End-of-tenancy cleaning is often forgotten by renters, as it's far ahead in the future. Although Landlords can no longer ask for a mandatory professional end-of-tenancy cleaning, thanks to the 2019 Tenancy Fee Act, they can still request their property to be cleaned up to a professional standard. That's why most renters prefer to hire a specialised crew, who can not only clean the residence for a fraction of the time but would guarantee their security deposit back. As we are talking about 2-3 thousand pounds, that's definitely not something you'd want to risk.
Naturally, the end-of-tenancy cleaning price depends on several factors, and it seems Harrow is the most expensive place to get an end-of-tenancy cleaning not only in London but in the entire UK. But is it really that much more expensive to order an end-of-tenancy cleaning in Harrow? Let's find out.
Is it that expensive to rent in Harrow
It's not a secret that living in London is not cheap. In fact, the average price for renting a home in England's capital is more than twice as big as the UK average. Currently, if you want to live in the capital, you will have to pay close to 2000 pounds a month. That, of course, depends on the area and home size, but still, with a UK average of about £850 per month, you won't find it cheap at all. Moreover, with the 40-year-high inflation, the energy prices and, most importantly, the housing market's collapse, experts expect tenancy prices to grow as high as 11% nationwide, with London being once again far ahead with an anticipated increase of 18%. That will increase the average rent in the capital to about £2,150, making it even more expensive.
Harrow by no means is the most expensive place to live in London, as prices there are far below the capital's average. Compared to the central boroughs of London, one could say that living in Harrow is relatively cheap. For example, on average, a two-bedroom home would cost you £1350 in Harrow, while in Westminster, you will have to pay about 1,000 pounds more. Even not-so-central boroughs like Ealing would cost you £1,800 per month.
Still, according to a data analysis by one of the biggest end-of-tenancy cleaning service providers, Fantastic Cleaners, Harrow has the highest average price for end-of-tenancy cleaning. These people have paid, on average, £351 to make sure they will get their deposits back. This is 10% of the monthly rent for a 2-bedroom apartment in the borough. That's still way better than losing your deposit, which is capped at five weekly rents. But why are these types of services so expensive in Harrow?
About Harrow
Harrow is, without a doubt, a pleasant place to live in. It is the most expensive borough in the Northwest, as the prices are about 50-150 pounds higher than the rest of the region. Although part of the London Greater area, the town is closer to Watford than to central London. The former is only 8.7km away, while Central London is about 15.3km. By all means, Harrow is an independent cultural centre which naturally attracts people looking for a calmer but still vibrant alternative to London.
About end-of-tenancy cleaning
The end-of-tenancy cleaning is a standard procedure before leaving a rental place. While it's not mandatory since 2019, this service is highly preferred by people, as most end-of-tenancy service providers guarantee the security deposit back. Moreover, having to clean to a professional standard, your rental place needs not only time but also know-how and equipment. Furthermore, you need to be able to dispose properly of some types of waste, which, unfortunately, not anyone can do. This makes hiring a professional company to take care of this last cleaning before you give the landlord back the keys a must.
Typically the price of end-of-tenancy cleaning is equal to about 5-7% of your initial deposit. However, if your former home is not cleaned professionally, your landlord may keep at least a third of your deposit.
Moreover, usually, end-of-tenancy cleaners charge by the size of the home and not by how many hours they will clean. This makes it easier to calculate how much you will be charged. Naturally, as the professional crew has the equipment and know-how, they will manage to clean your rental faster, easier and better.
So, why is Harrow the most expensive place to clean?
Well, it is not. The Fantastic Services analysis shows that the average price of cleaning a home in the borough was £351, which, however, does not consider the size of the homes cleaned. Looking more in-depth into the end-of-tenancy service provider's data, we can see that the price is pumped up by several highly-expensive cleanings of 7 and 8-bedroom houses. For an 8-bedroom home, the average cost is closer to £2,000. Moreover, this includes additional deep cleaning, carpet cleaning, window cleaning, and other services. If we take, for example, a 2-bedroom residence, the price is relatively average, costing 260. The average for end-of-tenancy cleaning for two-bedroom rentals is £267.
In comparison, one would pay £287 to clean a two-bedroom apartment in Oxford. On the other hand, in Manchester, people are paying less than £240 for the same service on average. The lowest average for a two-bedroom apartment is in Southend-on-Sea. There, people pay below £200, with the average being £193.
The highest price for end-of-tenancy cleaning for such accommodations is paid in South West London. There, people would pay an average of £321 for such services.
Why are there such huge differences?
Although there are drastic differences of more than £100 for practically similar residences, the end-of-tenancy cleaning service has the same base price everywhere. The prices are bumped by additional services that some prefer to add to their cost. For example, in South West, a higher percentage of the clients asked for deep cleaning, carpet washing and other services that add to the value. As this is one of the wealthiest regions in the UK, that's not really a surprise. However, while the average is vastly different, the base price is practically the same all across the UK.
End-of-tenancy cleaning is becoming more expensive
Just like anything else, the end-of-tenancy cleaning services are also influenced by the 40-year-high inflation. Moreover, with the expected renting boom, these services' prices may climb even higher. Rents are expected to rise by 11% the following year across the UK, while in London, they will grow even faster – by 18%. So as part of Greater London, the rent prices in Harrow will grow dramatically, and all connected services will follow soon. So while it's doubtful that Harrow will ever become the most expensive place for end-of-tenancy cleaning, chances are it will go above the average pretty soon.
