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We'll be moving from a rental home soon, and our move-out information states that we need to leave this house in a professionally cleaned and "ready to rent" condition, including leaving a receipt as proof that we had the carpets professionally cleaned.
I live in NC, and maybe I'm wrong - but shouldn't we be ok as long as we clean everything really well ourselves? We do own a steam cleaner.
Only our upstairs is carpeted, and we rarely used three of the rooms at all. It seems like a really unnecessary expense, especially since we did take good care of the carpets while living here. Shouldn't a professional cleaning only be required if we did excessive damage beyond normal wear and tear?
Beyond that, I'm so ready to get out of this lease. The management company has been horrible. Our A/C had a massive leak last year and they didn't send someone out until the next day. They didn't provide blowers to dry the carpets, and did not repair the damaged ceiling (it was literally hanging in curtains). I reminded them and they didn't get back to me. They FINALLY repaired it several months later after I got tired of it and asked again while entering a new maintenance request.
Our garage door slammed down as a result of a completely rusted tension coil. I am SO glad my child wasn't under it at the time since he was walking from my car to the back door. It took them a full week to send someone out to repair it even though they knew my car was trapped inside. They tried to suggest that we lift the garage door ourselves to remove my car, but it is a very heavy two car door and didn't seem safe at all. We called daily until they finally sent someone to repair it.
There was also a massive termite infestation under a downstairs toilet before we moved in - there were literally THOUSANDS of termites all over the entire downstairs when we did our move-in walkthrough. That toilet now has some sort of mold/discoloration on the floor surrounding it. I reported it and sent photos, and they never replied or came out to look at it. In fact, for the entire two years we've lived here, they haven't inspected this house once.
When we first moved in, our refrigerator also didn't work at all and it took them an entire week to replace. (which meant we had to dispose of a lot of food/drinks...) They stated that this refrigerator worked in our move-in paperwork. The lights worked, the cool air did not at all. The upstairs toilet lid was disgustingly soiled, and we replaced it ourselves.
When we renewed our lease last time, they had a completely different month-to-month price listed than what was shown on our lease. I had to point it out to them and they thankfully honored it.
I mostly named the negligence above to show how shoddy they've been in general. I'm hoping if they try to nickle and dime us that I'll have some sort of evidence to show that they haven't exactly been model landlords, and it feels like they want us to leave this home in better condition than it was in when we did the move-in inspection. They listed the floors as clean even though those thousands of termites were highly visible at the time. : P
It's not a matter of the carpet condition. It's a matter of what the lease states. The lease states that the carpets will be professionally cleaned. That's what needs to happen.
Their lack of care is irrelevant to what you must do. AC repair is not an emergency. They had someone there the next day. That is reasonable. To their knowledge the refrigerator worked. They replaced it relatively quickly. My fridge in the home I own stopped working. Between purchasing a new fridge and the time frame for delivery it was about a week before the new fridge arrived. The incorrect price on the lease does not matter. It was corrected.
The time to complain about the bugs on the floor were when you moved in, not when you are ready to move out.
BTW--unless you are a professional carpet cleaner, that home steam cleaner will never do as well as a professional.
Leases are a contract. Just because you think they did not uphold the lease or were less than responsive landlords does not mean you can do the same. That's not the way it works.
As far as I know, and I might be wrong - in NC we shouldn't be expected to pay for a professional cleaning unless there is damage beyond normal wear and tear.
The AC repair resulted in damaged paint, completely sodden floors and ceiling damage - I might be wrong here also, but I think they're supposed to repair that type of thing quickly - not several months later.
With the fridge, we stated during the walkthrough that it felt warm inside, so it was something pre-existing that they didn't repair before we moved in. They definitely had time to replace or repair it.
We did complain about the bugs before we moved in, and were assured they would be gone by the time we moved our belongings in. Thankfully they were gone, but it bothers me that they didn't inspect the damage around the toilet when I reported it.
We definitely don't mind paying for any damages/cleaning beyond normal wear and tear, and will do an outstanding job of cleaning. I'm just not sure if the need to hire a professional service would uphold in court. I do plan to call and find out more info as far as NC rental laws go, but wanted to ask here first.
As far as I know, and I might be wrong - in NC we shouldn't be expected to pay for a professional cleaning unless there is damage beyond normal wear and tear.
The AC repair resulted in damaged paint, completely sodden floors and ceiling damage - I might be wrong here also, but I think they're supposed to repair that type of thing quickly - not several months later.
With the fridge, we stated during the walkthrough that it felt warm inside, so it was something pre-existing that they didn't repair before we moved in. They definitely had time to replace or repair it.
We did complain about the bugs before we moved in, and were assured they would be gone by the time we moved our belongings in. Thankfully they were gone, but it bothers me that they didn't inspect the damage around the toilet when I reported it.
We definitely don't mind paying for any damages/cleaning beyond normal wear and tear, and will do an outstanding job of cleaning. I'm just not sure if the need to hire a professional service would uphold in court. I do plan to call and find out more info as far as NC rental laws go, but wanted to ask here first.
Thanks!
If you singed a lease saying it had to be done professionally you have to abide by it. Your only other option is to clean it yourself and ask if the property management company accepts it as it is and get the okay in writing.
