Is end-of-tenancy cleaning a legal requirement, and what can a landlord deduct?

In England, Wales and Scotland, the legal test is not whether an end-of-tenancy clean was professional, but whether the tenant returned the property to the condition required by the tenancy, allowing for fair wear and tear. Northern Ireland is different on fees: there is no equivalent statutory ban on requiring a professional-clean payment, though deposit-scheme guidance advises against insisting on one.

Is end-of-tenancy cleaning a legal requirement?

End-of-tenancy cleaning is not a legal requirement as a professional service in England, Wales or Scotland, but the tenant can be required to return the property as clean as it was at the start, allowing for fair wear and tear. MHCLG’s England guidance states: “Tenants are responsible for ensuring that the property is returned in the condition that they found it, aside from any fair wear and tear.” Wales has statutory vacating duties, but the listed duties do not create a professional end-of-tenancy cleaning rule. Scotland’s letting-agent code treats cleaning as a tenancy-agreement standard, requiring agents to tell tenants about “the standard of cleaning required” before they leave. That is the practical end-of-tenancy cleaning rule: not mandatory professional cleaning, but evidence of the check-in standard, usually from the inventory and photographs. London has no separate end-of-tenancy cleaning laws from the rest of England.

Can a landlord require the tenant to pay for a professional clean?

A landlord in England or Wales cannot require a tenant to pay for a professional end-of-tenancy clean or make the tenant contract with a cleaning company, even if the tenancy agreement contains a professional cleaning clause. MHCLG’s England guidance is explicit: “You cannot require a tenant to pay for a professional clean when they check-out,” and the Tenant Fees Act says: “For the purposes of this Act a payment is a prohibited payment unless it is a permitted payment by virtue of Schedule 1.” Wales is stricter in criminal form: “It is an offence for a landlord to require a person to enter into a contract for services with the landlord, or any other person—”. In Scotland, a compulsory extra service charge can fall within the premium ban: “It is an offence to require payment of any premium” beyond rent and the permitted deposit. Northern Ireland has no matching statutory ban, but TDS NI says: “The landlord cannot request that tenants must use a professional cleaning company, or a cleaning service at all.”

Can a landlord charge for cleaning at the end of a tenancy?

A landlord cannot charge a checkout cleaning fee in England, but can claim damages from the deposit or through court if the tenant leaves the property dirtier than the tenancy required. GOV.UK’s fees list says: “You cannot charge your tenant any payment that is not on this list,” and cleaning is not on that list; the crucial distinction is that Schedule 1 of the Tenant Fees Act separately permits damages, stating: “A payment of damages for breach of a tenancy agreement or an agreement between a letting agent and a relevant person is a permitted payment.” MHCLG’s enforcement guidance confirms the point: “This act does not affect the landlord’s entitlement to recover damages through the tenancy deposit or through the courts.” Wales has the same structure for occupation contracts, where a default payment can be permitted. Scotland’s model private residential tenancy also recognises a deposit deduction for “a sum in relation to breakages or cleaning.”

How much can a landlord deduct for cleaning?

A landlord can deduct only the reasonable, evidenced cost of restoring the property to the required cleanliness standard, and no UK law sets a fixed cleaning-deduction tariff. In England, the legal gateway is damages, because Schedule 1 says: “A payment of damages for breach of a tenancy agreement or an agreement between a letting agent and a relevant person is a permitted payment.” The government’s own enforcement guidance adds: “This act does not affect the landlord’s entitlement to recover damages through the tenancy deposit or through the courts.” In practice, the invoice and the difference between check-in and check-out condition matter more than the cleaner’s label; Shelter’s England guidance puts the deposit rule plainly: “Any deposit deductions must be reasonable and relate to money lost by the landlord.” As a market anchor, Checkatrade’s 2026 guide says: “End of tenancy cleaning costs around £260 for a two-bedroom property, but prices vary by size, condition and location.” A slight shortfall from check-in cleanliness should not justify a full professional-clean charge.

Are scuff marks and stains fair wear and tear, or chargeable?

Small scuffs, faded paint and age-related wear are usually fair wear and tear, while stains, burns and dirt that need cleaning are usually chargeable if they go beyond the check-in condition. The Court of Appeal’s England and Wales statement in Warren v Keen is still the useful line: if a house deteriorates “through fair wear and tear or lapse of time or for any reason not caused by him, then the tenant is not liable to repair it.” Shelter England says: “Your landlord cannot keep any of your deposit for 'fair wear and tear'.” Scotland’s SafeDeposits guidance gives the same practical example: “Faded wallpaper, chipped paint or small scuffs on kitchen units would likely not result in an award for damage as it is typical for these to occur over time.” But carpet stains and burns are different: mydeposits says “stains or burns would be considered damage.” Cleaning claims are their own category too; TDS says: “We do not regard fair wear and tear as relevant in cleaning claims.”

