Bond Cleaning: Can Landlords Force Tenants to Hire Professional Cleaners?

Can a landlord charge you for bond cleaning? This is a recurring question for tenants who are about to move out. Many tenants are concerned that if their cleaning does not meet a certain standard, the landlord or property manager will forfeit some or all of their bond. In fact, cleaning is among the most prominent reasons landlords dispute bond claims. The positive news is that in Australia, tenancy laws do not require you to have the property professionally cleaned, only left in a reasonable state of cleanliness. While some laws may differ slightly in particular states, the general principles are the same throughout the country. So, before you go into panic mode about hiring an overpriced cleaning company, there is a lot more to bond cleaning, including your actual responsibilities.

What Is Bond Cleaning?

Bond cleaning is often referred to as end-of-tenancy cleaning or vacate cleaning. It is the cleaning done by the tenant moving out of a rented property. The objective is to bring the property to a near-original condition, apart from the usual wear and tear, to maximize the bond refund. This involves addressing all areas where dirt and grime have built up over the tenancy period, such as scrubbing the oven, bathroom tiles, wiping the walls, skirting boards, and much more. Terminology might vary for different states; some call it a bond clean while others call it a vacate clean. It is the same thing. In essence, the property should look as clean as it was at the start of the tenancy. If you achieve that, you should get your full bond back.

Why is cleaning a house important? When renting a home, you pay a bond, which is a form of deposit, that the landlord can claim if the house is not maintained and cleaned to an acceptable standard. A thorough cleaning decreases the chances of the landlord disputing the claim due to the assumption that the house was left dirty. It is important to comply with the cleaning requirements in the agreement to get the bond back. It is important to note that fair wear and tear is allowed – the gradual, everyday damage to a home’s fixtures, such as faded paint or worn carpet paths. But accumulated dirt, grime, stains, or damage do not fall under the term “wear and tear” and must be addressed. In summary, bond cleaning means doing everything reasonable to ensure the house is handed back to the landlord in a clean and tidy condition with no damage and no obligations for the tenant to lose the bond.

Is Professional Bond Cleaning Required by Your Landlord?

Usually, rental agreements provide a section concerning professional carpet cleaning, but the law only mandates renters to clean the premises to a reasonable standard, which is not professionally cleaned. For the most part, landlords cannot compel you to engage professional cleaners to perform end-of-lease cleaning. You shall only be required to leave the premises in a clean condition which is similar to the condition when you moved in, minus the usual aging. No additional cleaning is mandatory. There is no room for a landlord’s lease condition demanding a professional clean which goes beyond the legal provisions. Therefore, a clause in the lease requiring steam-cleaning or commercial cleaning at the renter’s expense is likely to be void if the premises do not require it.

For instance, say your rental contract included a clause that required you “to have the carpets cleaned professionally.” If the carpets have been kept reasonably clean and there is no more dirt or stains than what was there when you moved in, you can contend that the blanket requirement, in this instance, is unreasonable. Tenancy laws in Australia, in all states, provide that tenants have the right to reasonable cleaning only, and not “professional” or perfect cleaning to any standard set by the landlord. In fact, we can cite a recent ruling on bond disputes where a tenant was instructed to only professionally clean the carpet if they had been left in a worse condition than at the start of the lease. In other words, maintaining a space to a clean standard means there is no obligation to engage a professional service.

In what circumstances is professional cleaning necessary? Only in some limited cases. An example is in some states where newer laws permit a landlord to enforce professional cleaning only if it was agreed to within specific terms. To illustrate, in Victoria, leases signed post-2021 can have a clause that mandates professional cleaning but only if the premises were professionally cleaned prior to the tenant moving in and restoring it to that level is required. Another common example is concerning pets – a lot of leases have a term that if a tenant had a pet, a flea treatment or some form of carpet cleaning is done. Outside these specific circumstances, the broad principle is still true: cleaning the premises yourself to achieve a reasonable standard is adequate. Landlords have no standing to insist a “professional” clean is done simply for the sake of it. The landlord cannot insist you depart the premises in a cleaner condition than what was recorded at the time of moving in.

Let’s look into the dos and don’ts of what landlords actually can expect:

Allowed: Cleaning the areas the tenants skipped over to a reasonable standard. During an exit inspection, if the oven is greasy and the shower shows signs of mildew, an agent has the right to ask for proper cleaning or charge the tenant for cleaning. You have to address any cleanliness issues beyond standard use.

Allowed (with conditions): Professional cleaning when the carpets were freshly cleaned right before the tenancy and got dirtier than normal, or after a tenant’s pet caused stains and carpets to be soiled. Essentially, when a “real need” arises such as a stubborn mark, reasonable measures can be taken.

Not Allowed: Forcing you to pay for a general “end-of-lease cleaning” service when you could reasonably do it yourself. If the house is reasonably clean, they have no right to demand or enforce receipt of cleaning.

