Tenant Moving in Wants Condo Pro-Cleaned and Carpets Steam Cleaned - Reasonable?

[RedDawn]

A prospective new tenant for my condo has said he expects the condo to be professionally cleaned and the carpets steam cleaned before moving in. Both of these services would be done at my cost and not charged to either the prior tenant or new tenant.

Is performing these two services a common expectation or is the tenant being unreasonable?

[ExtraSlow]

Not crazy, and honestly helps you if there's any dispute on move-out for carpet damage. You can always say no and rent to someone else though.

[88CRX]

Sounds like they're a total pain in the ass. And I'd bet this is the first of many demands they make.

edit: If they're expecting you to professionally clean the unit before they move in then tell them they have to pay for and complete the same when they move out.

[ThePenIsMightier]

Yes, reasonable. Do it plus get the carpets Scotch Guarded so the cleanup when they vacate will be that much easier.
2¢

[pheoxs]

It's kind of odd for them to be requested but they could have allergies or something. It's not unreasonable though.

That being said, you should have it in the lease agreement that the tenant is responsible for having the carpets steam cleaned upon move out so that it is ready for the next tenant. This is pretty common practice with rentals. Depending on the size of the unit its around 100$.

I'd agree to it but on the stipulation that they are responsible for the place being in the same condition as when they move in, so the'd be responsible to have it steam cleaned + professionally cleaned upon move out.

[Thaco]

if they're signing a lease of at least 1 year then i'd say its somewhat reasonable and should be a minor cost for you considering what they'll pay in rent during that time... but its your place, its your call... dont let them dictate demands to you, personally to me it sounds like a high maintenance PITA i wouldn't want to deal with anyway

[RedDawn]

Can't charge for move-out carpet steam cleaning. Right from the Alberta Govt:

"The cleaning of carpeting or rugs is one of the main sources of conflict between landlords and tenants. If the
tenant had a pet that was not caged, steam cleaning will almost certainly be required regardless of the length
of the tenancy. But that doesn’t mean that every time a tenancy ends professional carpet cleaning is required
and the expense can be charged to the tenant. If the landlord wants to do that, the carpet will have to have
been in such a condition that professional cleaning is required."

https://www.servicealberta.ca/pdf/RT...R_and_TEAR.pdf

[88CRX]

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Can't charge for move-out carpet steam cleaning. Right from the Alberta Govt:

"The cleaning of carpeting or rugs is one of the main sources of conflict between landlords and tenants. If the
tenant had a pet that was not caged, steam cleaning will almost certainly be required regardless of the length
of the tenancy. But that doesn’t mean that every time a tenancy ends professional carpet cleaning is required
and the expense can be charged to the tenant. If the landlord wants to do that, the carpet will have to have
been in such a condition that professional cleaning is required."

https://www.servicealberta.ca/pdf/RT...R_and_TEAR.pdf

So you can't stipulate they must steam clean the carpet but you can charge them for excessively or abnormally dirty carpets that would require steam cleaning.

[Mitsu3000gt]

We've had tenants like this before. Not necessarily an unreasonable request in itself, but very likely a sign of a nightmare high-maintenance renter.

My brother had a tenant that demanded to be taken to lunch at least once a month - I shit you not.

You can rent a good carpet cleaner from Home Depot for cheap if you don't want to pay for steam cleaning, but I personally wouldn't go with that tenant at all.

[rx7boi]

Sounds like the cost of doing business. What's $100 in cleaning compared to a potential 1 year lease?

Even if this guy didn't want it, you're still in a much better position for the next tenant.

PS: assuming that carpet cleaning for your place is only going to cost $100 haha.

[RedDawn]

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Sounds like the cost of doing business. What's $100 in cleaning compared to a potential 1 year lease?

Even if this guy didn't want it, you're still in a much better position for the next tenant.

PS: assuming that carpet cleaning for your place is only going to cost $100 haha.

Around $200 - $300 for the cleaners and carpet steam.

[JRSC00LUDE]

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A prospective new tenant for my condo has said he expects the condo to be professionally cleaned and the carpets steam cleaned before moving in. Both of these services would be done at my cost and not charged to either the prior tenant or new tenant.