Do landlords have to clean between tenants?

Landlords do not have a legal duty to carry out a professional clean between tenants, but they must provide a home that is fit for occupation and should expect to pay for any turnaround clean they choose to do. In England, the fitness duty applies at the start of the tenancy: the dwelling “is fit for human habitation at the time the lease is granted or otherwise created or, if later, at the beginning of the term of the lease.” The same Act says a dwelling is unfit only if it is “not reasonably suitable for occupation in that condition,” which is a higher threshold than failing to meet a professional cleaner’s checklist. Scotland’s repairing standard similarly requires that “the house is wind and water tight and in all other respects reasonably fit for human habitation.” A landlord can claim against the outgoing tenant only where the evidence shows the tenant failed to return the property to the agreed standard; otherwise, cleaning between tenancies is the landlord’s own reletting cost.

What is included in a professional end-of-tenancy clean?

No UK law defines what must be included in a professional end-of-tenancy clean, so the contents depend on the cleaner’s quote, the inventory standard and any lawful tenancy wording. A typical professional end-of-tenancy clean covers kitchens, bathrooms, floors, surfaces, cupboards and appliances, but carpets, upholstery, ovens and rubbish removal vary by supplier. Housekeep’s 2026 cost guide says: “It typically includes deep cleaning all rooms, including inside cupboards and appliances such as your washing machine and dishwasher.” It also warns: “Carpet and upholstery cleaning usually isn’t included in a professional end of tenancy cleaning as standard but most companies will offer this as an additional service.” Other suppliers bundle differently: Fantastic Cleaners says: “Oven cleaning, kitchen deep cleaning, and bathroom sanitation are included in the service, not treated as extras,” while MyJobQuote says: “Extra services such as carpet cleaning, oven cleaning, or upholstery cleaning usually come at an additional cost.” The safest specification is the one that matches the check-in inventory, not the word professional.

How much does an end-of-tenancy clean cost?

An end-of-tenancy clean usually costs about £100–£350 for a standard UK property, with London commonly higher at about £150–£490 including VAT. MyJobQuote’s 2026 guide says: “The average end of tenancy cleaning cost in the UK ranges from £100 to £350, with most people paying around £150 to £200 for a standard 2 bedroom home.” Housekeep gives the London figure separately: “In London, an end of tenancy clean usually costs £150 - £490 (inc. VAT),” and says: “Outside of London, an end of tenancy clean normally costs £120 - £400 (inc.VAT).” Those are market prices, not legal caps. A landlord deducting from a deposit still has to prove the actual loss, the starting cleanliness standard, the ending condition and why the charge was reasonable. England’s Tenant Fees Act does not create a cleaning price list; it only allows a damages payment where there has been a breach.

Who clears rubbish and a full bin the tenant left behind?

The tenant is normally responsible for removing rubbish, full bins and belongings they leave behind, but the landlord can recover only the actual, evidenced clearance cost, not a charge merely because items were left. Wales states the leaving duty directly: when vacating, the contract-holder must “remove from the dwelling all property” belonging to them or a permitted occupier. Scotland’s model private residential tenancy notes say: “If the tenant does not dispose of rubbish properly, the landlord can do it instead and ask the tenant to pay back the costs.” England’s old How to Rent checklist gave the same practical instruction to tenants: “Remove all your possessions, clean the house, dispose of rubbish and take meter readings.” For deposit deductions in England and Wales, TDS draws the important line on leftover furniture and belongings: “You cannot claim just because the items were left behind.” A full household-waste bin and abandoned furniture should therefore be treated together: clear it if necessary, keep the invoice, and claim the evidenced loss only.

Last reviewed September 2026.

