Almost two thirds (63%) of UK renters have experienced tenancy deposit deductions due to cleaning-related issues, leaving to over £724m worth of losses per year in the UK, revealed the latest data from SpareRoom.
According to a survey carried out in May by the flat-sharing site, for which 1179 renters participated, the average amount of money deducted from renters’ deposits was £250.
Around 29% of respondents suffered deductions of more than £500, and 16% had over £750 subtracted.
These deposit losses are based on claims that the property was not thoroughly cleaned prior to the tenancy ending, which saw landlords deduct costs from the tenancy deposit to cover the professional cleaning services.
Of those who experienced cleaning-related deductions, only one third (34%) proactively contested them — out of those who did contest, 41% were able to reach an agreement with their landlord to reduce or cancel the proposed deductions.
In total, only 17% of respondents said they paid for a professional clean prior to moving out.
Matt Hutchinson, director at SpareRoom, said: “Navigating the moving out process can be a stressful one, for both renters and landlords, but ultimately landlords want to ensure their property is left in a good condition as much as renters want their deposits back.
“Although landlords can’t legally demand that tenants pay for professional cleaning, to minimise the risk of cleaning-related deposit deductions, renters should ensure that they’ve conducted a thorough clean either themselves or using a professional service, as well as staying on top of cleaning throughout the tenancy.
“It can be a tricky road to navigate, but transparent landlord-tenant conversations throughout the process can help to ensure there are no surprise deductions at the end of the road.”
