End of Tenancy Cleaning Checklist Richmond: House Guide

End of tenancy cleaning in Richmond is usually a house job, not a flat job. That changes the checklist.

A family house in East Sheen, Kew or Mortlake has two or three bathrooms, a bigger kitchen, stairs, a garden door and often a conservatory. Every one of those is on the inventory, and every one is a place where a deposit deduction can start.

This room-by-room checklist is written for Richmond houses and the family lets around them. If you would rather hand the job over, our Richmond end of tenancy cleaning service covers TW9, TW10 and SW14 with oven cleaning included and a 48-hour re-clean guarantee.

Why a Richmond house needs a different checklist

A Richmond end of tenancy clean takes longer than a London flat clean because there is simply more house. The same checklist applies, but it runs across more bathrooms, more stairs, more glass and outside space that flats rarely have.

Most general checklists are written for a one or two-bedroom flat. They cover one kitchen, one bathroom and a hallway.

Richmond’s rental stock is different. Our Richmond page covers the mix: Victorian and Edwardian terraces in North Sheen, larger family houses in East Sheen, cottages near Kew Gardens and period homes around Richmond Hill.

Here is what that means in practice:

• More bathrooms. A three-bed house often has a family bathroom, an en suite and a downstairs WC. Each one gets inspected.
• Hard water. Richmond is in a hard water area, so limescale builds on every tap, screen and shower head in the house.
• Stairs and landings. Two or three floors of skirting, bannisters and spindles add hours.
• Garden doors and conservatories. Glass that faces a garden collects dirt, pollen and handprints from both sides.
• Period details. Sash windows, panelled doors, picture rails and original floorboards all trap dust.

The inventory clerk will judge all of it against the check-in report. The GOV.UK How to Rent guide tells tenants to leave the property in the condition it was let in, allowing for fair wear and tear.

Before you start

Get these done a few days before the clean:

• Book the clean for after the removals van has gone, not before.
• Defrost the fridge freezer at least 24 hours ahead.
• Take the garden rubbish, old paint tins and bulky items to the tip or book a council collection.
• Find your check-in inventory and read the notes on the oven, carpets and garden.
• Check whether the inventory says the house was professionally cleaned at the start.
• Photograph meter readings on the day you leave.

Richmond parking is worth planning too. Many streets in Kew, East Sheen and around Richmond town centre are controlled parking zones, so check visitor permits for your cleaners and removal van.

Kitchen checklist for family houses

The kitchen is the biggest single deposit risk in any Richmond house. Family kitchens see heavy daily cooking, so grease builds on ovens, extractors and cupboard doors faster than in a flat.

Work through:

• Oven interior, racks, trays and door glass degreased (including double ovens).
• Hob, burner caps, control knobs and splashback cleaned.
• Extractor hood wiped and filters washed or replaced.
• Fridge freezer emptied, defrosted, cleaned and left dry with the door ajar.
• Every cupboard and drawer wiped inside, including the backs of corner units.
• Cupboard doors and handles degreased (family kitchens show fingerprints here first).
• Kitchen island or breakfast bar cleaned on all sides.
• Sink, taps and plug descaled.
• Dishwasher filter removed and cleaned.
• Washing machine drawer and door seal cleaned.
• Kickboards, skirting and the floor under movable appliances cleaned.
• Bins washed and deodorised.

Many Richmond family houses have a range cooker or two built-in ovens. Budget extra time for each one, and do not leave the glass between the door panels, because clerks check it.

Bathroom checklist: every bathroom, not just the main one

A Richmond house clean has to repeat the full bathroom checklist in every bathroom, en suite and WC. Hard water means limescale on all of them, and the en suite and downstairs WC are the rooms tenants most often rush.

For each bathroom:

• Shower screen, tiles and tray descaled.
• Shower head soaked in descaler if the spray holes are blocked.
• Bath, bath panel, taps and overflow cleaned.
• Sink, plug hole and tap bases descaled.
• Toilet cleaned inside, under the rim, around the hinges and at the base.
• Grout scrubbed and mould treated on silicone.
• Extractor fan cover dusted or washed.
• Mirrors and glass shelves polished.
• Cabinets emptied and wiped inside.
• Floor mopped behind the toilet and around pipework.