Not Allowed: Implementing terms such as “the tenant must steam clean all carpets and cleanse the entire house professionally” is not permitted. As tenancy experts highlight, all terms in a lease must comply with the law, otherwise such a term becomes redundant. It is sufficient for the tenant to ensure the premises passes the reasonable cleanliness test.

To conclude, the bond cleaning criteria in Australia are reasonable. Tenants are expected to leave the property clean, but landlords cannot charge them for an unnecessary professional clean. As long as reasonable effort is put in to provide a thorough clean, you have fulfilled your obligations. The landlord cannot make a charge for professional cleaning simply because they have a preference for it or because it is done as an automatic practice. Charges may only be levied for cleaning expenses (from the bond) if the cleaning provided is less than satisfactory.

Must Receipts for Cleaning Payments be Provided by the Tenants?

An area of concern is whether the tenants are supposed to furnish receipts for cleaning expenses incurred. In short, there is no obligation in law for tenants to provide cleaning receipts to the landlord or agent. In case you do the cleaning by yourself, obviously you won’t have a receipt, and that is perfectly fine. Receipts are irrelevant in cleaning disputes. All that matters is that the cleaning is done and the property is in a clean condition, not the way the cleaning was achieved.

Sometimes, property managers do ask for receipts, more so where the lease contained a cleaning clause (for example, a clause that requires carpet cleaning, pest control, etc.). If your agreement stipulated that you shall have the carpets professionally steam-cleaned before you vacate the property, the agent is likely to demand an invoice as proof of that service. In the absence of such specific agreements, there is no obligation to provide receipts. It is within the tenant’s rights to say that there was no such requirement and no service was hired.

Generally, you are not required to show any receipts, but keeping records for hiring a cleaner or end-of-lease treatment pays off. Why? In case of bond disputes, those receipts can help validate that your claimed cleaning tasks were actually done. For instance, if a landlord claims the carpet was not cleaned, you are able to bring the receipt from a carpet cleaning company as evidence that the cleaning was done. But, as mentioned earlier, providing evidence is only necessary where there is a disagreement or a requirement in your lease.

To conclude, it is up to the tenant to complete the cleaning checklist themselves. Professional cleaning is not reimbursable and no documents are necessary unless described in a formal document. Agents may ask for a document if you informed them that a professional clean was done as a means to confirm that at least the clean was done, but there is no law stating “cleaning receipt or else.” Prior to returning the keys, the main focus should be on maintaining acceptable condition of the premises. If that is met, there should not be any concerns about returning keys and no burdens of proving how the premises was cleaned.

Disputes Over Bonds and the Cleaning Issues

The cleaning issue disputes have remained the top reasons for bond disputes between landlords and tenants. This happens when a landlord believes that the house was not cleaned properly, and thus tries to deduct the bond amount to hire a cleaning professional. What happens in such disputes?

First, let’s explain the functionality. In every state in Australia, there is a bond held by a certain agency that is responsible for looking after the bonds during the tenancy. After the lease ends, it is the responsibility of both tenant and landlord to compromise on a method for the bond to be settled. If both parties have signed that they have agreed for all issues to be considered and settled, they will get the bond back in full. However, in case the landlord decides to claim some of the bond amount, then he must clearly justify how such money will be claimed and for what cleaning. This in essence would mean that there is a dispute. In such a case, there is a process of resolving disputes that is executed in some tribunal for tenancy disputes, for example in Victoria it is called VCAT, and in NSW there is NCAT.

Who is responsible for proving what? Generally speaking, the landlord must prove that you vacated the premises not reasonably clean and that the costs they are claiming for cleaning are somehow justified. They cannot simply say, “It wasn’t clean” and leave the premises empty. A landlord or agent will typically defend this form of claim by presenting the outgoing condition report, which is the final inspection report, noting the so-called unclean areas together with pictures of greasy cooktops, dirty windows, or stained carpet. To strengthen their argument, they may also present estimates or invoices from cleaning companies that performed the cleaning.

As a renter, you have the right to dispute the claim and share your side. This is where your own evidence is important. Ideally, you completed an ingoing condition report upon your arrival and an outgoing report upon your departure. If those show the premises were at the same level of cleanliness, that helps your position. It’s even more useful to have snapshots dated and timestamped from the day you moved out that show every room in a neat and orderly condition. Did you clean the oven? If the answer is yes, take a picture. Were the bathroom tiles no longer covered in mould? Then take a picture. These sorts of images can help disprove a landlord’s claim of the premises being dirty. If you did engage a cleaner for certain works—for example, steam cleaning the carpets—provide the invoices or a statement from the cleaner as evidence. Simply put, gather any and all documents that portray the property was returned in a reasonable state of cleanliness.

Disputes are usually resolved through mediation or very brief tribunal hearings. In cases where a hearing is required, each party submits their claims. The tribunal member or adjudicator decides if the property was not clean, and if so, what would constitute a reasonable cost for cleaning. Sometimes disputes occur over very small issues, such as a few cobwebs or dust. Tribunals do not award a full professional cleaning fee for trivial issues, but instead try to balance what is considered reasonable. Old carpets, for example, where there is a worn pathway over time do not allow the landlord to charge for replacing or shampooing the marks. However, if there is a dirty mark or a stain, then that cost is your responsibility.

