A landlord in England cannot simply impose an arbitrary end-of-tenancy cleaning fee. However, a landlord may seek a reasonable deduction from a tenancy deposit if they can show that the property was returned less clean than it was at the start of the tenancy and can evidence the cost of putting the cleaning issue right. There is no fixed legal amount that a landlord can automatically charge for cleaning.
This guide explains the difference between a prohibited cleaning fee and a potentially valid deposit deduction, what evidence may support a cleaning claim, professional-cleaning requirements, carpet and oven cleaning charges, fair wear and tear, and how cleaning deductions can be disputed.
Important: The tenancy-fee rules discussed on this page apply to England. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have different tenancy and deposit rules. This guide provides general information and is not legal advice.
| Question | Short answer |
|---|---|
| Can a landlord charge a fixed end-of-tenancy cleaning fee? | Not as an ordinary separate tenancy fee in England. |
| Can cleaning costs be deducted from the tenancy deposit? | Potentially, where the landlord can evidence a genuine cleaning loss. |
| Is there a fixed maximum cleaning charge? | No fixed cleaning amount. The claim should relate to the reasonable loss or cleaning required. |
| Can a landlord force a tenant to use a professional cleaner? | Not simply as a condition requiring the tenant to contract a cleaning service. |
| Can tenants clean the property themselves? | Yes. The standard achieved is more important than who performed the cleaning. |
| Can a landlord claim for carpet cleaning? | Potentially, if the carpet is returned less clean and specialist cleaning is reasonably required. |
| Can a landlord claim for oven cleaning? | Potentially, if the oven is returned less clean and the cost is justified. |
| Does an invoice automatically prove a deduction is valid? | No. The landlord still needs evidence showing why the tenant is responsible. |
| Can a tenant dispute a cleaning deduction? | Yes. Protected deposits have access to a dispute-resolution process. |
There is an important difference between charging a tenant a cleaning fee and making a claim against a tenancy deposit.
In England, the Tenant Fees Act restricts the payments that landlords and letting agents can require in connection with a tenancy. GOV.UK lists the permitted payments, such as rent, a refundable tenancy deposit, certain tenancy-change payments, utilities and specified default fees. A general end-of-tenancy cleaning fee is not included on that list.
See the current GOV.UK Tenant Fees Act guidance for tenants.
That does not mean a tenant can leave a property significantly dirtier without consequences. A landlord may still seek money from the tenancy deposit where they can establish that cleaning is required because of the tenant’s actions or failure to return the property to the appropriate cleaning standard.
| Cleaning fee | Deposit deduction | |
|---|---|---|
| What is it? | A separate payment demanded from the tenant | A claim against money already held as a tenancy deposit |
| Automatically allowed? | No | No |
| What must justify it? | It must be a permitted payment under the applicable rules | Evidence of a genuine loss and a reasonable amount claimed |
| Can it be disputed? | Potentially, depending on the circumstances | Yes, through the relevant tenancy deposit process |
There is no fixed statutory end-of-tenancy cleaning charge. Where a landlord makes a deposit claim, the amount should relate to the cleaning actually required and the reasonable cost of addressing the specific issue.
For example, evidence that an oven needs cleaning does not automatically establish that an entire property needs a full professional deep clean. Similarly, several small cleaning issues might justify some additional cleaning without necessarily justifying the full cost of an extensive whole-property service.
A published MyDeposits adjudication example involved a landlord claiming £250 for a full deep clean. After comparing the evidence and the cleaning actually required, the adjudicator awarded only 65% of the claimed amount. MyDeposits specifically notes that where only a top-up clean is needed, claiming for a full deep clean may be unreasonable.
Read the MyDeposits general cleaning dispute case study.
Yes. In England, a landlord may seek to deduct cleaning costs from a tenancy deposit if the evidence shows that the property was returned less clean than it was at the start of the tenancy and the amount claimed reflects the reasonable cleaning required. A deduction should be supported by evidence such as the check-in and check-out records, photographs and a reasonable cleaning quote or invoice.
Shelter England explains that tenants normally only need to return the property to the same standard of cleanliness as when they moved in, as recorded in the inventory or check-in report. See Shelter England’s guidance on cleaning deductions.