Is performing these two services a common expectation or is the tenant being unreasonable?

Just tell him you will do it provided he agrees to turn it over the same way at the end of his tenancy.

[lasimmon]

Probably been burned by landlords who don't provide a clean unit when they moved in and then demand a ton of cleaning when they leave.

[asp integra]

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My brother had a tenant that demanded to be taken to lunch at least once a month - I shit you not.

What?! Really?! What was their reasoning?

[Mitsu3000gt]

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What?! Really?! What was their reasoning?

REALLY REALLY long story that I don't want to type out but long story short, guy was a disbarred ex-lawyer who had been living there for a few years mostly problem-free. Lonely guy, stayed at home in the tiny apartment 99% of the time while trying unsuccessfully to find contract work. All of a sudden he claims the boiler/pipes are making noise that nobody can hear but him. Board checks it out, maintenance checked it out, nobody can hear anything but new parts were bought for the boiler anyway, etc. Claims he has to move the bed into the living room just to sleep (right beside the fridge, which is loud but he said didn't bother him). My brother had to help him move the bed and pandered to every single ridiculous request until he started threatening other tenants. Then he stopped paying rent because the phantom noise was impacting his quality of life to the point where he apparently could barely function. He'd send texts all the time saying he can't talk now, too mentally exhausted, etc. My brother tries to evict him on the grounds of unpaid rent, and that's where things got truly ridiculous - he would send 30+ page emails citing case law and everything else (remember he's an ex lawyer with no job and unlimited time), and threatened to drag my brother through the court systems otherwise. Arbitration is an extremely slow process and the earliest appointment was months away.

Just as an example of some of the ridiculousness, he would send letters demanding someone other than the condo board and maintenance people hired by the condo board deal with the issue because he was worried they would be biased. He also demanded to see detailed credentials on every board member and maintenance person to make sure they were qualified to handle the issue.

So, rather than fight an ex-laywer with nothing but time on his hands, who knows where my brother lives, and has a history of violence - my brother ate 2 months rent and told him another family member needed to move in for the Fall. He agreed to leave then, on the condition that he pays almost nothing for rent and that my brother take him for lunch every month until he's out.

We think the guy was a little mentally ill after spending several years in a tiny below-grade apartment with no job and no family/friends and was keeping himself busy by manufacturing issues to complain about and feel like a lawyer again. Absolute nightmare.

[botox]

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Sounds like the cost of doing business. What's $100 in cleaning compared to a potential 1 year lease?

Even if this guy didn't want it, you're still in a much better position for the next tenant.

PS: assuming that carpet cleaning for your place is only going to cost $100 haha.

Seems quite reasonable to me and I shampoo the carpets as soon as the old tenants leave before any showings. It's all about good first impressions and I thought this was pretty normal to do cause nobody wants to see dirty carpets during a viewing.

[jwslam]

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Seems quite reasonable to me and I shampoo the carpets as soon as the old tenants leave before any showings. It's all about good first impressions and I thought this was pretty normal to do cause nobody wants to see dirty carpets during a viewing.

So that brings the questions of whether the condo carpets were clean at all after the last move-out.
Of course there's a difference between nasty and professionally clean, but if they were generally clean I'd tell the new person to pound sand and pay for professional cleaning themselves.

[msommers]

Seems reasonable to me and is a minor cost to keep the tenant happy. Worst case they try to demand every little thing, best case is that they're anal clean and quiet as a mouse.

[revelations]

- Ask tenant why, if its 'because' - refuse everything, if its 'i had a bad experience at last place' or ' i have bad allergies to animals' then I would consider .....

- Check tenants credit history - if its dog shit then refuse everything, if its good, eat the 100$.

[03ozwhip]

I think it's a perfectly fine request. I'd rather not move into other people's dirty shit. I would do the same thing. Vacuuming carpets and cleaning shit after tenants isnt fun and can be really fucking disgusting what you find, I've had to do it alot.

The guy just wants it really clean when he moves in, I dont think that should be an issue.