Carpet cleaning pressure
Question from Lynda-Marie updated on 27th February 2017:
I am a tenant and am moving house with same property management company. While I am quite happy having the carpets professionally cleaned at end of my tenancy, the property manager is insisting I use his recommended company. It is more expensive than the company I would like to use and my choice is used by several other property managers in the area. He will also not accept a portable carpet cleaner - only the $110,000 machine that his preferred company uses.
The carpets are not dirty as such. But we do have two cats so I am happy to have carpets cleaned. But where do I stand if, on inspection, I produce proof of cleaning and he will not accept it and insists that I have them cleaned again or have the cost of extra cleaning deducted from my bond?
Our expert Bernard Parker responded:
Cleaning of carpets at end of tenancy is a difficult issue. On one hand, you have a couple of cats and you have agreed to have the carpets cleaned because of that fact. On the other hand, the Residential Tenancies Act requires that you leave the property “reasonably clean and reasonably tidy”.
But there is no requirement for you to accept the landlord’s preferred carpet cleaner. As long as your carpet cleaner does a good job, and the carpets are left reasonably clean and tidy, that should be sufficient.
Bernard is principal of Quinovic – Kapiti-Mana. Quinovic's outstanding people and systems provide the most professional, effective and reliable residential property management service in the NZ market for over 30 years.Search the Ask an Expert archive
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