The most effective method to prevent losses of bond money as a result of disputes is to prepare in advance. Thoroughly cleaning a space, documenting how it was left, and knowing your rights puts you in a strong position. In case of a disagreement, don’t worry – there are formal procedures to follow. In every state, there is an office that deals specifically with bond disputes and considers both sides of the dispute. If you acted responsibly, there is a strong chance of a favorable result. And remember, uncleanliness does not qualify as acceptable wear and tear. Therefore, a tenant who leaves a space untidy will likely lose that argument. But as long as you have taken reasonable steps, the legislation supports you.

Effective Strategies for Tenants to Obtain a Full Bond Refund

Understanding the rules is one thing, but how do you, as a tenant, practically make sure you comply to avoid bond deductions? Here are some principles to observe:

Pay special attention to the cleaning of heavily used areas: The kitchen and bathrooms are the most used and, for that reason, are the most scrutinized by landlords. Greasy kitchen appliances and grimy showers are just the beginning of a long list of red flags. Also, remember the oven, the range hood filters, the stovetop, and even behind the toilet, which are easy to forget but are essential for the thorough cleaning needed to recover your bond. Also, remember that cleaning floors and walls is a good starting point but is not close to enough. Balance your bond recovery by not just cleaning but wiping over and dusting all surfaces, cupboard interiors, and skirting boards and corners for cobwebs. For particularly stubborn stains and the need for deep cleaning, you may want to hire carpet cleaning professionals. As a rule, clean every room and make sure nothing shows visible dirt.

Utilize a checklist: It is often beneficial to follow an end-of-lease cleaning checklist to prevent oversight. These lists are often provided by real estate websites and cover windows, light fittings, blinds, kitchen appliances, and wall marks, among others. You can create a personalized checklist or search online for templates. Mark off each step as it is completed. A systematic approach helps to ensure the entire property is clean.

Take your time (plan ahead): Waiting to clean until the last minute is not advisable. A deep clean of an entire home usually takes much longer than anticipated. For items that do not need to be used daily, begin cleaning a week or two before your move. After your furniture is moved out, do the final touches. Trying to clean the entire house in one afternoon after everything is moved out is a guaranteed way to overlook many tasks. If your schedule allows, try to move in a way that gives you a day or two in the vacant house to fully concentrate on cleaning.

Document the condition: As indicated previously, documentation is essential. Before you return the keys, do a walkthrough of the entire property while taking pictures of every single room, making sure to capture key areas such as the oven’s interior, the bathroom’s grout, the floors, and any other pertinent details. These steps will ensure you have a level of protection in case a dispute arises. It will also help you track any mistakes you might have missed while there is still time to rectify things. You should also ensure you have the initial condition report from when you moved in, so you and the landlord can look through the before-and-after images together.

Solving small problems right away: In the case where an agent or landlord highlights an issue like dust on a ceiling fan during the final inspection, you are free to ask if it is possible to fix it right away. In many instances, they would prefer to just let you fix a small issue rather than deduct money, which is a fair approach. Being flexible can be helpful in a number of situations, including saving your bond. (This only applies to small matters, however. Bigger problems may not be solvable in a short amount of time).

Using a bond cleaner: Some tenants hire a bond cleaner to help with the work in order to save time and get a break from the stress. If you do choose to hire them, make sure it is a reliable and established service. This is very important as not every company lives up to their promises. For example, in New South Wales, nearly 200 people complained in two yearsabout unscrupulous end-of-lease cleaning services. It’s best to avoid this by vetting the company, such as checking reviews or asking for referrals. Make sure they provide a guarantee and will return to make corrections if the agent is not satisfied. For people living in Perth, comprehensive bond cleaning services are available, as they are familiar with local standards. It is advisable to do an inspection after the cleaner is finished, even if one has been hired, as walkthroughs make it easier to check for oversights.

Make sure to keep the receipt for the cleaning in case you need to demonstrate that the cleaning was done. But also keep in mind that a receipt will not help in any way if the work was done poorly – the property actually needs to be clean to pass inspection.

Know your rights: You don’t have to use the cleaner suggested by your landlord and you do not have to pay any arbitrary fees. Some less-scrupulous agents might try to pressure tenants to use their preferred cleaning crew or automatically deduct a cleaning fee from the bond. You have the right to push back if you left the place clean. You can, without fear, challenge any deduction from your bond and demand to verify the reason. Your documentation, if you did document everything, will allow you to calmly present your case or bring in the dispute process if that’s what is needed.

You can improve your chances of receiving your full bond refund with these practices. As outlined earlier, do a thorough clean, but also document everything, and you will be able to hand over the keys with certainty that all bond money will be returned.