you'll need to let your professional cleaners know that you want them cleaned because they can be deemed extras.

Bathroom Cleaning

Bathrooms are one of the dirtiest areas of a rental house. Hence, you should make sure to clean every corner of it. Taps, tiles, plugs, and drains, needs to be completely cleaned. Shower doors must also be properly cleaned to ensure there is no soap scum left on the surfaces. Shower tiles and grouting must also be demolded and scrubbed down. If there are shower curtains, make sure to wash and clean them as necessary.

Touch Ups for Holes in Walls

If you have nailed something into the walls, you must ensure to fill in the holes and paint the entire wall from top to bottom. Patching up the problem, though, won't always fix it. You might need to hire a qualified handyman to fix the drywall correctly.

Consequently, if you have made any repairs to the walls for this specific purpose, it is your responsibility as a renter to make a note of the modified paint color during the final inspection.



Outdoor Cleaning

Depending on the rental agreement, the property manager may also request for a balcony cleaning. Since this part is also included in the entire space that you rented, you might be obliged to pay the cleaning service to clean this as well.

Additional Lease Cleaning Requirements

Carpet Cleaning

If your property manager requires that you get the carpets steam cleaned as well, you may need to book a professional end carpet cleaning company in advance since they are frequently booked at the end of the month.

Timing of is crucial since you cannot hand over a property that has wet carpets to the new tenant. Keep in mind that you should allot a few days for the carpet to be dried and aired completely. Otherwise, you can be charged or be held liable in replacing the musty carpets.

Strategies to Avoid End of Lease Disputes

The majority of conflicts can be settled directly between the tenant and the landlord through a straightforward and honest discussion. However, if things don't work out well, there are a few strategies to follow to avoid going to the Tenants Union.

Check the Condition Report

A condition report details the property's condition at the time the tenant moves in. If the owner requests for a rental bond, two copies of the report shall be given to the tenant at or before the start of the tenancy.

Shall there be any disputes with regards to the condition of the property, the report should serve as proof whether the damages incurred needs to be fixed or handled by a lease cleaning company.

Even during the beginning of your tenancy, you should already start completing the condition report, including taking photos. Same condition goes before moving out of the property. This way, you can obtain a clear evidence and stand for your rights in the event that a dispute arises.

Communicate Peacefully and Meticulously

If you have caused any damage to the property, it's crucial that you notify the agent or landlord as soon as possible.

Remember that keeping copies of correspondence, preferably in writing, is also a smart idea in case a dispute occurs. Most importantly, staying calm and maintaining your composure is the best thing to do when interacting with the agent or landlord.



Know Who the Agent is Working For

A real estate agent could occasionally pose as a third party. But actually, they are employed by the landlord. Hence, it's crucial for tenants to keep in mind that while they are ethically required to be truthful while speaking with them, they are acting on behalf of the landlord.



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