My deposit is held under the TDS (Tenancy Deposit Scheme) and my agent says that the Landlord intends to make deductions from my deposit for cleaning charges. Can they do this?

My deposit is held under the TDS (Tenancy Deposit Scheme) and my agent says that the Landlord intends to make deductions from my deposit for cleaning charges. Can they do this?

Deductions made by landlords in relation to cleaning charges are regularly disputed by tenants at the end of a tenancy.  Many tenants claim that the cleanliness of the property at the start of the tenancy was not up to the required standard, or that the tenancy agreement did not make clear what was expected of them.

Where landlords wish to make deductions for cleaning costs, they will need to be careful to record the cleanliness of the property in sufficient detail, at the start and end of the tenancy by arranging an independent inventory report.  If there is a disparity between the two reports, the landlord can then claim cleaning costs.

Therefore, it is important to read your inventory check-in report and read the terms of your tenancy agreement. If the property has been cleaned to a professional standard at the start of the tenancy it will need to be returned at the end of the tenancy to the same professional standard. A domestic clean is not sufficient.

Natasha Bedenik

Director, Lettings