Question 1

How much does end of tenancy cleaning cost?

Accepted Answer

An end of tenancy clean typically runs about $120 to $300 for a one or two-bedroom flat and $250 to $450 for a three-bedroom house, with smaller studios starting near $100 and larger four-bedroom homes reaching $500 or more. By the hour it is roughly $25 to $55 per cleaner. The price is higher than a standard clean because the property is empty and the scope reaches inside every cupboard, oven, and appliance, measured against the check-in inventory.

Question 2

Is a professional end of tenancy clean legally required?

Accepted Answer

No. Under the Tenant Fees Act 2019 a landlord cannot make you pay for a professional clean as a condition of the tenancy, and a tenancy agreement cannot force you to hire a professional cleaner. What the law does require is that you return the property to the same standard of cleanliness it was in at move-in, as recorded in the check-in inventory. You can do that yourself, but a professional clean is often the most reliable way to match the original standard - especially after a long tenancy.

Question 3

How is an end of tenancy clean different from a standard clean?

Accepted Answer

A standard clean maintains a home that is lived-in and furnished - surfaces, floors, the kitchen, and bathroom. An end of tenancy clean is done on an empty property and is far more thorough: inside every cupboard and drawer, inside the oven, hob, and fridge-freezer, limescale removed from taps and shower screens, skirting boards, window sills and tracks, and the floors throughout. It is graded against the check-in inventory at the check-out, so the bar is the move-in condition, not day-to-day tidiness.

Question 4

What is included in an end of tenancy clean?

Accepted Answer

A full end of tenancy clean covers the empty property room by room: in the kitchen, inside and behind the oven, the hob and extractor, the fridge-freezer, and every cupboard and drawer; in the bathroom, descaling taps, shower screens, tiles, and the toilet; throughout, skirting boards, door frames, light switches, window sills and tracks, internal glass, and the floors. Carpet shampooing is usually a separate add-on. Oven cleaning and limescale removal are the two jobs tenants most often underestimate, which is why they are priced as line items.

Question 5

Does an end of tenancy clean guarantee my deposit back?

Accepted Answer

No clean can guarantee a full deposit return, because cleanliness is only one of the things a landlord checks at the check-out - damage and wear are assessed separately. What a thorough, receipted end of tenancy clean does is give you strong evidence that the property was returned to its check-in standard. If the deposit is protected in a scheme such as TDS, DPS, or MyDeposits and there is a dispute, a professional invoice plus the check-out inventory clerk's report is often what decides a cleanliness deduction in the tenant's favour.

Question 6

What is a re-clean clause and should I expect one?

Accepted Answer

Many professional end of tenancy services include a re-clean guarantee: if the landlord or inventory clerk flags a cleanliness issue at the check-out within a set window, usually 48 to 72 hours, the company returns to put it right at no extra charge. It is worth asking for one in writing before booking, because it ties the clean directly to passing the check-out inspection. The guarantee usually covers cleaning standard only, not damage, and assumes the property was empty and the utilities were on when the work was done.

Property size	Typical range
Studio / 1-bed flatSmall flat, empty property	$100 – $220
2-bed flat or house~750 sq ft-1,000 sq ft	$150 – $300
3-bed house~1,200 sq ft	$250 – $450
4-bed house~1,800 sq ft	$350 – $550
5+ bed / larger home2,500 sq ft+	$500 – $800
National averageMost lets land between $150 and $450	~$300
By the hour (per cleaner)Empty lets move faster but the scope is deeper	$25 – $55 / hr
By square footUsed on larger whole-property jobs	$0.10 – $0.25 / sq ft

End of tenancy cleaning cost - what it takes to get the deposit back.

Why end of tenancy cleans cost more than a standard clean

How an end of tenancy clean protects your deposit

Typical end of tenancy cleaning prices by property size

Price the let, then send it as a real quote.

Common questions