MyDeposits states that the landlord is responsible for justifying the right to retain any part of a tenant’s deposit, while detailed check-in and check-out reports are among the strongest forms of evidence used in a dispute.
A cleaning invoice on its own does not necessarily prove that a tenant should pay it. The evidence should establish both the change in cleanliness and the amount being claimed.
Tenancy Deposit Scheme guidance explains that a landlord normally needs a detailed inventory/check-in report and an updated check-out record to demonstrate a deterioration in cleanliness. Invoices or estimates are also useful for showing the value of a claim.
See the Tenancy Deposit Scheme guidance on deposit deductions.
A landlord in England cannot simply require a tenant to enter into a contract with a professional cleaning company as part of the tenancy. The Tenant Fees Act restricts landlords from requiring tenants to enter into third-party service contracts except for limited permitted categories.
This is different from requiring the property to be returned to an appropriate level of cleanliness. A tenant may clean the property themselves if they can achieve the required standard.
The legal restriction is set out in the Tenant Fees Act 2019, and current GOV.UK guidance explains that landlords cannot require tenants to start a contract for a service as part of their tenancy.
No, not automatically. The fact that a tenancy is ending does not by itself mean a tenant must purchase a professional cleaning service.
The important issue is the cleanliness in which the property is returned. If a tenant can clean the property themselves to the appropriate standard, using a professional cleaning company is not automatically necessary.
However, if the property is returned less clean and further cleaning is reasonably required, a landlord may still seek an evidenced deposit deduction for the resulting loss.
For a fuller explanation, see our guide to whether end of tenancy cleaning is mandatory.
These expressions do not necessarily mean the same thing.
Professionally cleaned describes who carried out the work — normally a cleaning company or professional cleaner.
Cleaned to a professional standard describes the level of cleanliness achieved. A tenant may potentially achieve that level themselves without hiring a cleaning company.
The condition recorded at the beginning of the tenancy remains important when deciding whether additional cleaning is justified at the end.
Fair wear and tear generally concerns deterioration caused by normal use over time. Cleaning is a separate issue. A carpet can be older and naturally flattened but still clean; similarly, an old bathroom can still have removable dirt or limescale that requires cleaning.
| Example | Cleaning issue? | Wear and tear? | Possible damage? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greasy oven | Yes | No | Usually no |
| Dust on skirting boards | Yes | No | No |
| Removable bathroom limescale | Usually | No | Depends on the underlying condition |
| Naturally flattened carpet pile | No | Often | No |
| Gradually faded paint | No | Often | No |
| Food or drink stain on carpet | Potentially | No | Potentially |
| Burn mark in carpet | No | No | Yes |
| Broken cupboard door | No | No | Yes |
This distinction matters because a landlord should not use cleaning charges to make a tenant pay for ordinary ageing, or use fair wear and tear to describe a straightforward cleaning problem.
Potentially, but professional carpet cleaning should not be an automatic end-of-tenancy charge. A landlord would normally need evidence that the carpet was returned less clean than its documented starting condition and that the cleaning being claimed was reasonably required.
Examples that may indicate a genuine cleaning issue include significant soiling, removable staining, pet hair or odour that was not present at the start. Ordinary ageing, gradual flattening of carpet pile and similar deterioration are different issues.
Professional carpet extraction is also different from normal vacuuming. The need for a specialist service should be supported by the condition of the carpet rather than assumed for every tenancy.
Properly Services offers professional carpet cleaning as a separately bookable service where extraction cleaning is actually required.
Potentially. An oven-cleaning deduction may be justified where the evidence shows that the oven was returned significantly less clean than it was at the start of the tenancy and the amount claimed reflects the reasonable cleaning required.
For example, a check-in report may show a clean oven while check-out photographs show substantial grease, food residue or carbon build-up. That evidence may support an oven-cleaning claim.
However, one dirty oven does not automatically establish that an entire property requires a full deep clean. The amount claimed should reflect the actual cleaning needed.
If oven cleaning is needed before check-out, Properly Services provides separately priced oven and appliance cleaning.
