June 2020
Reading Time: 3 Minutes
It may seem obvious, but nothing beats a truly clean house. Tidy isn’t good enough – if you’re keen to attract tenants, your rental property should sparkle for its viewings and photography. Properties rent more easily if they’re cleaned until sparkling. If not, tenants who view your property will see and smell dirt, which may scare them off. Even if you are unhappy with how the previous tenants have left the property, your home still needs to be squeaky clean to attract its next tenants.
Using commercial cleaners before you first let a property makes sense. The cost is tax deductible and having a property professionally cleaned is a great safeguard - it can help prove to the Tenancy Tribunal at the end of the tenancy that the property was clean at the beginning of the tenancy. Having a sparkling clean house sets a great standard for your tenants. Although tenants are only required to leave a property ‘reasonably clean’ (which may translate to a tidy home with clean surfaces) they are more likely to take pride in the property if it was perfectly clean when they moved in. Between tenancies it’s a good idea to pay for a ‘refresh’ clean. This will be at your cost, but it will ensure your rental property is maintained to a high standard and you will be more likely to attract the best possible tenants.
If you decide to tackle the cleaning yourself, pay attention to detail as well as obvious areas such as kitchens and bathrooms. Follow the top-to-bottom, left-to-right rule when cleaning each room. This way, no surface is overlooked. Tenants may open cupboards and closets too, so don’t forget these areas. Clean filters in rangehoods and heat pumps, give the oven a deep clean and steam clean your curtains. Have carpets professionally cleaned or hire a Rug Doctor to do it yourself. If your carpets or curtains are damaged, consider replacing them.
Don’t limit your cleaning efforts to the inside of your property. Consider having your rental property washed professionally between tenancies. The outside of your property is the face of your home and many tenants may not even come in if the outside is unappealing. At the very least remove cobwebs and clean windows. Check the property carefully for hidden rubbish and be sure to remove it all. A quick weeding of the garden is also always a good idea, too.
Familiarise yourself with specialist cleaning products to remove animal smells, mould or stains. Be sure to check the labels on cleaning products to ensure they are appropriate for the surfaces to be cleaned. Add a scented candle or pleasant-smelling diffuser for viewings. This will create a pleasant atmosphere as well as masking any lingering smells.
When employing a professional cleaner, write a cleaning checklist to ensure nothing is missed. You can then use the list again at the end of the tenancy, to aid with your ‘refresh’ clean. If you’re cleaning the house yourself, a checklist is still a great idea to ensure you are as thorough as you need to be.
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