If you are moving out of a rented flat or house in London, the cleaning bill is one of the last costs you will face and one of the easiest to get wrong. Pay too little for a rushed job and the check-out report picks holes in it. Pay too much and you have handed over money you did not need to spend.
This guide explains how London cleaners price an end of tenancy clean, what the price normally covers, which factors move it up or down, and where you stand on your deposit. The figures are indicative ranges only. The live rates published by cleaners on their KleanTouch profiles are the figures to rely on when you are ready to book.
How end of tenancy cleans are priced
Almost every cleaner and small cleaning firm in London quotes end of tenancy work as a fixed price for the whole property rather than an hourly rate. The price is set by the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, with adjustments for the state of the place and any extras.
There is a practical reason for this. An end of tenancy clean has a defined finish line: the property has to pass a check-out inspection. The cleaner takes on the risk that the job takes longer than expected, and in return you get a price you know in advance. Hourly pricing, which is normal for regular domestic cleaning, is rarely used for move-out cleans because neither side can predict the hours accurately.
A fixed quote will usually be based on:
- Property type and size: studio, one-bed, two-bed and so on, and whether it is a flat or a house.
- Number of bathrooms and toilets, which are the slowest rooms to clean well.
- Whether it is furnished or unfurnished.
- Which extras you want added, mainly carpets, oven and windows.
- Its condition, judged from photos or a quick visit.
Some cleaners list "from" prices per property size on their profile. Treat the "from" figure as the price for an empty, unfurnished property in reasonable condition, and expect the final quote to be higher if yours is not.
What the fixed price normally includes
A standard end of tenancy clean covers the whole property from top to bottom: the kitchen including inside the oven, hob, extractor and cupboards; bathrooms including limescale removal; every room's skirting boards, doors, sockets, light fittings, insides of wardrobes and insides of windows; and vacuuming and mopping of all floors. For a full room-by-room breakdown, read what a standard end of tenancy clean includes and which items count as extras.
The things most often left out of the base price, and quoted separately, are:
- Carpet and upholstery steam cleaning
- Professional oven cleaning with a dip tank (a basic oven clean is usually included; a heavily burnt oven may be quoted as an extra)
- Exterior windows and balconies
- Washing walls or removing marks beyond light spot cleaning
- Removal of rubbish, furniture or belongings left behind
- Repairs, painting, mould treatment and anything else that is not cleaning
Always ask for the inclusions in writing. Two quotes that look £40 apart can be the same price once carpets are added to the cheaper one.
Indicative price bands by property size
The ranges below reflect what independent cleaners and small firms in London typically quote for a standard end of tenancy clean in 2026. They are not averages and they are not KleanTouch data. They are broad bands to help you spot a quote that is unusually high or suspiciously low. Live rates on individual profiles and area pages will vary, and those are the numbers to compare.
| Property | Typically quoted (indicative) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Studio or 1-bed flat | Roughly £120 to £200 | Assumes one bathroom, unfurnished |
| 2-bed flat or house | Roughly £160 to £280 | A second bathroom pushes towards the top |
| 3-bed flat or house | Roughly £220 to £380 | Houses over two floors sit higher |
| 4-bed and larger | Usually quoted individually | Expect the top of the 3-bed band as a floor |
| Carpet steam clean | On top, per room or per property | Stairs and landings priced separately |
| Professional oven clean | On top, if not in the base price | Range cookers cost more than single ovens |
A quote well below these bands for a whole property is worth questioning. Ask what is included, how many people will attend and how long they expect to be there. A very low fixed price usually means a short visit, and a short visit is what the inventory clerk notices.
What pushes the price up
Within the bands above, these are the factors that move a quote:
Condition. A property that has not been deep cleaned during a long tenancy, with heavy grease in the kitchen or built-up limescale in the bathroom, takes longer and costs more. Cleaners will often ask for photos before confirming a price for this reason.
Furnished versus unfurnished. Furniture has to be moved, cleaned under and around, and wiped down. Cleaning the insides of wardrobes, drawers and shelving adds time.
Carpets. Steam cleaning needs separate equipment and drying time, so it is nearly always a separate line. If your check-in report says the carpets were professionally cleaned at the start, the clerk will expect them to be in a comparable state at the end.
