No. In England, the Tenant Fees Act 2019 means a landlord or letting agent can’t charge you for professional cleaning or make it a condition of your tenancy, even if your agreement includes a “professionally cleaned” clause. What they can do is deduct the reasonable cost of cleaning from your deposit if you leave the property less clean than it was at check-in, allowing for fair wear and tear.
Older-style cleaning clauses still turn up in tenancy agreements, and it’s easy to assume you have to book a specific company. Here’s what the law says, what you’re still responsible for, and what tenants and landlords in Hull and East Yorkshire should do about it.
Key takeaways
- Professional cleaning can’t be charged as a fee or required as a condition of a tenancy in England.
- You must still return the property as clean as it was at check-in, allowing for fair wear and tear.
- Cleaning deductions must be reasonable, proportionate and backed by evidence.
- You can clean yourself or hire anyone you choose; photos and receipts help either way.
What the Tenant Fees Act 2019 says about cleaning
The Tenant Fees Act 2019 banned most of the fees that landlords and letting agents in England used to charge tenants. The payments still allowed include rent, a refundable tenancy deposit, a holding deposit, and a small number of specific charges, such as replacing a lost key or changing the tenancy at the tenant’s request.
Professional cleaning isn’t on the permitted list. That means a landlord or agent can’t:
- Charge you a fee for a professional clean at the start or end of your tenancy
- Require you to use, and pay for, a particular cleaning company
- Make booking a professional clean a condition of the tenancy or of getting your deposit back
The Act covers most private tenancies in England, including student lets and licences to occupy. Wales and Scotland have their own rules. GOV.UK’s private renting guidance sets out tenants’ rights and responsibilities in England.
Is a professional cleaning clause in my tenancy enforceable?
If your agreement says you must pay for professional cleaning when you leave, that term isn’t binding on you. The rest of the tenancy agreement still stands; only the banned requirement falls away.
Some agreements are worded differently, asking for the property to be returned “to a professional standard”. In practice, the test at check-out is the same: is the property as clean as it was at check-in, as shown on the inventory? You’re free to reach that standard yourself, with friends, or by hiring any cleaner you like.
Tip: If you’re unsure what a clause means, ask the agent in writing to confirm what they expect at check-out. A clear written answer is useful if there’s a disagreement later.
What you’re still responsible for at the end of a tenancy
The ban on cleaning fees doesn’t mean you can leave the property dirty. Your responsibility is to return it in the same condition as at the start of the tenancy, allowing for fair wear and tear. If the check-in inventory says the property was cleaned to a high standard, that’s the level you need to match.
In practice, that usually means:
- A full clean of the kitchen, including the oven, hob, extractor, fridge and cupboards
- Descaling and cleaning the bathroom, toilet and shower
- Dusting and wiping skirting boards, doors, frames, switches and windowsills
- Returning carpets and floors to the condition recorded at check-in
- Removing all belongings and rubbish
Our room-by-room end of tenancy checklist covers every task, and our guide to what letting agents check at check-out shows where inspectors look first. If you’d rather not do it yourself, booking a professional end of tenancy clean is one option, but the choice is yours.
When can a landlord deduct cleaning costs from your deposit?
A landlord can claim the reasonable cost of cleaning from your deposit if the property is dirtier at check-out than at check-in. A fair cleaning deduction should be:
- Evidenced: supported by the check-in inventory, the check-out report and photos
- Proportionate: covering only what needs cleaning, not a full clean if only the oven was missed
- Reasonable in cost: in line with what the work genuinely costs, ideally backed by an invoice or quote
- Not for wear and tear: faded paint, worn carpet in walkways and ageing sealant aren’t cleaning failures
A blanket charge for a full professional clean, applied whatever the condition of the property, is hard to justify to a deposit scheme adjudicator if the property was left clean. Our guide on getting your full deposit back explains how deposit protection and deductions work.
Should you hire a professional cleaner anyway?
You don’t have to, but it can make sense if:
- The property was professionally cleaned before you moved in and the inventory says so
- You’re short on time between moving out and handing back the keys
- The oven, carpets or bathroom need more than a standard clean
- You’ve already moved away, for example at the end of a student let near the University of Hull
Specialist jobs can also be booked on their own, such as carpet cleaning with hot water extraction if the inventory records freshly cleaned carpets. Keep the receipt either way: a dated invoice, alongside your photos, is good evidence that the property was left clean. For an idea of what shapes the price, see what affects the cost of end of tenancy cleaning.
What to do if you’re charged for professional cleaning
- At the start of a tenancy: if an agent asks for a cleaning fee up front, point out in writing that it’s a prohibited payment under the Tenant Fees Act 2019, and ask for it back if you’ve already paid. Your local council’s Trading Standards team enforces the Act.
- At the end of a tenancy: if a deduction is labelled “professional clean” with no evidence the property was dirty, ask for an itemised breakdown and photos.
- Compare the evidence: put the check-in inventory, check-out report and your own photos side by side.
- Raise a dispute: if you can’t agree, use the deposit scheme’s free dispute service. The adjudicator decides on the evidence.
Our guide to getting your full deposit back explains which evidence carries the most weight. The government’s tenancy deposit protection rules explain how the schemes work.
Advice for landlords and letting agents
The simplest way to avoid cleaning disputes is a detailed check-in inventory with clear photos, so the expected standard is obvious to everyone. Our guide to recording cleanliness at check-in covers what to include. If a tenant does leave the property dirty, get an invoice or quote for the specific work needed and keep it with the check-out report.
Our services for landlords include cleans between tenancies, key holding and invoicing direct to landlords or agents.
Getting the end of tenancy clean right
However you choose to clean, the goal is the same: leave the property matching its check-in inventory. If you do want professional help, our team handles end of tenancy cleaning in Hull and across East Yorkshire, works to letting-agent checklists and agrees a fixed quote before starting.
Read more about our end of tenancy cleaning, or ask us a question, whether you’re a tenant, landlord or agent.
