Landlords claim that kitchens are the dirtiest rooms at rental check-out after a survey found that uncleanliness is the main cause of tenancy deposit disputes.

The Tenancy Deposit Scheme (TDS) asked over 600 landlords and agents about cleanliness in their private rented properties and 84 per cent reported that kitchens were the in the worst state at the end of a tenancy, closely followed by bathrooms.

Bedrooms, living rooms, appliances and windows were frequent offenders too.

More than three fifths (64 per cent) of respondents said they had raised a deposit dispute due to cleanliness issues despite 83% specifically stating tenant cleaning obligations in their tenancy agreements.

The survey also revealed that less than half of landords don’t carry out interim cleaning checks during the tenancy but three quarters made it standard practice to professionally clean their rental properties before the start of each tenancy, regardless of the condition from the previous tenancy.

“We hope this information helps tenants to understand their obligations when they move out, and which rooms require deeper cleaning before they leave their rented property,” says Steve Harriott (pictured), Chief Executive at TDS.

“By putting in the extra effort, many tenants can avoid any of their deposit being deducted at the end of tenancy. It’s encouraging how many property professionals include specific points in their tenancy agreements regarding cleaning, and also the number that ensure professional cleaning happens as standard.”

Read more about other common causes of deposit disputes, resolutions and adjudication times in The Dispute Service’s Annual Review 2020/21.