Kitchen — where most deposits are won or lost
The kitchen is the single most-flagged room on a Manchester check-out, and the oven is the single most-flagged item. Start here.
- Oven interior, racks, trays and the door glass (inside the double-glazed panel if it comes apart)
- Hob, and the extractor filter degreased
- Behind and beside the cooker where it pulls out
- Inside, on top of and behind units; cupboard doors and handles
- Fridge/freezer defrosted, emptied and wiped, inside and out
- Sink, taps and drainer; splashback and tiles
- Floor washed, including edges and under kickboards; bins emptied and rinsed
Bathrooms
- Bath, shower, screen and tiles; grout and sealant scrubbed
- Toilet, cistern and behind the pan; basin, taps and chrome polished
- Mirror, cabinet and any glass
- Extractor fan cover; tiles and floor, including behind the door
Bedrooms & living areas
- Skirting, door frames, tops of doors, switches and sockets
- Interior windows, sills and frames
- Inside wardrobes, drawers and storage
- Light fittings, shades and cobwebs; marks wiped off walls
- Carpets vacuumed — and shampooed if the inventory logged them cleaned at move-in
Throughout
Work high to low and leave the floors till last so dust doesn't resettle on what you've done. Don't forget the bits people skip: radiators, vents, the hallway and stairs, and the bin store or garden bins if they're part of your tenancy.
What clerks flag most around here
In our experience across Greater Manchester it's the oven, the carpets, the fridge, the extractor filter, skirting and the gaps behind appliances. Soft water means limescale is rarely the headline it is down south — but taps and shower screens still need doing.
When to call a professional
If you're short on time, the oven's beaten you, or your inventory says the carpets were professionally cleaned at move-in, a pro clean is usually cheaper than the deduction. Our end of tenancy clean works to this exact check-out standard, and if the report flags any of our work we come back within 48 hours, free.
Frequently asked questions
Do I legally have to clean before I move out?
You have to return the property in the condition it was let, allowing for fair wear and tear. In practice that means cleaning to the standard on your inventory check-out report — cleaning is the most common deposit deduction.
What if I run out of time before the hand-back?
A professional end of tenancy clean is usually cheaper than the deduction for a dirty property, and far less stressful. Book it for the day before your check-out.
Do the carpets have to be professionally cleaned?
Only if your inventory recorded them as professionally cleaned at the start. If it did, a shampoo is worth it; if it didn't, a thorough vacuum is usually enough.
Is limescale a big deal in Manchester?
Less than in hard-water areas like London. Manchester's water is soft, so taps and screens still need cleaning but you're mainly tackling grease, dust and general wear.