No, end of tenancy cleaning is not mandatory in the UK. No law makes you hire a professional cleaner, and your landlord cannot charge you a cleaning fee.
What you do have to do is hand the property back as clean as it was when you moved in, allowing for fair wear and tear. If you fall short of that, your landlord can claim the cost of cleaning from your deposit, but only with evidence.
We clean London rentals for tenants every week, and we see both sides of this: the clauses that look binding and are not, and the deductions that look unfair and are. This guide covers the rules, what a fair deduction looks like, and what to do if you are charged.
If you want the wider legal background, including the Renters’ Rights Act, read our end of tenancy cleaning laws guide.
Do you have to pay for a professional clean when you move out?
You do not have to pay for a professional clean. Since the Tenant Fees Act 2019, landlords in England cannot make professional cleaning a condition of your tenancy, name a cleaning company you must use, or demand a cleaning receipt.
Your only duty is to return the property to its check-in standard, allowing for fair wear and tear.
You can meet that standard yourself.
Many tenants do, especially in smaller flats. Our guide to doing end of tenancy cleaning yourself covers when that works and when it tends to go wrong.
The GOV.UK Tenant Fees Act guidance lists the only payments a landlord can take from you. Rent, a capped deposit, a capped holding deposit and a short list of default fees are allowed.
A professional cleaning fee is not on the list.
A cleaning fee and a cleaning deduction are not the same thing
This is the distinction that decides most disputes. Tenants often lose money because they treat the two as one.
| Cleaning fee | Cleaning deduction | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A set charge for cleaning, billed to you directly | Money taken from your protected deposit |
| Legal? | No, banned under the Tenant Fees Act 2019 | Yes, if the property is below its check-in standard |
| Evidence needed | Not relevant, it cannot be charged | Check-in and check-out reports, ideally with photos |
| Amount | Not allowed at any amount | The reasonable cost of the cleaning actually needed |
| How to challenge it | Refuse it in writing and report it to the council’s trading standards team | Use your deposit scheme’s free dispute service |
A line on your final statement such as “end of tenancy clean: £250” is a fee. It is banned whether or not the flat was clean.
A proposed deduction of £60 because the oven was greasy at check-out but clean at check-in is a deduction. It is allowed if the evidence backs it up.
Landlords who charge banned fees can face a civil penalty of up to £5,000 for a first breach. A repeat breach within five years can lead to a penalty of up to £30,000 or prosecution.
What “professionally cleaned” on your inventory actually means
Many check-in inventories say the property was “professionally cleaned” before you moved in. Tenants often read this as a rule that they must pay for a professional clean too.
It is not a rule.
It describes the standard the property started at.
You have to match that standard, but you can do it with your own time and products. In practice, a professionally cleaned start sets a high bar: clean oven glass, no limescale, clean inside every cupboard.
That is why we tell tenants to read the inventory before choosing between DIY and booking a clean. If the oven photo at check-in shows spotless glass, the clerk will compare your oven to that photo, not to a typical lived-in oven.
Professional cleaning clauses in your tenancy agreement
Your tenancy agreement may say “the tenant must have the property professionally cleaned at the end of the tenancy”. That clause cannot be enforced.
Shelter’s guidance on deposit deductions is clear that a landlord cannot make you use a particular cleaning company or show a receipt. Old contract templates still include these clauses, so seeing one does not mean it is lawful.
The same applies to clauses about carpets. “Carpets must be professionally steam cleaned at the tenant’s expense” is unenforceable as a requirement.
If the carpets were clean at check-in and are stained at check-out, the landlord can still claim a fair cleaning cost from the deposit. Our end of tenancy carpet cleaning guide covers when vacuuming is enough.
Does this apply to older tenancies?
Yes. The Tenant Fees Act applied to new tenancies in England from 1 June 2019.
Tenancies signed before that date were brought under the ban from 1 June 2020, so every assured shorthold tenancy in England is now covered.
This guide covers England. Wales has similar rules under the Renting Homes (Fees etc.) (Wales) Act 2019, and Scotland bans extra charges to tenants under its own housing law.
When your landlord can deduct for cleaning
A cleaning deduction stands up when two things are true:
- The property is less clean than it was at check-in, beyond fair wear and tear.
- There is evidence to show it, usually a dated check-in report with photos and a check-out report to compare.
Without both, the deduction is weak. “The flat needed a clean” with no before and after record is not evidence.
The amount must also be reasonable. That means roughly what it would cost to clean the areas that fell short, not a round number covering the whole property.
Fair wear and tear sits outside cleaning altogether. Faded paint, worn carpet in a hallway and loose grout from age are the landlord’s cost, as our guide to fair wear and tear under UK law explains.
