Around 90% of lease agreements in Australia are for 12 months or less. After the lease ends, end-of-lease cleaning is critical for tenants vacating rental properties. It ensures the property is returned as required in a condition that satisfies the landlord or manager according to the agreement.
However, the cost of end-of-lease cleaning is a big factor for the tenants, and the cost changes based on different factors. The end of lease cleaning cost factors include the following:
- The size of the property
- Condition of the property
- The extent of cleaning required
- Location and accessibility
- Time of year
- Reputation and experience of cleaning companies, and more.
In this guide, we explain why different factors influence the cost of end-of-lease cleaning services and share some tips on reducing costs.
Key End of Lease Cleaning Cost Factors
You are responsible for handing over your rental property with the same condition at the beginning of renting to the landlord when you have vacated the property.
The bond cleaning expenses vary based on different factors. If you are a tenant in Australia, knowing the factors will help you to determine the cost of end-of-lease cleaning when you vacant your rental property.
So, when you hire a professional for end-of-lease cleaning, you will stay clear about the pricing.
The Size of the Property
The size of the property is the most significant factor influencing move-out cleaning pricing. A large property with multiple bedrooms, hallways, and a multi-story home automatically raises expenses.
The larger property will take more time, labour, and resources. More time, labour, and resources cause more costs.
Condition of the Property
When you vacate, the condition of the property is one of the tenancy cleaning cost determinants. Just think, if you maintain the property well and regularly do the basic cleaning tasks, it won’t accumulate much dirt and dust.
As a result, cleaning will take less time and labour at the end of the lease, resulting in lower vacate cleaning service charges.
Conversely, properties with accumulated dirt, stains, or neglected areas require extensive cleaning, which increases the pricing of deep cleaning services.
For deep cleaning, the following areas require extra attention:
- Carpets: Stained or heavily soiled carpets may need steam cleaning. This adds to the cleaning service additional charges.
- Walls: Visible scuffs, marks, or grease stains often require wall washing or repainting in severe cases.
- Bathrooms: Heavy mould or limescale build-up in bathrooms can lead to higher cleaning fees.
The Type of Property
The type of property also plays a role in determining lease termination cleaning fees. For example:
- Standalone homes: These may require additional tasks such as outdoor cleaning or pressure cleaning patios and others. Such extra cleaning increases costs.
- Apartments: Apartments typically don’t need outdoor cleaning. So, they incur lower rental property cleaning costs due to their compact size and fewer external areas to clean.
The Extent of Cleaning Required
The scope of cleaning necessary is among the significant exit cleaning pricing factors. A standard cleaning package may cover general tasks like dusting, vacuuming, and mopping.
But, you may need optional services that are not covered under the standard packages. Such special services can add additional costs to your total end-of-lease cleaning cost. These include but are not limited to:
Additional Services and Their Impact on Pricing
- Kitchens: Areas like ovens, stovetops, and range hoods often need deep cleaning to remove grease and grime. Oven cleaning alone can substantially increase your end-of-lease cleaning costs.
- Windows: A standard end-of-lease cleaning package may not include cleaning exterior windows. So, this could require an additional fee to be added to the exit cleaning pricing factors.
- Carpet steam cleaning: Essential for properties with carpeted floors, especially if there are stains or odours.
- Pest control: In some cases, tenants must provide pest treatment, especially in properties that allow pets.
- Garden maintenance: This includes tasks like mowing lawns, trimming hedges, or clearing debris.
- Rubbish Removal: Clearing out leftover junk, furniture, or rubbish that tenants may leave behind.
The more extensive the cleaning requirements, the higher the overall professional cleaning cost variables.
Location and Accessibility
The geographic location of the property significantly influences regional cleaning cost differences. Here’s how it works.
1. Demand and Service Availability
- High Demand in Cities: In metropolitan areas like Brisbane, Sydney, etc., cleaning services are often in higher demand. This results in higher costs and stricter scheduling availability.
- Limited Services in Regional Areas: In less populated areas, fewer cleaning providers may mean increased travel costs and limited service offerings. But, remote areas that offer less travel costs offer lower final lease cleaning expenses.
2. Environmental Factors
- Coastal Regions: Homes near the coast may accumulate salt residue on windows and outdoor furniture. This necessitates specialised cleaning, increasing the cleaning costs.
- Dry or Dusty Regions: Properties in areas like Outback Queensland or Western Australia may require extra dust removal from walls, floors, and fixtures, increasing the costs.
3. Regulations and Landlord Expectations
- Urban rental properties may adhere to stricter tenancy cleaning regulations or landlord standards. This could require professional cleaning services and higher costs compared to regional areas.
Time of Year
The end of tenancy cleaning rates increase during the peak moving periods. They include the summer holidays and the end of the financial year.
The rate also increases at the time of the new year, Christmas period, etc. Because the surge for the cleaning demands increases extensively. So this results in higher cleaning prices.
However, if you plan ahead and book the cleaning services early, this will secure better rates and avoid last-minute surcharges.
Reputation and Experience of the Cleaning Company
Established and highly experienced cleaning companies often charge more for their services. However, in most cases, such companies also offer the highest level of services without compromising the quality.
You will get a guarantee that the property meets inspection standards. This ensures the avoidance of the risk of bond disputes.
While these services may cost more, their reliability and professionalism justify the higher cleaning cost based on property condition.
Opting for experienced professionals ensures peace of mind, especially for tenants aiming to meet strict bond inspection criteria.
Tips to Minimise the End of Lease Cleaning Costs
You can reduce the impact of some end of lease cleaning cost factors by following the tips below.
Customise the Cleaning Package
Choose the cleaning services that are only required to fulfil the tenant agreement. Don’t go for extra services to avoid unnecessary expenses. If you don’t need window cleaning, deduct the service from the package.
DIY Minor Tasks
Also, every cleaning task of your rental property doesn’t need professional cleaning. You can do minor tasks to avoid unnecessary costs.
For instance, if the sofas only need vacuuming, you can easily do so. For basic vacuuming, you don’t need to include this in the cleaning package.
Like this, basic bedroom cleaning and carpet vacuuming are easy DIY tasks.
Compare Quotes
You will have multiple cleaning service providers in your local area. Ask different cleaning service providers for quotes for your required cleaning services.
Now, compare the quote they provided. You should go for the best service provider who offers the best value-for-money quotes.
Book Cleaning Services in Advance
We recommend you book your cleaning services early during the picking season. It is for you since you know about the closing date of your tenant agreement.
So, if you really need the end of lease cleaning services, booking the services early will secure the best rates.
Regular Cleaning
You can do regular basic cleaning jobs during your tenant period.
Some of the basic cleaning tasks include:
- Sofa vacuuming,
- keeping your oven clean,
- regularly vacuuming the carpets,
- spot cleaning the stains on any surfaces, etc.
These will reduce the cleaning tasks when you vacant the rental property. As a result, you will need less labour and time from the cleaning services which will help you save a significant amount of costs.
Final Thoughts
Understanding the end of lease cleaning cost factors ensures tenants are better prepared to handle the financial aspects of moving out. It also helps you to understand that the cleaning services the best cleaning companies provide are worth it.
At Eco Cleaning Brisbane, we provide the best end-of-lease cleaning services all over Brisbane. With over 20 years of experience, we ensure your rental property meets the inspection standard.
Contact us for reliable services at the best prices. You can reach us over the phone at +61 7 3189 2759 or email at [email protected].
