{"id":13693,"date":"2017-08-28T02:51:02","date_gmt":"2017-08-28T06:51:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/?p=13693"},"modified":"2020-09-05T04:09:43","modified_gmt":"2020-09-05T08:09:43","slug":"get-best-end-lease-cleaning-quote-expat-moving-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/blog\/get-best-end-lease-cleaning-quote-expat-moving-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Get the Best End-of-Lease Cleaning Quote: Expat Moving Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"

Most expats have moved homes multiple times, and more often than not they are living in rented properties if they are making job moves to advance their careers.<\/span><\/p>\n

So, chances are they no longer attempt to do end-of-lease cleaning themselves. \u00a0They know how long it takes, how hard it is, and they\u2019ve probably had a few hassles along the way with landlords who claim the job hasn\u2019t been done properly.<\/span><\/p>\n

If this sounds like you, then read on, because there are a few secrets to getting the best possible quote for end-of-lease cleaning services.<\/span><\/p>\n

Deposit Refunds<\/b><\/p>\n

In most countries it is impossible to rent a property without paying a security deposit or bond equivalent to one or two month\u2019s rent. The landlord or real estate agent will retain this until the end of the lease to ensure that the property is handed back in the same condition as when the lease was entered into (fair wear and tear excepted).<\/span><\/p>\n

The refund will only be made after the landlord or agent has inspected the property, which usually means on the day the tenant is moving out. If you are moving to another country, you\u2019ve most likely got air tickets booked for the following day, so problems getting your security deposit back is the last thing you want happening on the day you move out.<\/span><\/p>\n

More than a few expatriates have experienced problems with unscrupulous landlords who have claimed something was not done right with the cleaning, and have withheld the security deposit. Often they will say they will get the problem fixed, deduct the cost from the security deposit, and forward the balance to the tenant\u2019s bank account.<\/span><\/p>\n

And then nothing happens, and the hapless tenant has to spend months chasing the landlord from a distant country for the balance of their security deposit.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"How<\/p>\n

Having professional cleaners do the end-of-lease cleaning in most cases guarantees you\u2019ll have no problems getting your security deposit back on time, because professional cleaners know exactly what needs to be done to pass a landlord\u2019s or agent\u2019s inspection. After all, it\u2019s work that they do every week, so they should know.<\/span><\/p>\n

So although it\u2019s not a 100% guarantee \u2013 because a lot depends on the integrity of the landlord or agent \u2013 it will substantially minimize the likelihood of having last-minute problems before you leave.<\/span><\/p>\n

But if you are going to use professional cleaners, how can you be sure you are getting your job done at the cheapest price? That doesn\u2019t mean a cheap job in terms of quality of service \u2013 what it means is a job that is of sufficient quality to meet the requirements of the terms of your lease. In other words, the cheapest price that will result in your landlord approving the job.<\/span><\/p>\n

Seeking Quotes<\/b><\/p>\n

The secret is in how well you specify the job in seeking quotes. \u00a0Let\u2019s explain:<\/span><\/p>\n

End-of-lease cleaning is a big job, and much more is involved than a normal weekly clean or even an annual spring clean. \u00a0When a professional cleaner quotes to do the job, they know your security deposit is at stake, and if the job doesn\u2019t pass the landlord\u2019s inspection, they\u2019ll be asked to come back and fix it.<\/span><\/p>\n

So it\u2019s unlike normal house cleaning where there is a certain routine and, from time to time, certain \u201cextras\u201d like cleaning windows or washing curtains have to be done.<\/span><\/p>\n

For end-of-lease cleaning, <\/span>everything<\/span> has to be done in one go, and everything has to be done well. If something is missed, it can\u2019t be left until the following week. And everything has to be done to a sufficiently high standard to ensure that the home is as clean on leaving it as it was when you first moved in.<\/span><\/p>\n

Special Requirements<\/b><\/p>\n

So, the cleaning company providing the quote needs to know exactly what needs to be done and be aware of any special requirements of the job. \u00a0For example, if the power or water has been disconnected, then special arrangements will need to be made to deal with that.<\/span><\/p>\n

