Who Pays For Cleaning & Repairs?
If the property was in good shape when they moved in and this can be proven, and especially if you're using a Property Manager, this cost will come from the tenant's security deposit at move out. The same is true if there are damages caused by the tenant. However, normal wear and tear items cannot be charged to tenants and cannot come out of the security deposit
This is why, if you are a new landlord, it's very important that you get the property in sound condition, cleaned, sanitized and have it documented by way of photographs and receipts.
Without doing this, you simply have no way to hold a tenant responsible for any damages, whether it is mechanical or if the property is just left filthy.
Immediately after a tenant turns possession back over, it is vital to have a thorough photographed inspection. This is standard procedure with any professional property management company.
This “move out inspection” report is what we will base the efforts needed to bring the property back into market conditions A.S.A.P.
How much will that cost?
If the house was in good condition when the tenants moved in and they left it in such, it will cost very little, if it's needed at all.
If the tenants had not cleaned the bathrooms or kitchen in a full year, it would obviously cost significantly more, but again that will often come out of the tenant's security deposit.
Make sure your Property Manager is doing at least one interior inspection a year. If you have tenants that do not respect the property, allow your Property Manager to find someone who will.
Who defines what is clean?
Are you looking for clean, sanitized or immaculate?
QUICK REFERENCE
CLEANING RATES
Includes before and after pictures for your records or security deposit disputes
Cleaning
Sanitize kitchen, kitchen appliances and bathrooms. Wipe down doors, casings, walls, sweep and mop hard floors
generally averages $300
Carpet,
Case-by-case
Exterior Clean-up
unless it's trash or abandoned items left by tenant, it's normally the owner's responsibility
$85 minimum - case-by-case
Basic Exterior House Cleaning
Includes chemical treating of walls, soffits and facia to kill mold.
Light power wash to remove dirt and dead mold
General Range $125-$240
Preparing Exterior for Painting
(Included with our exterior paint jobs)
Chemical treat all walls, soffits and facia to kill mold. Power wash to remove dirt, dead mold and loose paint.
General Range $350+
Driveways and Sidewalks
$75- minimum
Eviction Clean Outs
Evictions are dealt with in three stages
#1 Rough clean-up of items and removal of trash and furniture.
Generally $600-$900
#2 Repairs
Based on inspection
#3 Clean and sanitize
Generally $400+
Evictions are rare with a good property manager.
They are expensive and always become the owner's responsibility.
Billing Structure & Cleaning Definitions
Billing structure
#1 Full detail (by the square foot)
#2 General cleaning (by the hour)
Full detail (#1), is a detailed cleaning of every surface. This process often needs to be completed in several stages.
For example: A house so dirty it cannot even be painted, such as one with chain-smoking tenants or if there was a fire and everything is covered in soot. Also, a property with many pets or that has been neglected for years.
Rate is case-by-case
General cleaning (#2) is the standard method of billing for cleaning.
This is a general cleaning. You can request that certain items or areas be detailed more thoroughly to fit your needs.
Basic rate is $35 an hour
General Cleaning Definitions
General cleaning of walls
Although we would wipe down the dirty areas around light switches as well as other obvious places, not every square foot of the wall would be wiped down.
General cleaning of bathrooms
Although the toilet, sink and bathtub would be sanitized and hard water stains removed, not every obscure corner, wall or fixture of the bathroom would be cleaned to the same extent.
General cleaning of oven
Although the oven would be cleaned, it would not be dismantled and pulled out and clean behind.
General cleaning of fridge
Although the fridge will be cleaned, it would not be dismantled, pulled out or have the cooling fins beneath blown out.
General cleaning of floors
Although floors would be swept and mopped they would not be stripped and refinished