A cleaning claim should reflect the work reasonably required. If only one or two areas are shown to need further cleaning, it may be difficult to justify charging the tenant for an unnecessary full-property deep clean.
MyDeposits has published adjudication examples in which full cleaning claims were reduced because the evidence supported less extensive cleaning. The aim of a deposit deduction is to compensate for the evidenced loss, not to place the landlord in a better position than justified by the property’s starting condition.
No. An invoice can help show how much cleaning cost, but it does not by itself prove that the tenant was responsible for that cleaning.
The landlord still needs evidence of the relevant starting and ending cleanliness. Similarly, a tenant’s receipt showing that professional cleaners were hired does not automatically prove that every area of the property was cleaned to the required standard.
This is why the inventory, check-out report, photographs and agreed cleaning scope can be just as important as the invoice itself.
If an end of tenancy clean does not meet the required standard, the landlord, letting agent or inventory clerk may identify specific areas that need further cleaning. Where possible, those issues may be corrected through a re-clean. If the property has already been handed back and the evidence shows it was returned less clean than at check-in, the landlord may instead seek a reasonable cleaning deduction from the tenancy deposit.
A cleaning issue does not automatically justify charging for another full-property clean. The amount claimed should reflect the work reasonably required to correct the specific problem. For example, an oven that needs additional cleaning would not by itself justify charging for a complete deep clean of the property.
If the cleaning company offers a re-clean guarantee, contact them promptly and follow the guarantee procedure. A re-clean may provide an opportunity to correct an eligible missed area before additional cleaning costs arise, although access to the property after handover depends on the landlord or letting agent and the circumstances of the booking.
Properly Services currently provides a 7-day re-clean guarantee on eligible end of tenancy cleaning issues, subject to the agreed cleaning scope and our guarantee terms.
A landlord should be able to show why further cleaning was required and why the amount claimed is reasonable. Relevant evidence can include the check-in inventory, check-out report, photographs and an itemised cleaning quote or invoice. If the tenant disagrees with a proposed deduction, they can ask for the evidence and, where necessary, use the dispute-resolution process provided by the tenancy deposit protection scheme.
If you disagree with a cleaning deduction, ask the landlord or agent for the evidence supporting the claim before deciding whether to accept it.
GOV.UK confirms that tenancy deposit protection schemes provide a free dispute-resolution service where the landlord and tenant disagree about how much of the deposit should be returned. Both sides are asked to submit evidence for the adjudicator to consider.
See GOV.UK guidance on tenancy deposit disputes.
From a professional cleaning perspective, a little preparation can make cleaning-related checkout problems easier to avoid and easier to evidence.
For a detailed room-by-room list, see our guide to what end of tenancy cleaning includes.
Potentially. A landlord may seek a deposit deduction where the evidence shows that the property was returned less clean than it was at the start and the amount claimed reflects the reasonable cleaning required.
There is no fixed legal cleaning amount. The claim should relate to the cleaning actually required and be supported by evidence showing both the problem and the amount claimed.
A general mandatory cleaning fee is not one of the permitted tenancy payments listed under the Tenant Fees Act rules that apply in England. A properly evidenced deposit deduction for an actual loss is a different matter.
No, not automatically. Tenants can clean a property themselves. The relevant issue is the standard in which the property is returned rather than whether a professional cleaning company was used.
Not automatically. Specialist carpet cleaning may be relevant where the carpet is returned significantly less clean than its documented starting condition, but it should not be imposed simply because the tenancy is ending.
Potentially. If the evidence shows that the oven was significantly cleaner at check-in than at check-out, a reasonable oven-cleaning cost may form part of a deposit claim.
If a landlord wants to retain part of a protected deposit, they should be able to justify the deduction with evidence. Deposit adjudicators compare the evidence provided by both sides when deciding a dispute.
This guide was reviewed by Properly Services Ltd in October 2026 using current GOV.UK guidance and published tenancy-deposit dispute guidance. It provides general information about cleaning and deposit issues and is not legal advice. Rules differ outside England and individual disputes depend on their facts and evidence.
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If your landlord, letting agent or inventory clerk flags a cleaning issue within 7 days of the clean, we come back and re-clean the affected area free of charge (terms apply).