Money Claim for Cleaning CostsMoney Claim for Cleaning Costs
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Claim Cleaning & Rubbish Removal Costs from Tenant
When tenants leave your property in an unacceptable state, recover the cost of professional cleaning and waste removal through the courts.
What Cleaning Costs Can You Claim?
Key principle: You can only claim cleaning costs to restore the property to its check-in condition, not to make it cleaner than when the tenancy started. Compare check-in and check-out evidence.
Claimable Cleaning Costs
- Professional deep clean of filthy property
- Oven cleaning (burnt-on grease/food)
- Carpet cleaning for stains/odors
- Limescale removal in bathrooms
- Mould treatment from tenant neglect
- Pet odor/stain removal
- Garden clearance and waste removal
Claimable Rubbish Removal
- Skip hire for large amounts of waste
- Council bulky waste collection
- House clearance services
- Abandoned furniture removal
- Hazardous waste disposal (if applicable)
- Multiple tip runs (mileage + time)
- Garden waste removal
What You Cannot Claim
- • Routine between-tenancy cleaning (normal turnover)
- • Cleaning to a higher standard than at check-in
- • Normal dust accumulation during the tenancy
- • Cleaning if no check-in inventory exists to prove original standard
- • Items you would clean anyway regardless of tenant
Unsure if your cleaning costs are claimable?
Use our free Ask Heaven landlord Q&A tool to get instant guidance on what qualifies as excessive cleaning.
Evidence You Need for Cleaning Claims
Cleaning claims succeed or fail on evidence. You must prove the property was clean at check-in and dirty at check-out - without both, courts may reject your claim.
Check-In Evidence
- • Inventory stating "professionally cleaned"
- • Photos of clean condition
- • Receipt from check-in clean
- • Tenant signed acknowledgment
Check-Out Evidence
- • Photos showing mess/dirt
- • Video walkthrough
- • Check-out report detailing issues
- • Photos of rubbish left behind
Cost Evidence
- • Professional cleaning invoice
- • Skip hire receipt
- • Waste collection receipts
- • Itemised breakdown of costs
Cleaning Claim Evidence Checklist
- Check-in inventory (stating clean condition)
- Check-in photos showing clean property
- Check-out photos showing mess/dirt
- Professional cleaning quote/invoice
- Skip/waste removal receipts
- Letter before action sent
- Schedule itemising each cleaning cost
- Photos of any rubbish/items left
Typical Cleaning & Rubbish Removal Costs
Courts expect reasonable costs. Here are typical professional rates to help you assess whether your quotes are in line with market rates.
Professional Cleaning Costs
- 1-bed flat deep clean£150-200
- 2-bed flat/house deep clean£200-280
- 3-bed house deep clean£280-400
- Oven clean (standalone)£40-80
- Carpet clean per room£25-50
Rubbish Removal Costs
- Mini skip (2-3 cubic yards)£150-200
- Standard skip (6-8 yards)£250-350
- Council bulky waste (3 items)£30-50
- House clearance service£300-800
- Garden clearance£150-400
Getting the Best Evidence for Costs
Get 2-3 quotes to show courts your chosen contractor is reasonably priced. Itemised invoices are stronger than lump sum quotes. If your costs seem high, be prepared to explain why (e.g., hazardous waste, large property).
How to Make a Cleaning Costs Claim
Document at Check-Out
Take comprehensive photos and video of every room showing the dirty condition. Note specific areas: oven, bathrooms, carpets, garden. Photograph any rubbish or abandoned items.
Get Cleaning Quotes
Obtain itemised quotes from professional cleaners. If you've already had cleaning done, keep the invoice. Get skip hire or waste removal quotes for any rubbish left behind.
Send Letter Before Action
Write to the tenant with an itemised schedule of cleaning costs, attaching evidence. Give them 14-30 days to pay. This step is required before court proceedings.
Make Your Court Claim
If the tenant doesn't pay, submit your claim via MCOL (England & Wales) or Simple Procedure (Scotland). Include your full evidence bundle showing check-in vs check-out condition.
Ready to Claim Cleaning Costs?
Our Money Claim Pack includes letter before action templates, schedule of costs builder, and step-by-step guidance for cleaning and rubbish removal claims.
Start Cleaning Costs ClaimReady to Recover Your Cleaning Costs?
Our Money Claim Pack walks you through documenting the mess, calculating costs, sending the letter before action, and making your court claim.
UK cleaning cost claims
Next legal steps
Recommended next step for recovering cleaning and rubbish removal costs.
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- Ask Heaven
Get instant answers to landlord legal questions.