What a reasonable cleaning deduction looks like
These are the typical ranges we see on London invoices for putting specific areas right. Adjudicators expect deductions to reflect the work needed, so a charge far above these deserves a request for quotes.
| Cleaning needed | Typical reasonable cost |
|---|---|
| Oven only, heavy grease | £45 to £80 |
| Bathroom descale and mould treatment | £60 to £120 |
| Kitchen appliances (fridge, hob, extractor) | £70 to £140 |
| Full re-clean of a one-bedroom flat | £150 to £220 |
| Full re-clean of a two-bedroom flat | £220 to £320 |
Compare these with full end of tenancy prices in our London end of tenancy cleaning cost guide. A deduction for one greasy oven should never cost the same as a full clean.
Five common situations and the legal position
| Situation | Allowed? | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| £200 taken from the deposit, with photos of a dirty oven that was clean at check-in | Yes, if the amount is fair | Check the photos against your check-in report |
| ”£300 professional cleaning fee” added to your final bill | No, it is a banned fee | Refuse in writing and cite the Tenant Fees Act 2019 |
| Contract says you must use the landlord’s chosen cleaner | No | Use any cleaner you like, or clean it yourself |
| Deduction with no check-in photos or report | Very unlikely to stand | Dispute it through your deposit scheme |
| Admin or management fee added on top of a cleaning cost | No | Ask for it to be removed; only the actual cleaning cost counts |
How to respond to a cleaning charge you think is unfair
You have more leverage than it feels like. The deposit sits with a government-approved scheme, not with your landlord.
1. Ask for the evidence in writing
Reply calmly and ask for three things: an itemised list of the cleaning needed, the check-in and check-out photos of those areas, and the invoice or quote behind the amount.
Keep it short and polite. If it goes to adjudication, the adjudicator reads this exchange.
2. Compare check-out to check-in, line by line
Go through every item the check-out report flags and find the same item in the check-in report. If check-in said “oven: some grease” and check-out says the same, there is no case.
3. Set out your position
Reply with the specific entries that do not support the charge. Refer to dates and wording in the reports, not general principles.
4. Raise a dispute with your deposit scheme
If your landlord will not move, open a dispute with the scheme holding your deposit: TDS, DPS or mydeposits. The service is free, you do not need a solicitor, and the adjudicator’s decision is binding on both sides.
Our guide to getting your deposit back covers the whole move-out timeline, including the evidence to collect before you hand back keys.
Red flags that a charge is not legitimate
Push back before paying if you see any of these:
- A direct invoice rather than a proposed deduction from your deposit.
- A round figure such as £250 or £400 with no breakdown.
- No check-in photos, or a check-in report that just says “clean”.
- A reference to a clause requiring professional cleaning.
- A request to pay a cleaning company the landlord chose.
- Admin or management fees on top of the cleaning cost.
- New charges added after you already agreed a settlement.
So should you book a professional clean anyway?
Not because you have to. Book one if the numbers and your time make it worth it.
A professional clean makes sense when the inventory says the property was professionally cleaned at check-in, when the oven or bathroom is in poor shape, or when you are moving out at the end of the month with no spare day. A receipt from a clean with a re-clean guarantee is also strong evidence if a dispute starts.
A tidy studio you have kept on top of is often a different story. With a full day, the right products and our room-by-room end of tenancy cleaning checklist, many tenants pass check-out on their own.
If you would rather hand it over, get a free quote or call us on 07383 435 879. Every end of tenancy clean we do includes the oven and a 48-hour re-clean guarantee.
Frequently asked questions
Is end of tenancy cleaning a legal requirement in the UK?
No. There is no legal requirement to hire a professional cleaner at the end of a tenancy. You must return the property in the condition it was in at check-in, allowing for fair wear and tear. You can do the cleaning yourself, but if the property falls short, your landlord can claim a fair cleaning cost from your deposit.
Can my landlord charge me for professional cleaning?
Not as a fee. Under the Tenant Fees Act 2019, a landlord in England cannot charge a cleaning fee or require you to use or pay for a professional cleaner. They can propose a deduction from your deposit, but only if the property is less clean than at check-in and they can show evidence of it.
Who pays for end of tenancy cleaning?
The tenant is responsible for returning the property clean, so the tenant pays for whatever cleaning they choose to do or book. The landlord pays for cleaning needed because of fair wear and tear, and for any cleaning before the next tenancy beyond the check-in standard.
Can a landlord keep my whole deposit for cleaning?
Only if the whole deposit is genuinely needed to restore the check-in standard and there is evidence to prove it. That is rare. If your landlord proposes it, ask for the itemised breakdown and quotes, then dispute the amount through your deposit protection scheme, which is free to use.
What if my tenancy started before June 2019?
You are still protected. The Tenant Fees Act covered new tenancies in England from 1 June 2019 and was extended to older tenancies from 1 June 2020. Any professional cleaning clause in an older agreement can no longer be enforced as a fee.
Last updated: 12 October 2026
