Cleaning for success

EPIC

Sep 8

3 min read

Cleaning might not be the most glamorous part of managing a rental property but it’s an important one to get right.

The condition a property is presented in at the start of a tenancy sets the tone for everything that follows – the tenant’s respect for the space, the standard expected at the end of a tenancy and your position as a landlord if a deposit dispute ever arises.

Bright marble bathroom with tub, glass shower, gray vanity, sunlit window, and EPIC Property Services watermark.

Here at EPIC, we have years of experience prepping Aberdeen city and shire property rentals for their best outcome, and how our team’s cleaning (and independent inventory) can set a landlord up for a smooth and successful tenancy:

End of tenancy cleaning

No surprises here! It’s easily one of the most popular landlord requests.

A professional end of tenancy clean goes well beyond what a tenant is likely to manage, covering every surface, appliance and corner that’s been quietly accumulating grime since move-in day. Kitchens and bathrooms typically bear the brunt of a full tenancy with limescale build-up and grease – and extractor fans that haven’t been touched since the last professional clean! A professional knows exactly where to look and exactly what high standard is expected.

The practical value is straightforward: a properly cleaned property is ready for new tenants immediately, with no delay, no awkward conversations and no dispute about what the tenant left behind. It also sets a clear benchmark that a professional clean at the start of a tenancy, documented in the inventory, sets the standard the property should be returned to at the end.

Carpet cleaning

Professional carpet cleaning removes the kind of ingrained dirt, staining and odour that domestic vacuuming simply can't touch. It also extends the life of the carpet and presents the property in the best possible light for incoming tenants.

In our experience, carpets are one of the most common issues in a deposit dispute. A carpet that’s returned in a materially worse condition than at check-in is recoverable through the deposit scheme, but only if the check-in standard is documented.

Oven cleaning

Did you just groan? So did we. Nobody loves cleaning an oven, except the professionals! By the end of a tenancy, a neglected oven can be in a terrible state with burnt-on grease, broken seals, a bit of a constant whiff and that grim orange tint on what used to be a see-through window.

A professional oven cleaner dismantles the full oven – removing racks, doors and panels where necessary and returns it sparkling clean. It’s a small cost relative to the impression it creates and certainly in comparison to the cost of a replacement if the neglect carries across to future tenancies.

But again, document it. An oven recorded as professionally cleaned at check in is an oven you have a legitimate claim over if it comes back in a significantly worse state.

One-off and deep cleans

Mid-term? Ready to market? Things just got a bit…out of hand? Not every cleaning requirement fits neatly into one of the above categories, and for that reason, we offer one-off and deep cleans to bring it back to standard.

The link between cleaning and your deposit

An independent inventory is a legally binding document in case of a dispute. Conducted at the start of a tenancy, it meticulously details the condition of a rental property – from top to bottom and including white goods and furnishings. Starting a tenancy with a professional clean gives landlords the baseline they need for a smooth changeover and a defensible position if a dispute ever arises.

EPIC, known locally as the North East’s property problem solver, can manage this work on the landlord’s behalf. From independent inventories to mid-tenancy checks, deep cleans, oven cleans and carpet cleans as well as lettings legislation and compliance.

If you’d like to discuss what your rental property needs, get in touch today.