"End of tenancy clean" is not a regulated term, so two cleaners quoting the same price can mean two different jobs. This guide sets out what a professional end of tenancy clean in London normally covers as standard, which items are almost always charged as extras, what falls outside cleaning altogether, and how long the work takes for different property sizes. Use it to read a quote properly before you accept it.
The standard scope
A standard end of tenancy clean is a one-off, top-to-bottom clean of an empty property, done to the standard an inventory clerk expects at check-out. It is priced as a fixed job for the whole property, not by the hour. This is what a professional will include as standard in almost every case:
| Area | Included as standard |
|---|---|
| Kitchen | Oven inside and out (racks, trays, door glass), hob, extractor and filters, microwave, fridge and freezer inside and out, dishwasher and washing machine exteriors, drawers and seals, cupboards inside and out, worktops, splashback, tiles, sink and taps descaled, bins, floor |
| Bathrooms | Toilet inside and out, bath, shower and screen descaled, tiles and grout, basin, taps and shower head descaled, mirrors, cabinets inside and out, extractor cover, floor |
| Bedrooms and living rooms | Light fittings, cobwebs, spot cleaning of light marks on walls, inside windows and sills, radiators, skirting boards, doors and frames, sockets and switches, wardrobes, drawers and shelves inside and out, vacuuming and mopping |
| Hallway and stairs | Front door both sides, stairs and banisters, storage cupboards, skirting, floor |
| Furnished properties | Furniture dusted and wiped, under and behind furniture, mattresses vacuumed, upholstery vacuumed |
| Whole property | All floors vacuumed edge to edge and hard floors mopped; bins emptied; rubbish from the clean removed |
If a quote does not mention the insides of appliances and cupboards, ask. A clean that skips them is a domestic clean with a different name, and it will not earn a "professional standard" note on the check-out report. For the detail behind each line, the room-by-room checklist inventory clerks work from lists every item.
Common paid extras
These are the items most cleaners price separately, either because they need different equipment or because they take a disproportionate amount of time.
| Extra | Why it is separate | What to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Carpet steam or hot-water extraction clean | Needs a machine, and carpets take hours to dry | Price per room or per property; whether stairs and landings are included |
| Upholstery and mattress cleaning | Same equipment, more time | Which items, and drying time |
| Professional oven clean (dip tank) | A heavily burnt oven can take an hour or more on its own | Whether a basic oven clean is already in the base price |
| External windows | Access equipment, weather, safety | Ground floor only, or all reachable windows |
| Balcony, terrace or garden | Outdoor work, often needs a pressure washer | Sweeping only, or jet washing |
| Wall washing | Risk of damaging matt emulsion; time | Spot cleaning is standard; whole walls are not |
| Blinds (slat by slat) | Slow work | Wiping or full wash |
| Rubbish and furniture removal | Van space and disposal costs | Whether they can take it at all |
| Fridge and freezer defrost | Needs to happen before the clean, not during | Whether you should defrost it the night before |
Ask for the extras as separate lines on the quote. Then you can compare two cleaners on the same scope, which is the only fair comparison. Our guide to what a move-out clean costs in London explains what moves the base price and gives indicative bands.
What an end of tenancy clean does not cover
Cleaners clean. They do not:
- Repair anything: broken handles, cracked tiles, loose fittings
- Paint, fill holes or touch up walls
- Treat mould beyond wiping surface spots (persistent mould is a building or ventilation issue)
- Remove permanent stains from carpets or upholstery; cleaning improves them, it does not promise removal
- Replace burnt-out bulbs or missing items
- Do gardening beyond a tidy, unless quoted
- Clean a property that is still occupied or full of belongings to a move-out standard
If your check-in report and your own inspection show damage rather than dirt, budget for it separately or accept the deduction. A cleaner cannot fix it.
Team size and how long it takes
Duration depends on the size and state of the property and how many people attend. The figures below are a rough guide to what cleaners commonly plan for, not a promise. A cleaner who has seen photos of your property will give you a better estimate.
| Property | Typical team | Rough time on site (standard clean) |
|---|---|---|
| Studio or 1-bed flat | 1 to 2 cleaners | Around 3 to 5 hours |
| 2-bed flat | 2 cleaners | Around 4 to 6 hours |
| 3-bed house | 2 to 3 cleaners | Around 5 to 8 hours, sometimes a full day |
| 4-bed and larger | 3 or more | A full day, occasionally two |
Add time for extras. Carpet cleaning is usually done last and adds an hour or two, plus several hours of drying before the property should be walked on in shoes. A heavily soiled oven adds up to an hour. Properties that have not been cleaned properly across a long tenancy can take half as long again.
Book the clean for the day before check-out if you can. That leaves time for carpets to dry and for you to walk round, photograph everything and raise anything you spot while the re-clean window is still open.
What you must do before the cleaners arrive
The single biggest cause of a clean running over, or falling short, is a property that was not ready. Before the team arrives:
- Empty the property. All belongings, boxes and rubbish gone. Cleaners cannot clean inside cupboards that are full or under furniture that is not theirs to move.
- Leave electricity and water on. Vacuums, steam cleaners and hot water all depend on it. If you have already told the supplier you are leaving, make sure the supply stays live until after the clean.
- Defrost the fridge and freezer the night before and leave the doors open to dry.
- Sort parking. Tell the cleaner where they can park a van, or arrange a visitor permit. In much of London this is the difference between an on-time start and an hour's delay.
- Arrange keys and access. Agree where keys will be collected and returned, and whether you will be there.
- Share the check-in report so the cleaner knows the standard recorded at the start.
- Point out problem areas in advance: a burnt oven, a stained carpet, mould in a bathroom. Surprises on the day become extra charges or exclusions.
How it differs from a deep clean
People use the two terms interchangeably, but cleaners do not.
| End of tenancy clean | Deep clean | |
|---|---|---|
| Property | Empty, or nearly empty | Occupied and furnished |
| Aim | Pass a check-out inspection | Reset a lived-in home |
| Pricing | Fixed price by property size | Often hourly, sometimes fixed |
| Inside appliances and cupboards | Always | Usually, but agreed per job |
| Wardrobes and drawers | Emptied and cleaned inside | Only if cleared by you |
| Under and behind furniture | Yes | Where furniture can be moved |
| Re-clean window | Often offered | Rarely |
A deep clean is the right choice when you are staying put: moving in, after building work, or before starting a regular cleaning arrangement. An end of tenancy clean is built around the inspection. If you need the former, see deep cleaning in London on KleanTouch.
Find end of tenancy cleaners in your area
KleanTouch lists independent cleaners and small firms who cover end of tenancy cleaning in London, searchable by postcode, with published rates on many profiles. You contact the cleaner directly and agree the scope and price with them. KleanTouch takes no bookings or commission and does not check insurance or work quality, so ask about insurance and re-clean terms before confirming. Area pages for the pilot neighbourhoods are being added as listings go live.