Has anyone had a renter who left house dirty?
 

We "inherited" a tenant when we bought our house. They had paid $500 damage deposit but no cleaning fee. They paid their rent on time and asked to rent it again next year, They departed and I went over with 2 other people to clean. They hadn't cleaned anything for the 3 months they were there. It took 3 of us 6 hours to clean the place. I would like to write them a check for $400, keeping out $100 for cleaning, and return the $400 to them in hopes they get the message that they aren't wanted for Jan, Feb, and March 2015. My husband doesn't want me to do that because he thinks that it's the norm rather than the exception. Is this so?

We have never had this problem........we do charge a cleaning fee.

I am a renter. I have always paid a cleaning fee. It is part of the rental agreement. I think you should add a cleaning fee to the rental agreement for the coming year but I do not see how you can take it out of the damage deposit for this year. I leave the house clean, but not so clean that you could eat off of the floors. I am not sure if this house was left filthy or just not clean enough for you. Different people have different ideas of what clean means. I know when we rent in Maine they tell you that if the house is not clean when you leave, you will not be able to rent the following year. However, they do have a cleaning service come in to clean even if the house is left clean.

Some renters are immaculate; a very few are total slobs; the majority fall somewhere in the middle. There are a few ways to handle cleaning -- you can have no cleaning fee with the proviso that if you have to clean, that amount will be deducted from the security deposit; you can have a non-refundable cleaning fee, which will more than likely guaranty that renters will do little cleaning while there; you can have a refundable cleaning fee. However, since you did none of that, you probably should eat the cleaning fee but be sure to add it to next year's contract (if not too late).

When we have rented we have always paid a cleaning fee. Which is not refunded. They have a cleaning service come in. We clean but don't mop or clean windows. The dishes always need to be cleaned and put away. The laundry doesn't have to be done either.

Keep at least $100.00 for an excessive cleaning fee. The security deposit is for damage beyond normal wear and tear. It should also include excessive cleaning. Did you take pictures when they left and before you began cleaning?

Your lease should have a cleaning fee. Outside of your lease you could tell them that if they clean and you do not have to you will refund the fee.

it's not that easy,.....being a past landlord there is a landlord tenant act. You have rules to be able to keep the deposit or part of it. You must send them a certified letter explaining why you are keeping the funds and this has to be done in a certain time frame. My first tenants complained about me keeping part of there deposit, but luckly I was still within the time period to make it legal.

look it up on florida land lord act, it will tell you all the details.


It's easy when you know the rules. I learned the hard way the first time. Good luck with it

Renters lack of cleaning.
 

We have held back monies from a deposit before and sent a letter with the refunded amount using "we hope this does not come of a surprise to you but" to explain the charge. It has never been questioned. Pigs know they are pigs. We also state in our rental agreement that if you don't want to clean, please do not rent our home.

Stand up for what is right! Reasonable charges for extensive cleaning should not be questioned (IMHO).

Good luck!

I believe that the security/damage deposit has to be returned within 15 days of tenants departure (but check on the state's website), less any money for damage or excessive wear & tear, along with an explanation. It would be a good idea to send them a copy of the bill that you had to pay to correct the damage or wear & tear, so that they know it is legit. I once had a 6 month tenant that our property manager told us was a "lovely older lady" with no children or pets. When she moved out she left our place a real mess. Didn't clean at all, smoked and left burn holes in bedspreads, sheets, and carpeting even though it clearly stated it was a non-smoking home and had a sign in the living room "no smoking", broke 3 lamps, child's crayon drawings on the walls & furniture, dog's business on the carpeting and sofa, which we had to replace (even though the contract said no pets) and she even helped herself to several of our items. Our lovely property manager, at the time, gave them back the deposit of $1500 without checking the house. When we arrived and found the damage, we called the property manager, but she said she wasn't responsible...end of property manager...we now do it ourselves, long distance, and it works much better.

P.S. I might add that it cost well over $1500 (which I didn't get) to correct the damage. End of my rant!

Just a thought. You really have no way of knowing the condition of the house at the time that they initially rented. It is possible that they left it in like condition to which they originally encountered.

Thanks, this is the encouragement that I needed!

