Understanding Your Lease Agreement: Cleaning Clauses And Bond Return Conditions

Residential lease agreements in Victoria are the legal embodiment of the deals between the tenants and the landlords. The contract outlines the roles and responsibilities of both parties. Renters must read the clauses carefully before signing the agreement to ensure there are no unfavourable conditions that cannot be met. Besides checking the rent amount, outgoings, and rent review, the tenants should also pay attention to cleaning and bond retrieval.

Every landlord wants the property to be returned in its original condition at the end of the tenancy, barring fair wear and tear. It implies that the house should be neat and clean and without damage. The landlord can claim the rental bond if the renter fails to meet this condition during the final inspection. It can lead to disputes and hassles. This is why most tenants hire professional end of lease cleaners in Melbourne.

Here is everything you need to know about cleaning clauses and bond return conditions. It will help you make informed choices while signing the contract.

1. Cleaning Clauses in Rental Agreement

Tenants must understand that landlords cannot make them responsible for professional end of lease cleaning in Melbourne. However, they can make a claim for the rental bond if the property is not reasonably cleaned at the end of the tenancy. It must be brought back to the same condition in which it was at the beginning of the lease agreement. This is why many lessees hire professional cleaning companies that offer a bond back guarantee. The tenant must remember that fair wear and tear cannot be used to claim the bond by the landlord.

2. Cleanliness Standards For Final Inspection

When it comes to meeting the cleanliness standards of the landlords, the tenants are often confused. Reasonably clean does not mean flawlessly clean. The property must not be dirty and devoid of dust, cobwebs, greasy surfaces, garbage and debris.

The tenants must refer to the entry condition report to ensure cleaning is up to the mark. It should not have mould or marks on the walls and stains on the tiles and carpets that were not present before the tenancy. The exit condition report pictures must match the entry condition to satisfy the landlord.

3. Professional Cleaning Clauses

According to the Consumer Affairs Victoria Director’s Guidelines for cleanliness, professional end of lease cleaning Melbourne can be required if the property was professionally cleaned immediately before the tenancy. Hiring a service provider is unnecessary if the professional cleaning took place months or years before the property was leased. The landlord can also ask for professional cleaning if an incident at the property during the lease affected its cleanliness. For example, persistent bad odour in the house, stubborn stains on the carpet, etc.

4. Bond Return Conditions

The rental bond is refunded to the tenant when they vacate the property at the end of the tenancy without any claims made by the landlord. The property owner is usually responsible for starting the claim after discussing the division of the money with the tenant. The process must begin within ten days of the agreement ending.

The tenants can also start the claim if their name is on the bond and the landlord is not taking the initiative. Once the tenant makes the claim, the Residential Tenancies Bond Authority (RTBA) sends a notice to the landlord to contest the claim within 14 days. The bond is refunded within 14 to 20 business days if there is no contest. If the landlord makes the claim, the bond is released on the same day if the tenant confirms it via email.

5. Rental Bond Disputes

Rental bond disputes arising due to cleaning issues can be amicably resolved by hiring end of lease cleaning Melbourne experts. However, if there is any other reason that is not getting resolved through discussions, the landlord or the tenant can apply to the Victorian Civil & Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) for a hearing.

The tenant must attend the hearing if they feel the landlord is making an unreasonable claim for the bond. If the landlord applies to VCAT for cleaning or damage to property reasons and the tenant agrees with the claim, they must decide the amount to be paid and how it will be paid. For example, they can make a joint claim to the RTBA.

6. Proving and Defending Bond Claims

If the landlord has made a claim to the bond, they must provide proof of their losses due to damage or dirty property. VCAT will then decide if the claim is genuine or not. The tenant can defend the claim by providing defences during the hearing. The tenant can get the result in his favour by ensuring they leave the property in the same condition as it was at the beginning of the tenancy. Usually, hiring an experienced end of lease cleaning Melbourne company can help avoid disputes related to cleaning.

Cleaning Clauses and Bond Return Conditions:

Wrapping Up

Lease agreements are straightforward documents that lay down the legal obligations of the renters and rental providers. Both parties must abide by the clauses and ensure there are no disputes related to the bond refund.