If the cleaning company doesn\u2019t know every detail of what is required, they will build in a contingency amount to their quote to cover any unknowns or last-minute \u201csurprises.\u201d Therefore, your primary objective in seeking quotes for end of lease cleaning must be to ensure that the cleaning company is given as comprehensive a briefing as possible.<\/span><\/p>\n

Some companies offer automated quotes through their websites so that after completing an online questionnaire, you can print out an immediate quote. \u00a0Check out the website of <\/span>Stellar Home<\/span><\/a> for a good example of this. Of course, most companies will still send one of their service staff to inspect your home to make sure you haven\u2019t missed anything, but using an automated quote facility means you have an immediate quote on which to base comparisons.<\/span><\/p>\n

For any service that\u2019s going to cost more than a few hundred dollars, it\u2019s recommended that three quotes be obtained. But if you are not able to find three companies offering automated quotes, then you will need to ask one or two to provide a manual quote.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"How<\/p>\n

Comparing Quotes<\/b><\/p>\n

As with any comparison of quotes for any product or service, it\u2019s important that the quotes be like-for-like in terms of the requirements of the job.<\/span><\/p>\n

The first thing a cleaning company needs to know is whether the home is furnished or unfurnished. \u00a0A furnished home takes a lot longer to clean, and if the furniture has to be cleaned as well, that will add to the cost.<\/span><\/p>\n

Most lease agreements require departing tenants to wash or dry-clean curtains and steam-clean rugs and carpets. So these are other items that have to be specified. If you have vertical blinds or Venetian blinds instead of curtains, then no doubt these will need cleaning too.<\/span><\/p>\n

The washing of interior walls is not normally included in end-of-lease cleaning, but if there are stains or discoloration that is more than normal wear and tear, then this is something that needs to be discussed with the cleaning company.<\/span><\/p>\n

Generally ceilings are only dusted for cobwebs because they don\u2019t usually trap dirt, but if there are any marks that need to be removed, this needs to be brought to the attention of the person finalizing the quote.<\/span><\/p>\n

Internal window cleaning is always included, but external windows may not, so check this with the cleaning company, because it is highly likely that your landlord will require external cleaning unless you live in a high rise apartment.<\/span><\/p>\n

If you have a pool or spa bath, you will be expected to leave those in the same condition as they were when you arrived. \u00a0And check your lease to see if there are any special requirements regarding pest control.<\/span><\/p>\n

Special Attention\"Consumer<\/a><\/b><\/p>\n

Aside from special requirements such as these, the rest of the quote should be fairly straightforward. \u00a0The cleaning company\u2019s staff will note the number of rooms (they may measure any that are larger than normal), how many bathrooms and kitchens there are (these always take longer to clean), and assess the current condition of the house in terms of whether it is generally clean, or whether there are areas that are dirtier than others and may require special attention.<\/span><\/p>\n

By ensuring that each quote is based on exactly the same job specifications, you will avoid the possibility of any of the prices being inflated to cover contingencies. In this way, you can be sure that the cheapest quote will be the cheapest price for which you will be able to undertake your end-of-lease cleaning \u2013 and with the added assurance of knowing that your security deposit should be returned to you without arguments or disputes with your landlord.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Most expats have moved homes multiple times, and more often than not they are living in rented properties if they are making job moves to advance their careers. So, chances are they no longer attempt to do end-of-lease cleaning themselves. \u00a0They know how long it takes, how hard it is, and they\u2019ve probably had a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":308,"featured_media":13694,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"content-type":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"footnotes":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"yst_prominent_words":[14320,14312,14307,14305,14318,14304,14309,6737,14319,14321,14308,14306,14311,14315,14317,14310,14303,14313,14316,14314],"acf":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/End-of-lease-cleaning-01.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13693"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/308"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13693"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13693\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":30880,"href":"https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13693\/revisions\/30880"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13694"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13693"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13693"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13693"},{"taxonomy":"yst_prominent_words","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/yst_prominent_words?post=13693"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}