Are houses/flats typically clean with you move in?

We just rented a house and it was very dirty when my husband went to do the walk through and pick up the keys.  Is this typical over there?  Are the new tenants usually responsible for cleaning before move in?  The owner (who moved out in May) seemed offended when my husband told them how dirty it was.  He said the oven was filthy, etc.  I just wondered if our expectations are too high and this was typical over there.

We just rented a house and it was very dirty when my husband went to do the walk through and pick up the keys.  Is this typical over there?  Are the new tenants usually responsible for cleaning before move in?  The owner (who moved out in May) seemed offended when my husband told them how dirty it was.  He said the oven was filthy, etc.  I just wondered if our expectations are too high and this was typical over there.

Depends on what your contract says. Landlords lived in the house before us. We're requires to have it professionally cleaned when we move out. It was very clean when we moved in.

What does your contract say?  Typically everything requires a professional clean (oven, carpets, curtains, and the house, receipts must be provided or you won't get your deposit back).

If the contract has all of that, put in writing WITH PHOTOS that you will not be returning the property professional,lay cleaned but instead as you found.

Unfortunately this could be a sign of the kind of landlord you have.  Did you view it before renting?

Read the link in my signature "What to do before moving into a rental" - I have some advice on this aspect that will help you get your deposit back at the end.

My mother in law viewed the property but she didn't look at every little thing (like in the oven, open the toilet lid, etc).  The owners of the property lived in it before renting to us.  I believe they moved out in May or June.  I can understand there being dust, etc since it's been 2 months.  But leaving the stove filthy means they didn't have it cleaned.

Unfortunately, it's fairly typical. The only *clean* house we have ever purchased was a new build direct from the builder. Our current house had been unoccupied for a year - it was full of junk, grease in the grill pan, and bags of trash in the garage. The owner had left a few pieces of furniture to make it look occupied from the street, and we assumed they would take the junk when they came to remove the furniture. WRONG!

My elderly sister-in-law is renting a small cottage owned by a well-known brewery. It is absolutely filthy, and needs a lot of work. Nothing was done before she moved in, yet they come to do 'inspections' every 6 months. A previous flat that she rented was owned by a housing association - also filthy, never mind needing a coat of paint everywhere. DH & I spent a few days cleaning and decorating before she moved it.

the house opposite us just sold - it looked OK from the outside, but the couple who bought it found tons of junk inside - in the loft, the garage, and just left in rooms. They decided to completely renovate before moving in, as they have alternate accommodation. Just as a note, the houses on our estate were built in 2004, so not that old.

By contrast the woman who bought our last house (which had been recently decorated, had new carpets, and was as clean as I could get it) had only one complaint. I had carefully filled in the holes from picture hangers and did touch-up painting. She laughingly said she had to figure out where to hang her pictures without any 'guidance' from the location of our 'picture hanger holes'.

  But leaving the stove filthy means they didn't have it cleaned.

The good news is that there are lots of oven-cleaning services in Glasgow... here's just one of the many:
http://steamtogleam.co.uk/glasgow-west-end-oven-cleaning/

Maybe your landlord will pay for it, or even pay for half?

The Housing laws, my favourites

First of all, letting agents don't have to pass exams and anybody can set themselves up as a letting agent. Many landlords don't seem to have a clue about the housing laws and use letting agents,  even though the landlord is the one who is responsible for ensuring thy don't do anything criminal.  

What does your contract say?  Typically everything requires a professional clean (oven, carpets, curtains, and the house, receipts must be provided or you won't get your deposit back).

Only if the landlord has the proof it was all cleaned by professional  cleaners just before they moved in. Landlords cannot have betterment. It's why the deposit schemes were added to the England and Wales Housing Acts, to save the courts being clogged up with tenants' taking their ex bad-landlord to court.

If the contract has all of that, put in writing WITH PHOTOS that you will not be returning the property professional,lay cleaned but instead as you found.

That's already the law in England: the property to be returned in the same state the tenant was given it, less fair wear and tear. You cannot take away someone’s legal rights in a contract. There will be a list somewhere on the internet on what has been ruled as “unfair terms” in a rental contract: meaning they won’t apply.



Did the house have an inspection report when you moved in? More to the point, has it been signed by both parties?

Shelter England are quite good with advice on bad landlords, as is the landlordzone, who have professional landlords on there who are  fed up with the "me too buy to let" landlords who haven't got a clue on the legal side of their business. The government have recently brought out a leaflet too to help renters and brought in a nice law change that will hurt the bad landlords.

I did write a few articles for tenants with bad landlords and landlords with bad tenants, a while ago and they will still be around on the internet, but they will be out of date as laws change all the time. I would use the landlordzone for advice if I were you as these professional landlords tend to keep up the date with all latest law changes and high court cases.

The good news is that there are lots of oven-cleaning services in Glasgow... here's just one of the many:
http://steamtogleam.co.uk/glasgow-west-end-oven-cleaning/

Maybe your landlord will pay for it, or even pay for half?

I've seen lots of adverts for oven cleaners. Am I missing something? Do people not clean their own ovens here?

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

I've seen lots of adverts for oven cleaners. Am I missing something? Do people not clean their own ovens here?

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

I'm British and I've never heard of anyone hiring an oven cleaner before 

(Doesn't mean they don't...it's just that this is the first time I've ever heard of them)

I'm British and I've never heard of anyone hiring an oven cleaner before 

(Doesn't mean they don't...it's just that this is the first time I've ever heard of them)

Oh good. I was just thinking how I need to clean my oven and how I was probably going to discover you can't buy oven cleaner here or something over the top ridiculous which would require the hiring of an oven cleaner. Lolol

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

Thanks for everyone's advice.  I don't think the landlords were very happy when my husband said the house was filthy since they were the ones who lived in it until they moved in May.   I can understand the dust since it is on a main road but an old dirty toothbrush?  My husband has hired cleaners to do a through cleaning including carpets for 200 pounds.  At first I thought that sounded high before I realized it included carpets.

Is it normal for houses to smell musty when empty for 2 months without heat or windows open?  We are hoping that after the cleaning and airing out it won't smell so musty.  It wasn't our first choice of house but like I told my husband were lucky to find a place so close to school and that will allow our 2 dogs.

Thanks for everyone's advice.  I don't think the landlords were very happy when my husband said the house was filthy since they were the ones who lived in it until they moved in May.   I can understand the dust since it is on a main road but an old dirty toothbrush?  My husband has hired cleaners to do a through cleaning including carpets for 200 pounds.  At first I thought that sounded high before I realized it included carpets.

Is it normal for houses to smell musty when empty for 2 months without heat or windows open?  We are hoping that after the cleaning and airing out it won't smell so musty.  It wasn't our first choice of house but like I told my husband were lucky to find a place so close to school and that will allow our 2 dogs.

Musty would make me think there's mold somewhere.  We don't have HVAC systems in the UK so you'll find you are ALWAYS fighting dust!

I have my oven professionally cleaned twice a year.  Am I the only one?     Was just done on Tuesday.  They don't have self-cleaning ovens here and for £40, the professional clean is 100% worth it!  They take it completely apart and soak it in tanks in their van. 

I have my oven professionally cleaned twice a year.  Am I the only one?     Was just done on Tuesday.  They don't have self-cleaning ovens here and for £40, the professional clean is 100% worth it!  They take it completely apart and soak it in tanks in their van.

I have a self cleaning oven. 

I have a self cleaning oven. 

Woohoo!  I'll add that to my "must have" list when we redo the kitchen!