Can A Landlord Make A Tenant Pay For Carpet Cleaning?

Carpets are valuable assets in a house that undergo wear and tear over time, leading to the question of who is responsible for carpet cleaning: the tenant or the landlord. The answer is simple—depending on the carpet’s condition, it can be either.

According to Section 40 of the Residential Tenancies Act, tenants must leave the premises reasonably clean and tidy when they vacate the property at the end of their lease. Although professional carpet cleaning is not mandatory, landlords can deduct the cleaning costs from the security deposit. Let’s investigate the matter to understand when landlords can ask tenants to pay for carpet cleaning.

Instances When Tenants Have to Pay for Carpet Cleaning

Carpet cleaning often causes disputes between landlords and tenants. In New Zealand, tenants are not legally obligated to pay for professional carpet cleaning during their stay. However, end-of-tenancy cleaning is crucial to ensure the return of the total security deposit and obtain positive references for future tenancy applications. Therefore, the services of Carpet Cleaning in Auckland are essential to avoid future issues.

While landlords are generally responsible for carpet cleaning after a rental agreement ends, tenants may also have to pay for cleaning in the following situations:

• Inadequate Cleaning: When vacating a property, tenants must return the carpets to their original state. Although landlords cannot dictate specific cleaning methods, they can request recleaning if the carpets need to be cleaned appropriately initially. The standard of cleanliness may differ for every owner. That is why it is the tenant’s responsibility to ensure the property and the carpet are thoroughly cleaned and vacuumed before vacating the property. For instance, if you have food or liquid stains, pet urine, or oil spills on your carpet, then as a tenant, you need to ensure the carpet is free from these damages. You can try home remedies or opt for professional cleaning services to ensure the carpet is prim and proper at the end of your tenancy.
• Damage Beyond Normal Wear and Tear: Landlords can ask tenants to pay for carpet cleaning when the damage goes beyond normal wear and tear. During your tenancy, if you have a pet or children, this increases the scope for more damage to your carpet. This is because the floor is one of the most used surfaces in a house. Your pet or your child will spend a significant amount of time playing or spending their time on the ground. Your dog can chew on the carpet or your child can spill food, or any accidents can occur that can lead to the wear and tear of the rug. Another reason your carpet can be damaged is because of cigarettes or falling candles. Therefore, in case of unusual damages, it is the responsibility of the tenants to maintain the carpet’s original condition. In such cases, they can ensure thorough cleaning to avoid complaints from the landlord.
• Lease Agreement Specifications: Commercial carpet cleaning cannot be mandated in New Zealand. However, if a rental agreement includes specific end-of-tenancy cleaning requirements or local regulations permit carpet cleaning clauses, tenants must adhere to those terms. In instances where you already had a discussion with your landlord before the tenancy, and there are specific reasons why the tenant is required to clean the carpet, it falls under your responsibility. If the tenant fails to comply with the existing terms and conditions of the agreement, then the landlord can deduct the cost of carpet cleaning from their security deposit. That is why it is crucial to understand the specific clauses in your lease agreement and have a proper discussion with your landlord to understand which tasks are your liability.

Instances When Landlords Have to Pay for Carpet Cleaning

As a landlord, you expect tenants to maintain your property diligently. Expecting tenants to leave the property clean, including clean carpets, is reasonable. However, landlords cannot exploit tenants or withhold security deposits for hiring professional cleaners.

Landlords can ask tenants to pay or deduct the cleaning cost from the security deposit if the carpet is excessively damaged or dirty. Factors to consider when determining responsibility for carpet cleaning include:

• Normal Wear and Tear: Carpets naturally experience wear and tear over time. They become threadbare, and their colour may also fade. As long as the tenant keeps the carpet neat and clean and is not negligent in its maintenance, it is the duty of the landlord to clean the carpet. Also, if the tenant does not abuse or misuse the carpet or use it for any other, then they are not liable to pay for the carpet cleaning. However, accidents may happen that can lead to more than normal wear and tear. Although it might not be the fault of the tenant, in such cases, the landlord can ask the tenant for carpet cleaning. However, if the damage falls within normal depreciation, landlords can discuss it with the tenant or handle the carpet cleaning themselves. In case the carpet was already damaged before it was rented out or
• Property Condition: Landlords should consider the property’s state and the carpet’s age when renting it out. If the carpets are old and have had multiple tenants, the responsibility for carpet cleaning may lie with the landlord. That is why pre-inspection photographs dated and signed by both parties are extremely important. It acts as a record of the property’s condition and helps in comparing if the carpet is damaged beyond normal wear and tear after the end of a tenancy. It also helps both parties understand who is responsible for carpet cleaning. Keeping the receipts of the carpet’s purchase is also another method to identify the carpet’s age and value. Based on that, the landlord can enforce the amount to be charged for carpet cleaning.

Conclusion

In conclusion, landlords are typically responsible for end-of-tenancy and carpet cleaning. However, if the carpets are damaged beyond repair or have persistent odours or stains, they can ask tenants to pay for or deduct the cleaning cost from the security deposit. To determine which party is responsible for this task, it is important to set some basic rules and document the condition of the carpet before and after a tenancy. Both parties should also discuss the terms regarding carpet cleaning in advance to avoid any sort of conflict later.