In short
The tenant is expected to hand the property back as clean as it was when the tenancy started, allowing for fair wear and tear. Shelter says you only need to clean to the same standard as when you moved in, and that a landlord cannot make you pay for a professional clean. If the property is not left in that condition, the landlord can claim the reasonable cost against your deposit, but has to show evidence of how it was at the start and the end.
This is a job for our End of tenancy cleaning service.
The rule in one line
Shelter England says you "only need to clean your home to the same standard as it was when you moved in". The tenants' guidance the government published under the Tenant Fees Act 2019 put it the same way: you are responsible for returning the property in the condition you found it, aside from fair wear and tear. mydeposits, one of the three government-approved deposit schemes, says the tenant is only responsible for returning the property cleaned to the same standard it was in at the start.
Do I have to hire a professional cleaner?
No. Shelter says a requirement that the tenant pays for professional cleaning "is not fair and your landlord cannot make you do it". The government's 2020 Tenant Fees Act guidance said a landlord or agent cannot require you to pay for a professional clean at check-out, including a professional deep clean, and that you cannot be required to use a particular company. (That page was withdrawn on 8 May 2026 and the current government tenant-fees pages do not mention cleaning either way, so Shelter's advice, updated in 2024, is the current plain-English source.) You can use a professional if you would rather not do it yourself, and many tenants do; you just cannot be forced to.
What "fair wear and tear" means for cleaning
Shelter describes fair wear and tear as changes caused by normal everyday living, such as small scuffs on walls, faded curtains or worn flooring. mydeposits makes a useful distinction: fair wear and tear applies to the condition of a property, not to the standard of cleaning. Cleanliness and condition are separate, and the inventory should record both.
What a landlord can take from the deposit
Shelter says any deduction must be reasonable and relate to money the landlord has lost, and that the landlord needs to show proof of the property's condition at the start and the end of the tenancy if they want to keep money for damage or cleaning. Citizens Advice suggests taking photographs of the property as you leave it and asking for a check-out inventory to be signed. If you disagree about the amount, the deposit scheme offers a free dispute resolution service, which both sides have to agree to use.
A sensible checklist
- Find the check-in inventory or report and read how clean the property was recorded as being.
- Clean to that standard, room by room.
- Photograph every room when you finish, with the date.
- Ask for the check-out inventory and do not sign what you disagree with.
If you would rather someone else did it
SAS Cleaning takes end of tenancy enquiries in Wisbech and across the Fens. Send the address, the size of the property, the date it must be ready and any cleaning list you have been given, using the enquiry form. See also how much end of tenancy cleaning costs.
This is general information, not legal advice. Check your tenancy agreement and the sources below for your situation.