Sources

• MHCLG, Tenant Fees Act 2019 guidance for landlords and agents — “Tenants are responsible for ensuring that the property is returned in the condition that they found it, aside from any fair wear and tear.” Source
• Scottish Government, Letting Agent Code of Practice 2016 — “Before they leave the property you must clearly inform the tenant of their responsibilities such as the standard of cleaning required; the closing of utility accounts and other administrative obligations, e.g. council tax, in line with their tenancy agreement.” Source
• MHCLG, Tenant Fees Act 2019 guidance for landlords and agents — “You cannot require a tenant to pay for a professional clean when they check-out.” Source
• Tenant Fees Act 2019, section 3 — “For the purposes of this Act a payment is a prohibited payment unless it is a permitted payment by virtue of Schedule 1.” Source
• Renting Homes (Fees etc.) (Wales) Act 2019, section 2 — “It is an offence for a landlord to require a person to enter into a contract for services with the landlord, or any other person—” Source
• Scottish Government, Private Residential Tenancy statutory terms supporting notes — “It is an offence to require payment of any premium (in addition to the rent and a refundable deposit of no more than two months’ rent) as a condition of the grant, renewal or continuance of a tenancy.” Source
• TDS Northern Ireland, Ask TDS professional cleaning article — “The landlord cannot request that tenants must use a professional cleaning company, or a cleaning service at all.” Source
• GOV.UK, Fees you can charge as part of a tenancy — “You cannot charge your tenant any payment that is not on this list.” Source
• Tenant Fees Act 2019, Schedule 1 — “A payment of damages for breach of a tenancy agreement or an agreement between a letting agent and a relevant person is a permitted payment.” Source
• MHCLG, Tenant Fees Act 2019 statutory guidance for enforcement authorities — “This act does not affect the landlord’s entitlement to recover damages through the tenancy deposit or through the courts.” Source
• Renting Homes (Fees etc.) (Wales) Act 2019, Schedule 1 — “A payment that is required, under a standard occupation contract, to be made in the event of a default by the contract-holder is a permitted payment, but this is subject to sub-paragraph (3).” Source
• Scottish Government model Private Residential Tenancy Agreement — “This would include cases where a tenant has not paid all of the rent payable, any amount in respect of one-off services, or unpaid utility bills, or a sum in relation to breakages or cleaning.” Source
• Shelter England, deposit deductions — “Any deposit deductions must be reasonable and relate to money lost by the landlord.” Source
• Checkatrade, end-of-tenancy cleaning prices — “End of tenancy cleaning costs around £260 for a two-bedroom property, but prices vary by size, condition and location.” Source
• Warren v Keen [1954] 1 QB 15, Court of Appeal — “through fair wear and tear or lapse of time or for any reason not caused by him, then the tenant is not liable to repair it” Source
• Shelter England, deposit deductions — “Your landlord cannot keep any of your deposit for 'fair wear and tear'.” Source
• SafeDeposits Scotland, fair wear and tear and betterment — “Faded wallpaper, chipped paint or small scuffs on kitchen units would likely not result in an award for damage as it is typical for these to occur over time.” Source
• mydeposits, fair wear and tear — “For instance, a carpet showing signs of wear due to foot traffic is acceptable, but stains or burns would be considered damage.” Source
• TDS, cleaning disputes — “We do not regard fair wear and tear as relevant in cleaning claims.” Source
• Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, section 9A — “is fit for human habitation at the time the lease is granted or otherwise created or, if later, at the beginning of the term of the lease” Source
• Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, section 10 — “not reasonably suitable for occupation in that condition.” Source
• Housing (Scotland) Act 2006, section 13 — “the house is wind and water tight and in all other respects reasonably fit for human habitation” Source
• Housekeep, end-of-tenancy cleaning cost guide — “It typically includes deep cleaning all rooms, including inside cupboards and appliances such as your washing machine and dishwasher.” Source
• Housekeep, end-of-tenancy cleaning cost guide — “Carpet and upholstery cleaning usually isn’t included in a professional end of tenancy cleaning as standard but most companies will offer this as an additional service.” Source
• Fantastic Cleaners, end-of-tenancy cleaning — “Oven cleaning, kitchen deep cleaning, and bathroom sanitation are included in the service, not treated as extras.” Source
• MyJobQuote, end-of-tenancy cleaning costs — “Extra services such as carpet cleaning, oven cleaning, or upholstery cleaning usually come at an additional cost.” Source
• MyJobQuote, end-of-tenancy cleaning costs — “The average end of tenancy cleaning cost in the UK ranges from £100 to £350, with most people paying around £150 to £200 for a standard 2 bedroom home.” Source
• Housekeep, end-of-tenancy cleaning cost guide — “In London, an end of tenancy clean usually costs £150 - £490 (inc. VAT)” Source
• Housekeep, end-of-tenancy cleaning cost guide — “Outside of London, an end of tenancy clean normally costs £120 - £400 (inc.VAT)” Source
• The Renting Homes (Supplementary Provisions) (Wales) Regulations 2022, regulation 8 — “remove from the dwelling all property” Source
• Scottish Government, Private Residential Tenancy model agreement easy-read notes — “If the tenant does not dispose of rubbish properly, the landlord can do it instead and ask the tenant to pay back the costs.” Source
• GOV.UK, How to Rent checklist — “Remove all your possessions, clean the house, dispose of rubbish and take meter readings.” Source
• TDS, deposit deductions where tenants leave furniture behind — “You cannot claim just because the items were left behind.” Source