Tenant move in today, raised issue about state of the property

Landlord Discussion
1

My tenant is supposed to move in today. He is single tenant. My previous tenant moved out yesterday and he returned back the property in good condition. A year ago I bought it, repainted it and changed the carpet to brand new.

Since previous tenant stayed one year, there is small marking on the wall and nothing major. My new tenant sent me a long message about our properrt and sent below message.

Dear sir I hope this email finds you well. I am writing to formally raise several issues regarding the condition of the Property . I collected the keys on the 5th and visited the property today. Unfortunately, the property is not in a tenant-ready or clean condition. As I am due to move in on 06/11/2026 I am unable to bring my belongings into the property in its current state. It appears that a thorough end-of-tenancy clean and some basic maintenance have not been carried out following the previous tenants. To help resolve this as quickly as possible, I have attached photographs to this email and outlined the main issues below: 1. General Cleanliness & Hygiene: · Light Switches & Sockets: There is heavy grime, dirt, and fingerprint marks on almost all light switches and plug sockets throughout the house (particularly noticeable in the bathroom/kitchen areas and near the radiator). · Walls: Numerous walls have scuff marks, handprints, and general dirt that need to be wiped down or repainted (e.g., around the front door, near the skirting boards, and under the windows). · Window Sills: The window sills are dirty, with debris and dust present. · Doors: The front door (inside) is dirty and marked around the handle and lock area. 2. Stains & Damage to Walls: · There are significant, concerning stains on the walls. Specifically, there is a large, brownish liquid stain on the wall above the tiling (photo attached). · There are reddish/brown marks on the wall next to the blinds, which look like food or grease splatters. · There is a square patch of damaged paint/plaster on the wall below the window where something appears to have been stuck and removed. · There are long, dark scuff marks across several walls that require cleaning or painting over. 3. Outdoor Areas: · The artificial grass is scattered with debris, bits of plastic/rubbish, leaves, and stones. · The wooden decking is dirty and requires a sweep/clean. Next Steps: I understand that moving is stressful, but the current state of the property falls short of the standard expected for a new tenancy. As I cannot safely or hygienically move my belongings in, I require the following to be arranged as a matter of urgency: · A professional deep clean of the property (specifically focusing on the walls, switches, and fixtures). · Addressing the specific stains and marks mentioned above. · Clearing the outdoor areas. Please could you confirm by when a cleaning team and handyman will be attending the property so I can plan my move accordingly? If the property cannot be brought up to a suitable standard by my move-in date, I will need to discuss compensation for delayed move-in costs (such as storage or temporary accommodation), as well as a delay to the start of my rent payments until the property is habitable. I look forward to hearing from you promptly so we can get this resolved.

The property is not in habitable to live. I dont know what to respond to this message. Please help.

2

you have signed the contract and taken a deposit. ? The tenant did inspect before saying he wanted it?

3

Yes i got deposit and first month rent. He got the keys last night and I took him and showed full property, took meter readings and got his signature on the inventory and schedule of content. He didn’t bother much about the cleanliness. TBH its one year old carptlet and wall paint. Very small scratch on the wall.

He saw all those and didn’t say anything. He was discussing to me about bringing furniture. Nothing else.

4

So did he sign the tenancy before viewing the property or afterwards? If before, he took a gamble, and if its not quite what he wanted, then thats his problem.

He signed the inventory. Did this reflect the accurate condition and have photos of the areas mentioned so you have evidence of the accurate condition. if this is the condition he accepted in, then he accepted it.

There is no such things a tenant-ready condition. Every LL and every tenant will have their own standards, so as long as a tenant views the condition, and is happy to move in, that is all that is important. If he wasnt happy with the condition on viewing, he should not have signed the tenancy.

5

Hi,

Everything went through the proper process via openrent, he requested for viewing, i arranged viewing via openrent, he came, viewed the property, i did the employment reference check, cant do previous landlord check as he was living with his wife and because of issue he is moving out and other property in her wife’s name contract so they cannot refer him, credit checks all clean, salary is affordable for rental payment. did reference with his employer and got email response back.

then i asked he like the property and can i go ahead ? he said Ok and proceed. Yesterday night he came and he saw the property, i took him around full house showed everything, bin collection date, meter reading all things proper. he asked if the property is deep cleaned, is said previous tenant left cleaned and you can see by yourself . he didnt say about cleanliness. But my previous tenant left clean i took pictures of the entire house but not minor things like switches and small marks as its wear and tear and i didnt bother.

today my new tenant is sending a big message. I said i will come and clean, he is demanding only a professional should come and clean. not me. I booked a professional cleaning service including carpet, costed me £490.

6

Yes he signed inventory and schedule of condition form, property is unfurnished didnt fill anything on any sheet

i just mentioned “number of keys handed over” and “light fittings and curtains in all rooms and gas/elec meter”

7

Take lots of pics when professionally cleaned. This guy sounds like trouble

8

yeah, gonna do it on Monday after cleaning is completed. I am very frustrated and upset over him is he said only a professional cleaning service should come and clean, i must not clean it. Else i have to pay for his Air bnb accommodation until he moves in and i should pay for his things as well which he got in his storage.

9

so when cleaning take along a witness , ask the tenant is he happy with the cleaning, it has to be a yes . and witnessed . Next tenant, get a letter of satisfaction from the prospective candidate.

