While it may be thrilling for a tenant to move into a new apartment, the tasks involved in moving from one house to another can be exhausting. To avoid this, it makes sense to hire professional cleaning services, to help you carry out a crucial part of vacating the existing house. At this point, some may question the very rationale behind getting a house that is being vacated, cleaned.
Why should you get the rented home deep cleaned before vacating?
Apart from civility demanding that you hand over the premises in the same form as you got it at the start of the tenancy period, tenants are also legally obliged to demonstrate a well-mannered approach, if they do not want a large chunk of their security deposit getting deducted towards damage repairs and house cleaning.
In cities like Mumbai and Bengaluru, where it is a common practice among landlords to demand at least a year’s rent as security deposit, the risks of losing a substantial part of this money is much higher, if you leave the property in a bad condition. In cities like Delhi, Noida and Gurgaon, where tenants typically pay two month’s rent as security deposit, they may forget all about getting any refunds while vacating the premises, if they have not been careful about the cleanliness of the house, at the time of moving out.
Importance of maintaining good relations with the landlord even after moving out
“While the landlord cannot charge the tenant any money over the normal wear and tear in the property, he would certainly be displeased, if you hand over a dirty accommodation. This is disadvantageous for tenants on several levels,” says Lalit Duggal, a real estate broker based out of south Delhi.
“If you irritate the landlord in any manner, he would like to get back at you by deducting money from your security deposit. Since the amount might not be as large to move court over the matter, you would most likely let it go, because of the obvious hurry you might be in. Ultimately, you lose all your security deposit. More importantly, until you get your address changed in all government and bank records, all your communication and post will continue to reach your old address. In such a situation, it is not ideal to part ways with your old landlord on a wrong note,” Duggal says. In case you are moving to another rented accommodation in the same city, you will be asked for a reference. Thus, being on good terms with your landlord is beneficial in many says, Duggal emphasises.
See also: What is normal wear and tear in a rental property?
Even though it is important for the tenant to clean the house when moving out from a property, one might still wonder about the need to hire professional cleaning services, when one can do it on their own and save money.
Cost benefits of hiring professional home cleaning services
Since pricing remains a large concern for most of us, let us examine the cost benefits that a tenant could enjoy, if he uses a professional cleaning service while moving out. Even though house cleaning prices vary across cities, based on the type of services you require and the brand of the professional you hire, the cost can vary between Rs 3,000 and Rs 10,000 for a 2BHK home in cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Gurgaon, Bengaluru and Pune. The rates of such services in India are highly affordable. In the US, for example, a professional cleaning service provider would charge anywhere between USD 50 and USD 100 as the hourly rate. Considering the job would involve the investment of at least a couple of hours, the overall bill for the owner will be quite high, along with taxes.
When compared to the time and effort you will have to spend, in carrying out the tedious task yourself, this may seem like a very small amount to part with. Moreover, professionally cleaning services will obviously do a better job than the tenant and in a lot less time.
As the cleaning team would bring its own cleaning supply and equipment, you are also saved from shopping for home cleaning items and tools right when you plan to move out and when you do not want to add more things you need to pack while leaving your former rental home. You will also save a significant amount of money, by not investing in any of these things.
Failure to clean the rented property: Impact on security deposit
Deep cleaning will cover places that may be out of your reach. It is important to note that landlords can deduct the amount that they will have to pay towards fixing any damages to the property by the tenant. Imagine if a floor tile develops a crack as you try to clean it or if the bathroom mirror breaks while you try to wipe the dust off of it. This is unlikely to happen when you hire professional deep cleaning service providers.
Since there are mobile apps that help you book a cleaning appointment on the go, no prior planning is required to call a service provider. You can book an appointment as and when you like. The Housing Edge platform, for instance, not only offers professional cleaning services but also a variety of services to help tenants move smoothly.
The cleaning services come handy not only when you are moving out but also when you are moving in, especially after the outbreak of the Coronavirus. Before you enter into your new home, rented or your own, it is highly recommended that you get the premises thoroughly cleaned by a team of professionals.
Also read out article on COVID-19 sanitisation of daily-touch surfaces.
Realtors, too, would find such services extremely useful, while showcasing their listed properties for sale. A clean home, especially in today’s scenario, is more likely to get buyers than a house that has been left to sell itself without much outside assistance.
| Types of home cleaning |
|
| Services covered |
| General cleaning: Bathroom, kitchen, living room, bedroom and floor cleaning; only external parts of the kitchen, bathroom and bedroom wardrobe are cleaned in this process. Job includes dusting of all parts of the house and cobweb removal. |
| Deep cleaning: Floor acid wash, stain removal from tiles, fittings and floors in case of bathrooms; external and internal cleaning of kitchen cabinets; in case of other areas, scrubbing and dusting of windows, appliances, fans, switchboards and dry vacuuming of sofa, curtains and carpet, etc. |
| Cost determinants |
|
| Average cost |
| Rs 2,000 to Rs 10,000 for one service |
FAQs
What is the meaning of deep cleaning of home?
Unlike regular cleaning, where a set of cleaning tasks that are performed on a daily basis, deep cleaning, while carrying all aspects of the regular clean-up, involves removing the deep grime and dirt in your home. Since such cleaning requires a lot of time and effort, home owners perform this task one or two times in a year. In India, people mostly go for deep cleaning of homes during the Diwali festivities or when they are moving into a new home.
How much will I have to pay in Delhi to get home cleaning done?
Depending on the size of the house, type of cleaning (normal cleaning, deep cleaning) and the service provider, you may have to shell out between Rs 1,500 and Rs 7,000 for one service.
Does Housing Edge platform offer home cleaning services?
Through its tie up with the brand Urban Company, the Housing Edge platform offers a wide range of home services including home cleaning, paint work, plumbing and electrical work, etc.
An alumna of the Indian Institute of Mass Communication, Dhenkanal, Sunita Mishra brings over 16 years of expertise to the fields of legal matters, financial insights, and property market trends. Recognised for her ability to elucidate complex topics, her articles serve as a go-to resource for home buyers navigating intricate subjects. Through her extensive career, she has been associated with esteemed organisations like the Financial Express, Hindustan Times, Network18, All India Radio, and Business Standard.
In addition to her professional accomplishments, Sunita holds an MA degree in Sanskrit, with a specialisation in Indian Philosophy, from Delhi University. Outside of her work schedule, she likes to unwind by practising Yoga, and pursues her passion for travel.
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