Can Landlord Ask Tenants To Pay For Professional Cleaning?

Can landlord ask tenants to pay for professional cleaning? Landlords often try to maintain their units in immaculate conditions. That is because only then, the tenants will opt for renting those premises. Nobody likes to rent premises which are not up to the mark.

Your current tenant will often vacate the premises if the landlord cannot maintain them in perfect condition. These days, seldom do any landlords handle the cleaning themselves. In most cases, they hire a professional cleaning service for the same.

One question that plagues tenants and landlords is whether they can charge for professional cleaning or not. On the one hand, the landlords state that since the tenants are using the premises and causing the wear and tear, they should pay for it. On the other hand, the tenant stated that it is the landlords’ responsibility to maintain the apartment/unit. We will answer this question today once and for all.

Can landlords ask tenants to pay for professional cleaning?

Yes, landlords can ask tenants to pay for professional cleaning. That is because landlords often have to restore the premises to the original condition from time to time. Only then will it be habitable.

The question is, how much can landlords charge for it. We will cover that below as well.

How much can landlords charge tenants for professional cleaning?

The answer is, landlords can easily charge anywhere between 200 Singapore dollars to 500 Singapore dollars for cleaning. You might be thinking, why is the range is so large for a cleaning fee. There are a few parameters on which the exact charge depends. We will cover these parameters below.

1. Unit condition at the commencement of lease:

If the unit was in pristine condition at the start of the lease, and currently, it is not, the cleaning fee will be on the higher side.

On the other hand, if the unit was in acceptable condition at the start of the lease, the cleaning fee will also be lower. It is one of the most important factors which determines the cleaning fee.

2. Area of the unit:

Professional cleaners often inspect the premises to determine their professional cleaning fee. In landlords are charging upfront as well, they need to take this factor into account. If the unit measures 400 ft.² will, of course, be more affordable to clean as compared to a unit with an 800 ft.² area.

Moreover, larger apartments also have more furniture. The higher the furniture, the more will be the professional cleaning fee. Needless to say, when you as a landlord are determining how much you should charge the tenants, the professional cleaning fee, you have to take the area into account.

In case you have no clue how much the professional cleaning will cost, you can ask for a quotation from professional cleaners. Once you do so, it will be easier to know about the fee. You can easily charge the tenants a fee according to the quotations which you get.

3. Specific damage, if any:

If the tenant is occupying the premises for a long time, there is extensive wear and tear. It can include:

• Modification of grills
• Nail holes
• Deterioration of paint
• Flooring cracks
• And so on

In that case, the cleaning fee is also on the higher side. That is because, along with cleaning, the unit will need restoration as well. Restoration is much more expensive as compared to cleaning.

That is why, when you’re determining the professional cleaning fee, it is important to audit the unit for any damage. Once you do so, it becomes easier to determine the fee. The best thing about charging a professional cleaning fee is that you can deduct them from the deposit.

Often, the lease contract clearly states that you can do so. However, it is a good idea to inform the tenant regarding the same. You can mutually decide that the amount will get deducted from the deposit. In that case, it does not directly go out of the tenant’s pocket.

Can Landlord Ask Tenants To Pay For Professional Cleaning? – Conclusion

So, yes, landlords can charge tenants professional cleaning fees. However, you have to consider the above three factors to determine how much you should charge your tenant. Only once follow the principles in the guide above it is easy for you to determine the fee and charge the same to your tenant.