Appliances. Fridge-freezers that need defrosting, dishwashers, washing machines and tumble dryers all add minutes each. An oven in a bad state is the single most common cause of a price increase on the day.
Parking, ULEZ and the Congestion Charge. Most cleaners arrive by van. If there is no free parking, the cost of a pay-and-display bay or a visitor permit may be added to the quote or asked for on the day. Jobs inside the central London Congestion Charge zone, or cleaners running vehicles that do not meet ULEZ standards, sometimes carry a surcharge. Ask about this when you book so it is not a surprise.
Short notice and weekends. Next-day or same-day bookings, and Saturday or Sunday slots, are often priced higher because the cleaner has to move other work.
Access. Top-floor flats without a lift, restricted parking and awkward key collection all take time, and some cleaners price for it.
Re-clean guarantees: what they cover
Many end of tenancy cleaners offer a re-clean guarantee, usually valid for 24 to 72 hours after the clean. If the check-out report or the landlord raises a cleaning issue within that window, the cleaner returns and puts it right at no extra charge.
Read the small print before you rely on it. Typically a guarantee:
- Covers cleaning issues only, not damage, wear, or items that were excluded from the quote. A re-clean will not fix a stained carpet if carpet cleaning was never booked.
- Requires that nobody has moved back in or used the property after the clean.
- Needs the complaint within the stated window, often with the check-out report or photos as evidence.
- Applies to the original scope. If the clerk flags a wall mark and walls were not included, the guarantee will not cover it.
A guarantee is a sign that the cleaner expects to pass inspections, but it is only as good as its terms. Get them in writing.
Your deposit and the law on cleaning
Two points matter here, and both are worth knowing before you speak to a cleaner or your landlord.
First, in England the Tenant Fees Act 2019 means a landlord or agent cannot require you to pay for a professional end of tenancy clean as a condition of the tenancy. A clause in your agreement demanding a professional clean with a receipt is not enforceable. You are free to do the clean yourself.
Second, that does not remove your obligation to hand the property back in the same state of cleanliness recorded at check-in, allowing for fair wear and tear. If the check-in inventory says the oven was "clean, professional standard" and it is returned greasy, the landlord can propose a deduction for cleaning. The choice you have is how to reach that standard, not whether to.
Any deduction has to be evidenced. That means a check-in report and a check-out report, ideally with dated photographs, showing the difference. Your deposit must be protected in a government-approved scheme, and each scheme runs a free dispute resolution service if you do not agree with a proposed deduction. Keep your own photos of every room after the clean and before you hand over the keys. If you hire a cleaner, keep the invoice too; it is useful evidence even though nobody can force you to have one.
This is general information, not legal advice. If your situation is complicated, Shelter, Citizens Advice or your deposit scheme's own guidance are the places to start.
How to get an accurate quote
Cleaners can only price accurately if they know what they are pricing. To get a firm figure rather than a "from" price:
- Send photos of the kitchen, each bathroom, the inside of the oven and any problem areas.
- Give the property type, number of bedrooms and bathrooms, floor level and whether there is a lift.
- Say whether it is furnished and whether you want carpets, upholstery or external windows included.
- Share the check-in inventory's cleanliness descriptions if you have them, so the cleaner knows the standard to reach.
- Confirm the date, time window, parking arrangements and how keys will be handed over.
- Ask for the inclusions, exclusions, price and guarantee terms in a message you can keep.
Before you book, it is worth going through the end of tenancy cleaning checklist that mirrors what inventory clerks look for, so you can compare the cleaner's scope against it.
Compare end of tenancy cleaners in your area
KleanTouch is a directory of independent cleaners and small cleaning firms across London. Each business sets its own prices, and where they have published rates you will see them on their profile. KleanTouch does not take bookings, adds no commission, and does not check insurance or work quality, so ask about insurance and guarantee terms before you confirm. Start with end of tenancy cleaners in London, where you can search by postcode; area pages for the pilot neighbourhoods are being added as listings go live. What every listing must include, and what "Contact verified" does and does not mean, is set out in the listing guidelines.