Move-Out Cleaning-How I Solved a Problem and Empowered My Tenants

Move-Out Cleaning-How I Solved a Problem and Empowered My Tenants

When I deliver an apt. to a tenant, the place is thoroughly cleaned. If my tenants leave the place as it was on the day they moved in, they get their entire security deposit returned. Unfortunately, what I consider clean and what someone else considers clean are 2 different things. An argument always ensues, where the tenant swears they spent 6 hours scrubbing the floors, kitchen and bath---yet the interior of the oven is dirty, the ceiling fan blades are covered with soot, and the refrigerator has remnants of last night's dinner. Even with a professional cleaning company, I have had tenants complain about the quality of the work (and I have agreed). What's a Property Manager to do? I have addressed this issue in the following way:

I allow the new tenant to bring the place up to "their standards" and pay them $25/hour for doing so. I deduct this amount from the previous tenant's security deposit, and credit it to the new tenant on the subsequent month's rent. Since it is usually only about 2 hours time, the $50 is a bargain for me to pay. Cleaning companies charge more than 2-3 times that for a couple of hours cleaning. The old tenant is thrilled not to have to pay $150 and the new tenant is thrilled because they get a deduction for cleaning (that they most likely planned on doing anyhow).

Everyone is happy and I empower my tenants in the process and an empowered tenant is a happy tenant!

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