Limescale is one of the most common bathroom notes we see on Richmond checkout reports. It comes back slowly, so the tenant does not notice it, but the inventory clerk compares it against photos taken when the fittings were new.

Descale gently and give the product time to work. Scrubbing hard with an abrasive pad scratches chrome and glass, and scratches can turn into a damage claim.

Stairs, landings and period features

Stairs and period joinery are where Richmond house cleans lose the most time. A two-storey house has skirting boards on every floor and landing, plus bannisters, spindles and door frames that all need a hand wipe.

Check:

• Stair treads and risers vacuumed edge to edge.
• Bannisters, handrails and every spindle wiped.
• Skirting boards along stairs and landings cleaned.
• Tops of doors, door frames and panels on panelled doors dusted.
• Picture rails and dado rails wiped.
• Sash windows cleaned on the inside, including the runners and the sill.
• Window shutters (if fitted) dusted slat by slat.
• Original floorboards vacuumed along the gaps, then cleaned with a product suitable for wood.
• Fireplace surrounds and hearths wiped (grates left as the inventory describes).
• Light switches, sockets and handles wiped throughout.

Be careful with period finishes. Harsh chemicals can dull old varnish or strip original paint, and a clerk will note that.

Bedrooms and living rooms

Family bedrooms usually hold the most wall marks, and living rooms the most carpet wear. These rooms look simple, but small misses add up across four or five of them.

• Built-in wardrobes emptied and wiped inside, including shelves and rails.
• Radiators dusted, including behind and between the panels.
• Walls spot-cleaned for light marks (test a hidden patch first).
• Curtain poles and blinds dusted.
• Carpets vacuumed edge to edge, including under where beds and sofas stood.

Children’s bedrooms tend to need the most attention on walls, and the rooms that had pets on the carpets. Our carpet cleaning guide explains when vacuuming is enough and when you need a deep clean.

Conservatory, garden doors and outdoor space

Outside space and conservatories are where Richmond checklists differ most from flat checklists. If the garden, patio or conservatory is listed on the inventory, the clerk will inspect it, and tenants often forget it until the last day.

Conservatory:

• Inside of all glass panels cleaned, including the lower panels.
• Frames, sills and door runners wiped (dead insects collect here).
• Blinds dusted or wiped.
• Tiled floor swept and mopped.

Garden doors and outside:

• French doors and patio doors cleaned inside, with tracks vacuumed.
• Patio swept and garden furniture wiped if included in the tenancy.
• Garden rubbish, pots and toys removed.
• Lawn and beds left as the tenancy agreement requires.
• Bins emptied, rinsed and put back where the council collects them.
• Shed or garage cleared if it was empty at check-in.

Gardening sits outside a cleaning job. Check your tenancy agreement for what it says about lawns and hedges, and allow a weekend for it if needed.

Where Richmond inventory clerks look first

Clerks in Richmond start with what can be photographed. The most common checkout notes we see on Richmond houses are:

Area	Richmond house risk	What to do before checkout
Ovens	Grease on double ovens and range cookers	Deep clean every oven, including door glass
Bathrooms	Limescale in every bathroom, en suite and WC	Descale each one, not just the main bathroom
Stairs	Dust on spindles, skirting and landings	Hand wipe every spindle and skirting run
Windows	Grime in sash runners and conservatory frames	Clean runners, sills and lower glass panels
Carpets	Wear and stains in family rooms	Book a carpet clean if the inventory requires it
Garden	Rubbish, pots and dirty patio doors	Clear outside space listed on the inventory

Richmond lets are often managed by detail-focused agents such as Antony Roberts, Chestertons and Knight Frank. Their check-in reports tend to be long and photo-heavy, so your aim is to match the photos, not to make the house look “generally clean”.

