Tenants often underestimate the risks of failing to meet the obligations of their end-of-lease cleaning when they move. In this blog, we will look at how professional move out cleaning in Toronto helps avoid landlord/property management fees and fines.
What is a move out cleaning in Toronto?
A move out cleaning in Toronto ensures you meet the obligations of your lease to maintain a reasonable level of cleanliness in your rental apartment. An end-of-lease cleaning is not only expected, but also a legal requirement. The cleaning typically includes the following heavy-duty cleaning:
- Vacuum ceiling fans and light fixture covers
- Washing light switches and doorknobs
- Scrubbing walls
- Vacuuming and mopping floors
- Wiping baseboards and window ledges
- Shampooing or steam-cleaning carpets
Specialty cleaning is also important in the following rooms:
Kitchen
- GermBlasters cleaning to sanitize all surfaces
- Clean inside the fridge and oven
- Scrubbing the stovetop
- Polishing stainless steel appliances
- Cleaning fridge front
- Cleaning microwave inside and out
- Sanitizing the backsplash to remove grime, grease, etc.
- Resealing countertops
- Washing cabinet and drawer fronts
- Vacuuming cabinet shelves and inside drawers
Laundry Room
- Clearing air vent and lint trap
- Wiping down the washer and dryer inside and out
Bathrooms
- GermBlasters cleaning to sanitize all surfaces
- Scrubbing the bathtub and shower enclosure
- Scrubbing inside, outside, and behind the toilet
- Cleaning mirrors, sinks, and vanity countertops
- Cleaning vanity cabinets and drawers
What is a tenant responsible for in move out cleaning in Toronto?
Tenants are obligated to maintain a normal level of cleanliness in their rental apartment. When the lease ends and you move out, an end-of-lease cleaning ensures your unit meets the standards that most people would consider acceptable.
Once all your belongings are removed, you must ensure that the condition of the unit does not interfere with the reasonable enjoyment of the new tenants, landlord, or other tenants in the building. Some examples of serious issues that can lead to fines and fees include:
- A level of dirt that attracts and creates an environment where pests can thrive.
- Leaving behind enough garbage to create odours.
- Creating so much clutter that it poses a fire hazard.
- Creating a level of bacteria that presents a health hazard, especially in bathrooms and the kitchen.
What action can landlords take if a move out cleaning in Toronto is unacceptable?
Tenants must provide a deposit when renting an apartment. If you fail to meet the requirements to leave the apartment in a presentable, clean condition, your landlord has the right to retain your deposit and use it to cover the cleaning costs.
If the condition of the apartment is beyond cleaning and includes extensive damage, the landlord can also demand you pay additional fees to repair or replace property that you or your guests damaged. This is a time-consuming, costly process that requires remediation, or in some cases, a lawsuit. If the landlord wins, you can also be forced to pay their legal fees.
How is move out cleaning in Toronto disputed?
The landlord usually keeps a record, often with photos, to show the condition of the apartment prior to the tenant moving in. If the tenant does not meet their lease obligations to maintain the apartment to the best of their abilities, the landlord can withhold their deposit.
If you feel the landlord is exaggerating or withholding your deposit without due cause, you can take action through the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB). However, this is a tedious process. To ensure you have proof you did meet your obligations, it is important to keep records of your apartment’s condition in the following ways:
- Take date-marked images of each room before you move in.
- Note any damage or stains in your images as proof they existed when you moved in.
- While living in the apartment, take photos of damage related to wear and tear and record any requests made for repairs.
- Keep landlord responses and note whether the repairs were made.
- Take photos of the empty apartment when you leave to show that the condition is acceptable.
- Hire professional apartment cleaning services to ensure the unit is cleaned thoroughly, and to also provide a record of payment for those services.
How can tenants avoid fines and fees related to move out cleaning in Toronto?
Your best defence is keeping your unit clean and reporting damage as it occurs. When you maintain the apartment properly and inform the landlord of issues, the landlord has no reason to keep your deposit or seek payment to cover their costs. Some tips to avoid fines and fees include the following:
- Hire apartment cleaning services to clean your home regularly, protecting surfaces like flooring, bathroom tiles, kitchen counters, and appliances from damage.
- Report noticeable damage as soon as possible to ensure repairs or replacements are made in a timely manner.
- Keep detailed records of damage, including images, along with dates and times of communication with landlord/property management. This will provide proof that you took reasonable care to maintain the apartment.
- Hire professional move out cleaning services to perform the end-of-lease cleaning in order to ensure nothing is missed.
- Consider monthly or bi-monthly deep cleaning professional apartment cleaning services to make your weekly cleaning easier and also maintain a cleaner home.
Most tenants easily avoid losing deposits or facing court and LTB disputes by simply sticking to a regular cleaning schedule while living in their apartment. You can reduce the odds of facing an angry landlord by hiring professional apartment cleaning services regularly and reporting damage to your landlord quickly.
Using professional move out cleaning services in Toronto also ensures nothing is missed and reduces the stress of moving. It provides a record proving you took reasonable steps to leave your former home in tip-top condition as well.
Contact the Cleaning Professionals at Maid4Condos
Is your moving day coming up fast? Click here for a free online quote. To learn more about Maid4Condos’ convenient, stress-free move out cleaning services in Toronto. You can also call us at 647-822-0601 or contact us online.
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