The only point is so they can fine you if you don't do it in your case and keep some of your security deposit.
oh, i'm sure. i have some facebook messages from the owner saying they're replacing the carpet when we move out. I've got like 5 printed copies of that incase the PM tries to charge us crap about the carpet.
It's not a matter of the carpet condition. It's a matter of what the lease states. The lease states that the carpets will be professionally cleaned. That's what needs to happen.
Quote:
Originally Posted by rezfreak
If you signed the lease stating they required a professional cleaning, then you agreed to do that when you signed it.
My lease stipulates that i must as well - though i dont see the point considering they're being replaced when i move out.
Just because something is in a lease does not mean that it is always enforceable or legal.
OP, I am just curious, does your lease have a clause that states you are required to professionally clean the carpets? It doesn't necessarily mean it is enforceable or legal if it does, I am just curious.
For instance, in my state LLs are not allowed to charge for carpet cleaning due only to normal wear and tear whether it is in the lease or they deduct it from sec dep. It can ONLY be charged for if there is proven damage that it is caused by the tenant. And I know for a fact in my state that LLs try to enforce it or put it in their leases even though it is not legal to do so. In my state LLs do not win if this is challenged in court. Unfortunately, many LLs continue to get away with it because most tenants do not challenge it.
So, it all depends on the individual states and the courts.
ETA: I did just find this from the NC Realtor's Association so you may want to research the statutes or forms that are mentioned within the link however, this is not actual 'law' so it still does not mean that it is necessarily legal. It appears to be work-a-rounds that may not ever have been challenged. http://www.ncrealtors.org/weeklyqand...da-public.html
Last edited by Corn-fused; 05-06-2016 at 08:13 AM..
Reason: Additional info added
Just because something is in a lease does not mean that it is always enforceable or legal.
OP, I am just curious, does your lease have a clause that states you are required to professionally clean the carpets? It doesn't necessarily mean it is enforceable or legal if it does, I am just curious.
For instance, in my state LLs are not allowed to charge for carpet cleaning due only to normal wear and tear whether it is in the lease or they deduct it from sec dep. It can ONLY be charged for if there is proven damage that it is caused by the tenant. And I know for a fact in my state that LLs try to enforce it or put it in their leases even though it is not legal to do so. In my state LLs do not win if this is challenged in court. Unfortunately, many LLs continue to get away with it because most tenants do not challenge it.
I just looked at our first two signed leases with this company (first year lease, then the renewal for another year). Neither require a professional steam cleaning.
BUT, we signed a month-to-month lease because we needed one additional month, and that is where they suddenly tacked on the professional cleaning clause.
I admit I didn't even notice it since I assumed it would be the same, but as far as I know, it isn't something they should be able to legally enforce in my state.
I don't even mind the idea of hiring someone, but the quotes I've gotten have been pretty excessive because of the size of this house.
........ we need to leave this house in a professionally cleaned and "ready to rent" condition, including leaving a receipt as proof that we had the carpets professionally cleaned.............shouldn't we be ok as long as we clean everything really well ourselves? We do own a steam cleaner...............
Generally, landlords do not care whether you pay for house cleaning or do it yourself. If you are an excellent house cleaner and can get the house move-in ready and as clean as a professional would get it clean, the landlord will be happy with that.
Not so for carpet cleaning. The home carpet steam cleaners just lightly clean the surface. They are for freshening up the carpet, not for getting it deep clean. They aren't powerful enough to do an adequate job.
The rent-a-rug cleaners are bad for carpets. They don't do a deep clean and they leave a large amount of soap in the carpet. That soap attracts and holds dirt and the dirt abrades the carpet fibers. All that soap residue makes it more difficult for a professional to go in after you and get the carpets clean. If you watch a professional clean carpets, you can tell when a rent-a-carpet-cleaner has been used by the amount of foam that comes up out of the carpet.
You agreed in your contract to have the carpets professionally cleaned. If you don't, the landlord will have it done and take it out of your deposit.
If you clean yourself, be sure to remove all soap scum, clean the window tracks and windows, If there is a glass door in the shower, don't forget the shower door track.
Clean the oven and the coils of the refrigerator. Wipe out the insides of all the cabinets. Clean the shelves in teh refrigerator.
If you have heating vents, clean inside those in the area that you can see when you look in. Make sure you don't leave any garbage or pet hair in the vents (you wouldn't believe what heating vents look like in some places I get back. They contain rotted fruit, candy wrappers, rice cakes, loads of hair, and lots of dirt. I suspect that the tenants just sweep garbage into them instead of using a dust pan. It's gross)
Change the furnace filter so that is left clean. You should have been running a lambswool duster over your window blinds fairly often, but dust them again as you are leaving. Ditto for ceiling fans.
Wipe off all fingerprints and grunge from light switches. Remove fingerprints and marks from walls-- the Magic Eraser works wonders for that job. I suggest that you dust or wash the walls if the paint has gotten dirty. It only takes a few minutes to dust walls throughout the entire house and you should have been doing that at least twice a year, anyway. Walls won't need washing if you have dusted them occasionally and kept your kids from running dirty hands along the walls.
Remember, dirt is not wear and tear. Any dirt that you brought in, you have to take back out when you leave.
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