Do You Have to Pay for Professional Cleaning at the End of a Tenancy?

This is one of the most misunderstood parts of renting. The short version: a landlord cannot force you to use a specific cleaning company, but you are expected to return the property as clean as it was when you moved in. Here's what that means in practice.

What the Tenant Fees Act 2019 changed

For tenancies in England signed or renewed on or after 1 June 2019, the Tenant Fees Act bans most fees that aren't rent or a deposit. Crucially, it outlawed the old practice of writing a clause that required tenants to pay for a professional clean regardless of how clean they left the property.

So can they charge me for cleaning at all?

Yes — but only from your deposit, and only if you leave the property less clean than it was at check-in. If that happens, the landlord can deduct the reasonable cost of bringing it back to standard, and they must be able to evidence it with the check-in and check-out inventories.

If you leave the place spotless, they have nothing to charge for — whether or not your agreement mentions 'professional' cleaning.

How to satisfy a cleaning clause

1. 1Check whether your check-in inventory says the property was 'professionally cleaned' — that sets your target standard
2. 2Either clean it to that standard yourself, or book a professional end of tenancy clean
3. 3Keep the itemised, dated invoice — it proves you met the standard
4. 4Take photos on the day you hand back the keys

An itemised invoice is the part tenants overlook. When an agent sees a dated professional receipt that lists every room and task, cleaning disputes tend to disappear before they start. (For the wider picture on deductions, see our guide to getting your deposit back.)

What to do if you're being charged unfairly

If a landlord tries to make 'professional cleaning' a flat condition of an agreement signed after 1 June 2019, or deducts for cleaning without evidence, you can challenge it through your deposit scheme's free dispute service. Keep everything in writing and lean on your inventory and receipts.

Rules differ slightly across the UK — Wales has its own Renting Homes legislation, and Scotland and Northern Ireland have separate regimes — so check the position where you rent. The underlying principle, though, is the same everywhere: you owe a standard, not a specific company's bill.