What Is Urgent Tenancy Cleaning?

After almost a decade in the tenancy cleaning business, I still get amazed by how clueless people can be about their lease contracts, moving-out procedures, etc. In my experience, at least 50% of the tenants think they can just pack their boxes, leave the keys on the kitchen table and move on to their new apartment. The idea of reading their tenancy contract, let alone planning for a professional cleaning visit which is a mandatory condition more often than not, does not cross their mind.

Let me give you an example. A few weeks ago, I was enjoying my first cup of morning coffee when the phone started ringing. Without knowing it, I could guess it was an emergency call – nobody would contact us for a pre-scheduled clean-up at 9 AM. When I picked up the receiver, I was immediately exposed to a torrent of hardly understandable vocal abuse in a strong Eastern European accent.

As it turned out, a Hungarian lady was moving out of her Whetstone apartment but, of course, hadn’t read the tenancy contract. She should have cleaned the apartment a day before the call – or lost her deposit. In something between panic and rage, she demanded (the cheek of this woman!) we take the job on the same day, for extra pay (how generous!).

I am usually very accommodating with my customers and try to help them in similar cases. But something in this lady’s tone put me off immediately. I tried to explain that we could sign her up for a clean-up in the early evening of the same day, which is more than a reasonable timeframe. She would have none of it – the cleaning had to be done by noon, or she would lose her deposit. Well, I guess she lost her deposit.

Please, please, please – guys, read your tenancy contract! And if you fail to do so, do not forget it is your fault, nor a professional contractor’s!