I didn't expect it to be left so that the floors could be eaten off of.......I would have been happy with "broom clean". There was red wine on the walls and floors....even in the closet and blood on the decorative pillows on the sofa. I'd be happy to eat the cleaning cost if they didn't come back next year.

I certainly would not rent to them next year. When we used to rent, we always charged a non-refundable cleaning fee. I am certainly not an attorney, but would look at the lease to see if you have any recourse. However, anyone we had was always immaculate and left the house perfect! Perhaps we were lucky. Best wishes next season.


Linda

What you are describing is damage to your property. I feel you have every right to keep the damages deposit. You need to replace the decorative pillows on the sofa and you may need to paint if you cannot remove the red wine easily. I would never leave a house in that condition. If a major accident occurred, I would tell the owner immediately. I would not want these people back either. This is more than filth. It is damage IMHO.

Some years ago I was looking for a rental for a friend of mine, the wife is immaculate and was not too keen on coming to Florida for the whole winter, so I knew I had to be extra careful in finding a rental.

I found one in the paper, called the guy who owned it who lived in the UK and rented the house out for just six months a year. He told me where to find the key, to call the present renters and to go see it. The house was in a really nice area of Glenview CC. When I walked into the house I could not believe what I was seeing. The tenants were having a Village home built and had been there six months, it was beyond filthy. They were literally hoarders. You could not see an empty table top or work space, even the end tables were covered with Publix shopping bags. They had chips and snack thingees all over the furniture, empty soda bottles on the floor. Then the "piece de resistance" was the carpet - it had been off white, it was now so discolored where they tracked from the front door to the rest of the house that it was literally grey, somehow or other the carpet had stretched and lay in folds, because they had tripped on the stretched carpet they had layed heavy duty plastic lengths (which are usually used to keep the carpet clean) over the stretching, so the folds were firmly entrenched in the rug. And, to top it off, the renters were so nice, a happy, jolly laughing couple!!! happily living in their own filth.

So, had to contact the owner and break the news to him. He was shocked, but also told me nine people had been to view it and had never got back to him so he was beginning to wonder if he had a problem. This poor man had to come over to supervise the restoration of the home. What a dreadful rental experience for him. I never contacted him again, so I don't know the outcome.

So, yes, some renters are filthy and some are just great! If you rent on a long term basis is it possible to have it checked, or is this illegal?

Big Guy,

Just a note of encouragement that not all renters are disrespectful. My sister has rented several places in The Villages. One rental unit did not provide hangers, towels, or cleaning supplies. She purchased hangers, cleaning supplies, some small kitchen items and even a used floor steamer at a yard sale. All of these items were left for future renters. Her rental agreement required an upfront $100 cleaning fee as well as a damage deposit.
She cleaned the house weekly and spent three hours cleaning the day she left. I fussed with her since she had paid $100 cleaning fee but, she could not leave the house unless it was clean.
I was proud of my sister but, disappointed that the owner (who came in after she left), did not acknowledge her with a phone call or note of thanks when her deposit was returned.

Years ago when I rented a vacation home, I would thank clients who treated my home like their own. I even gave them the option of doing a self checkout clean on the next years rental.

Don't rent to people who don't respect your property and show respect to those that do. :)

When I rented, the rental agreement, included a non-refundable cleaning charge of four hours. If extensive cleaning was required, ( more than four hours), that cost would be deducted, from the security deposit.

Being a neat person, I just paid the non-refundable cleaning fee. The owner who was careful to who he rented his home to, drew up a contract, that very clearly stated, what he expected of his tenants.

After I bought my home, he called me up, and asked if I wanted shelving, he was removing form his garage. I did, and had them installed in my new home. Saved me a few hundred bucks.

You give what you get. Obliviously, I must have done something right. :smiley:

:BigApplause:

That's what a deposit and cleaning fees are for

Did the previous owner pass the $500 damage deposit on to you at closing?

cleaning
 

I agree, this definitely sounds like property damage as opposed to just simply dirty and/or even filthy. I think you have a case for keeping some of the deposit if not all, especially if you have to repaint.

just to have our carpets cleaned every year is $150

I certainly do know the condition of the house when they rented it. We live in The Villages, we manage our own property and pride myself on renting an immaculate house. When we rented, we always left a house better than how we found it.