Move out cleaning fee.

[Stephen991]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)?

FLORIDA

Prior walkthrough of unit revealed it was generally clean. Upon move-in, I found urine on toilet seats, body & head hair in drains, mildew in shower, and a glob of ratted-up hair in the dirty kitchen sink. Bed linens were unwashed and smelled of body odor. A request was made to the Landlord's agent to have the unit properly cleaned. She refused, saying it was cleaned. We requested name and # of cleaning service and she admitted the owner had cleaned it himself. I insisted she pay for a proper cleaning.

Fast forward to the end of the lease. Agent tells me that since she "had to pay for two cleanings" (nonsense), I am now obligated to pay for a professional cleaning of the unit, prior to move-out. The contract has absolutely no such vacancy cleaning clause whatsoever. She requested proof of professional cleaning, or she "would contact her attorney" and take the money from my security deposit.

Question: Is the landlord's real estate agent allowed to require the tenant pay for a professional cleaning upon vacancy, in the complete absence of any such vacancy clauses in the contract? Is the landlord's agent allowed to keep a portion of the security deposit to pay for such a cleaning, in absence of any such clauses in the contract?

Thanks.

-S-

 

[FarmerJ]

If it wasnt written into the lease in advance NO dice , Make sure you leave every thing clean inc carpets. (use self storage to move enough ahead of time that you can do good job cleaning ) take alot of pics say throw away camera so when you have them developed they can date them , and if this comes up again politely but firm tell them NO your not willing to hire a cleaning service since the lease didnt require it , instead you will leave it clean and take pics of how clean it was left incase they wish to embaress selfs in court with unjust cleaning fees. This should help remind them it was not in the lease and your going to prepare for a dispute.

 

[Stephen991]

Great advice Farmer.

These real estate agents don't seem to understand what "honest" and "ethical" behavior is, and this issue is the last in a very long line of shady actions they've taken to benefit themselves at my expense. Many very small things that have eventually piled up into a very unpleasant frustrating experience for me. I have rented condos and apartments for over 15 years and *never* seen someone blatantly try to weasel their way out of $80, or twist the truth to benefit themselves so much.

I will send them this link and hopefully they will hear from someone else the conclusion: NO DICE. Then again they're not from America so they probably wont even understand the phrase. Just like they don't understand what it means to conduct business in an honest manner.

-S-

 

[Zigner]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)?

FLORIDA

Prior walkthrough of unit revealed it was generally clean. Upon move-in, I found urine on toilet seats, body & head hair in drains, mildew in shower, and a glob of ratted-up hair in the dirty kitchen sink. Bed linens were unwashed and smelled of body odor. A request was made to the Landlord's agent to have the unit properly cleaned. She refused, saying it was cleaned. We requested name and # of cleaning service and she admitted the owner had cleaned it himself. I insisted she pay for a proper cleaning.

Fast forward to the end of the lease. Agent tells me that since she "had to pay for two cleanings" (nonsense), I am now obligated to pay for a professional cleaning of the unit, prior to move-out. The contract has absolutely no such vacancy cleaning clause whatsoever. She requested proof of professional cleaning, or she "would contact her attorney" and take the money from my security deposit.

Question: Is the landlord's real estate agent allowed to require the tenant pay for a professional cleaning upon vacancy, in the complete absence of any such vacancy clauses in the contract? Is the landlord's agent allowed to keep a portion of the security deposit to pay for such a cleaning, in absence of any such clauses in the contract?

Thanks.

-S-

If the unit needs to be cleaned, then yes, the LL can hire professionals.

And, your thinly veiled bigotry will get you nowhere in the legal arena.

 

[Searchertwin]

If the unit needs to be cleaned, then yes, the LL can hire professionals.

And, your thinly veiled bigotry will get you nowhere in the legal arena.

But LL can not force tenant to hire one unless stipulated in lease.

Agree on second part, no place for that in legal area or life. Even thou it is hard at times.

 

[Zigner]

But LL can not force tenant to hire one unless stipulated in lease.

Even if it WERE stipulated in the lease, the LL's remedy for failure to comply would be to hire a pro cleaning company and then charge it to the deposit. So, it's basically a moot point

 

[FarmerJ]

Stephen it really doesnt matter where the agents are from , what does matter is that you have a valid lease that doesnt allow them to require you to hire it out, so your best protection is to protect self via documenting the units final condition and if they are not fair about deposit refund you have the right to use courts to address this and bring photos of final condition of the unit and let them embaress selfs in court.