Void Property Cleaning for Landlords

An empty rental property earns nothing, but the mortgage, council tax and bills keep coming. So the faster a void can be cleaned and made ready for the next tenant, the better. Void property cleaning is built around exactly that: a quick, thorough turnaround from “the keys are back” to “ready for viewings”.

This guide is for private landlords, letting agents and housing providers, and covers what a void clean includes, what to do when a property’s been left in a state, and how to cut the time a property sits empty.

What a void clean covers

A void clean takes a property from vacated to ready to let. It’s similar to an end of tenancy clean, but done from the landlord’s side, with the next tenant’s first impression in mind:

• Kitchen: cupboards and drawers inside and out, oven, hob, extractor, fridge freezer, sink and taps, worktops and floor.
• Bathrooms descaled and sanitised, including grout, sealant, extractor fans and behind the toilet.
• Every room: skirting boards, doors, frames, switches, sockets, radiators, sills, internal glass and the inside of cupboards and wardrobes.
• Floors vacuumed and washed throughout.
• Lingering smells dealt with, from cooking, smoking or pets.
• Any leftover rubbish removed, where agreed in advance.

When a property’s been left in poor condition

Not every tenancy ends neatly. Sometimes a property is left with rubbish, belongings, heavy grime, mould, pet damage or, after a long tenancy, years of build-up. In those cases the work goes beyond a standard void clean:

• A deep clean where the build-up is heavy.
• Odour removal for smoke or pet smells that cleaning alone won’t shift.
• Specialist cleaning for hoarded properties or anything hazardous, such as needles or bodily fluids. That’s work for trained people with the right protective equipment, so don’t ask a general cleaner or a handyman to deal with it.

Before any clean, if a tenant has left belongings behind, check your legal position on abandoned goods before anything is thrown away. If there’s a lot to clear, clearance comes first and cleaning second.

Speed protects your income

Every week a property sits empty is a week’s rent gone. The quickest turnarounds come from having things lined up in advance:

• Book the clean as soon as you get notice, not when the keys come back.
• Do the checkout inspection first, so evidence of the condition is recorded before cleaning starts.
• Line up repairs and decorating so trades go in before the clean, not after.
• Make sure water and power stay on. A clean can’t be done properly without them.
• Get the photos taken straight after the clean, while the property is at its best.

A clean property lets better

A spotless property photographs better, gets more enquiries and attracts tenants who are more likely to look after it. It also sets the standard: your check-in inventory records a clean property, so the next tenant knows what’s expected when they leave. It’s much easier to deduct for cleaning at the end of a tenancy if the property was demonstrably clean at the start.

Regular arrangements for agents and portfolio landlords

If you manage several properties, a standing arrangement with one cleaning company saves time. The same team learns your standards and your properties, and you’re not starting from scratch every time someone moves out. It works well for communal areas in blocks and HMOs too.

Void cleaning in Norfolk and Cambridgeshire

We provide void property cleaning for landlords, letting agents and housing providers across West Norfolk, the Fens and Cambridgeshire, including King’s Lynn, Wisbech, March, Ely and Downham Market. Tenants can find out what’s expected of them in our guide to what’s included in an end of tenancy clean. Landlords, send us the address and a few photos and we’ll give you a turnaround time as well as a price.