Remember that the landlord can only deduct for cleaning that restores the check-in standard. Our fair wear and tear guide explains what they cannot charge for.

Notes for Kew, East Sheen, Mortlake and nearby areas

The checklist above applies across the borough, but each part of Richmond has its own common problem areas.

East Sheen (SW14)

East Sheen is mostly family houses, and family lets mean hard-worked kitchens, carpets and bathrooms. Expect larger kitchens with islands, two or more bathrooms and a garden on most checklists.

Mortlake and North Sheen

Mortlake and North Sheen have a lot of Victorian terraces, many with a kitchen extension and a small garden. The extension’s roof lights and bi-fold doors are easy to forget and easy for a clerk to spot.

Kew (TW9)

Kew runs from cottages near the Gardens to newer flats around Kew Retail Park. Cottages have low ceilings but lots of original joinery, while the newer flats usually mean balconies and full-height glazing.

Richmond town centre, Richmond Hill and Barnes

Around Richmond Hill and the town centre you will find larger period houses and riverside flats. Georgian and Victorian houses have tall sash windows and cornicing that need a ladder to reach.

Barnes has a similar mix, often with bigger gardens. Budget extra time for outside space.

How long a Richmond house clean takes

A three-bedroom Richmond house usually takes two cleaners five to seven hours. A four-bedroom house can take six to eight hours or more, especially with a conservatory, several bathrooms or heavy limescale.

Property	Typical time	Team
2-bed terrace, 1 bathroom	4-6 hours	1-2 cleaners
3-bed house, 2 bathrooms	5-7 hours	2 cleaners
4-bed house, 3 bathrooms	6-8+ hours	2-3 cleaners

On your own, a house this size is realistically a two-day job. Our guide to doing end of tenancy cleaning yourself covers what that involves.

For prices, our London end of tenancy cleaning cost guide puts a three-bedroom property at £299 to £420 and a four-bedroom house at £380 to £600 or more. Houses with extra bathrooms or a conservatory sit at the higher end.

Richmond end of tenancy cleaning checklist summary

Clean every bathroom, every oven and every flight of stairs, then treat the conservatory and garden doors as rooms in their own right. Walk the house with your check-in inventory, and take dated photos once each room is done.

For the general version, use our complete end of tenancy cleaning checklist. To book a team for a TW9, TW10 or SW14 house, get a quote from our Richmond end of tenancy cleaning page and send photos of the kitchen, bathrooms and any problem areas.

Frequently asked questions

How long does end of tenancy cleaning take for a Richmond house?

A three-bedroom Richmond house with two bathrooms usually takes two cleaners five to seven hours. A four-bedroom house can take six to eight hours or longer. A conservatory, a range cooker, heavy limescale or carpet cleaning all add time, so share photos when you ask for a quote.

Do you cover East Sheen, Mortlake and Kew?

Yes. We cover all of Richmond, including Kew, North Sheen, East Sheen, Mortlake, Barnes, Richmond Hill, Ham, Petersham and St Margarets. That takes in the TW9, TW10, TW1 and SW14 postcodes, and every clean comes with our 48-hour re-clean guarantee.

Is the garden included in an end of tenancy clean?

A standard end of tenancy clean covers the inside of the house, including the inside of patio doors and conservatory glass. Patio cleaning and outside windows are extras. Gardening, such as mowing and hedge cutting, sits outside cleaning, so check your tenancy agreement for what the garden needs.

Can my Richmond landlord make me pay for a professional clean?

No. Under the Tenant Fees Act 2019, a landlord cannot require a professional clean or charge a set cleaning fee. They can propose a deposit deduction if the house is less clean than at check-in. Our guide on how to get your deposit back covers how to avoid that.

Why does limescale matter so much in Richmond?

Richmond has hard water, so limescale builds on taps, shower screens and shower heads in every bathroom. Clerks compare fittings against check-in photos taken when they were clean. Descaling every bathroom, en suite and WC is one of the simplest ways to avoid a deduction.