Carpets Professionally Cleaned at the End of Tenancy – Yes or No?

TRANSCRIPT

So, do carpets need professional cleaning at the end of a tenancy?

Section 40 of the Residential Tenancies Act—tenant’s responsibilities—states that tenants must leave the premises in reasonable clean and tidy condition.

What does the law mean reasonably clean and tidy?

Sometimes, determining what is reasonably clean and tidy can be difficult because we all have different living standards.

A vacate checklist with cleaning task reminders is a great tool to use.

So, back to carpets – if they are in the same condition as when tenants moved in, considering normal fair wear and tear, no stains, smells, or other issues, landlords can’t expect or make tenants commercially clean carpets.

You can’t write clauses into tenancy agreements that conflict with the Act. The Tenancy Tribunal may consider such clauses unenforceable, meaning they have no effect, and in some cases, these clauses may amount to an unlawful act.

Clauses likely to be unenforceable are clauses that:

• Ask a tenant to do more than the Act requires them to do
• Try to remove or reduce the tenant’s rights or give the landlord more rights
• Evade the requirements of the Act.

Some tenants will view it as reasonable and agree to get the carpets professionally cleaned. Still, others will only view carpets as reasonably clean with a good vacuum.

So, ensure you know what you can and cannot do as a landlord regarding the ACT.