10

yeah mate, will do. its a lesson costed £490 for simple cleaning.

1 Like
11

You don’t owe him Airbnb or storage. He viewed it, signed, took the keys, and grubby switches are nowhere near making a house unfit.

The inventory is the bigger problem. One that only lists keys, light fittings and meters proves nothing, and at the end the deposit scheme will want evidence of how it was at the start before it gives you a penny for cleaning. Do a proper dated photo inventory after Monday’s clean, room by room, and send it to him to sign or note what he disagrees with.

Also, with a tenant who’s already writing formal letters, check the deposit’s protected and the prescribed info served within 30 days of you taking it. Miss that and you can’t get possession on most Section 8 grounds, never mind the 1-3x penalty.

12

Id still send him one short email, cleaners booked for Monday, the time, and that you’ll tell him when its done. I wouldnt go through his list point by point or get into an argument about whether you owe him airbnb or storage in that email, the more you talk about it the more it reads like you accept you owe him that. The £490 stings but its cheaper than weeks of emails back and forth.

14

The lesson is to get it professionally cleaned every time there’s a change of tenant, the first thing they all do when they move in is check if it’s clean. My sympathies are entirely with the tenant here, and I’d offer him a bit off rent to compensate for his inconvenience, though I appreciate if your business is low margin it’s not easy for the landlord.

2 Likes
15

Sorry, not agreeing with your comment.

When the keys are handed over i took him and showed entire property and he disnt say anything. If he ia not happy he dont have to get the keys.

More over there is a polite way of asking. Not just saying straight forward that I need to pay his Airbnb and storage and compensation is needed just in the firet email.

On top, i said its just switches dirty, i will clean it. He ordered me that only professional should come.and clean amd he won’t let me do that.

House is 10 years only old. New carpet and new paint did last october 2025.

16

@Vikash_Kumar

Reply with something like this

"Thank you for you comments. Professional cleaning booked as requested.

  1. It is unhelpful that you signed inventory and at no point up till now expressed any request for cleaning nor that the property was not habitable.

  2. For future, please can you arrange to speak to me in the first instance as it is more efficient way to deal with requests. Formal demands for compensation will not be accepted for any issue that we have not tried to resolve in a more businesslike way. I suggest we have a whatsapp group if that works for you. If you cannot communicate in a friendly constructive way it is not going to be helpful.

  3. I will take further photos following the clean to attach to the inventory for you to sign. At the end of the tenancy, if it is not returned in same condition, the property will get professionally cleaned and the costs will be claimed from the deposit.

  4. You will not be getting any compensation or rent reduction, the property is as advertised. I am arranging cleaning as a matter of good will only.

  5. If you prefer, please give a minimum of 2 months notice to end the day before a rent payment day, as per the terms of the tenancy.

  6. If any of the above is a difficulty for you, let’s speak

Thank you"

Good luck

1 Like
17

If you let out a property in this condition you can expect serious pushback from the tenant. It’s a breach of trust, he’s worried that he’s done a deal with a bad landlord and it’s not surprising he’s showing his muscles, I would have done the same.

What you can do is say to people when they come for a viewing: I’m not going to clean or repaint this, that’s over to you when you move in. You can even say that you’ll give them a few hundred quid for their trouble, as a sort of golden hello. Some councils used to do exactly that. But what you can’t do is expect them to take a filthy letting and say “thank you very much sir.”

Light Switches & Sockets: There is heavy grime, dirt,

Numerous walls have scuff marks, handprints, and general dirt that need to be wiped down or repainted (e.g., around the front door, near the skirting boards, and under the windows).

Window Sills: The window sills are dirty, with debris and dust present.

Doors: The front door (inside) is dirty and marked around the handle and lock area

there is a large, brownish liquid stain on the wall above the tiling (photo attached). ·

There are reddish/brown marks on the wall next to the blinds, which look like food or grease splatters.

There are long, dark scuff marks across several walls that require cleaning or painting over.

The artificial grass is scattered with debris, bits of plastic/rubbish, and stones. ·

The wooden decking is dirty and requires a sweep/clean.

18

Every ones idea of what is clean will vary. The guy saw the place said I will take it and then complained. You come on as a landlord so how would you feel if it happened to you.?

19

General question to the wider audience. Would using an inventory specialist have helped in that the tenant would have signed the inventory accepting the condition of the property. So he can’t then demand changes immediately after. I’m thinking a formal inventory from a 3rd party including photographs may help the landlord deal with problems.

20

@farouq1

Yes. The inventory co i use covers both contents and levels of cleanliness..c. 70-80 pages of photos for a 1bed flat. 100 quid.

The real problem you have is a tenant who somehow expected pro cleaning between tenancies (probably cant be *rsed to clean himself) without actually asking for it or checking if included, and now making unreasonable demands for compensation and with terrible communication skills. The defn of entitled. In the past I would have said use s21 and find someone else who doesnt treat you as if you are a hotel concierge. Whether or not the property would benefit from a pro clean, if a tenant/customer doesnt tell you what they want before they sign a contract for a service, and only complain loudly later, you are in for a painful experience.

Best

2 Likes
21

You’re missing the point. By giving him a dirty home this landlord has got off to a very bad start. .It’s not a question of rights and duties, it’s a question of developing a long term trusting relationship with people.

1 Like