What’s the Difference Between One-Off Cleaning and End of Tenancy Cleaning Services?

Cleaning services tend to be simple and straightforward. Your home (or oven, or carpet, or whatever) is dirty and you decide you have better things to do so you call someone to clean it. Simple.

It’s a long-standing tradition to use cleaning services, especially for busy Londoners. Indeed, the cleaning industry in the city of London is one of the most developed in the world. There’s plenty of competition keeping prices low and services – respectable (most of the time).

But sometimes, some services seem to breed confusion. Whether it’s because people want to get away with paying less for a service or it’s genuine bewilderment, I cannot say. However, this issue persists so it needs to be addressed.

In this article:

• What is one-off cleaning?
• Benefits of one-off cleaning
• What is end of tenancy cleaning?
• Benefits of end of tenancy cleaning
• Which one is right for you?

What is one-off cleaning?

One-off cleaning is one of the most popular cleaning services in London. It’s a general, one-time cleaning service for your home. You decide when you need it and book it for the specified time. That’s it – no strings attached.

People book one-off cleaning for different reasons. Sometimes, you may not feel like cleaning (we all have those days). Or you have more important matters to deal with and you don’t want your home environment to suffer for it.

Perhaps you’ve got a big project and need to bring your work home with you (if you’re not already working from home, that is). So you can’t afford to waste your time with cleaning, but you also know you work better in a clean environment.

As I said, there can be many reasons why you’d want to book a one-off cleaning service. The best thing about it is the flexibility – you get exactly when you need it.

Also, one-off cleaning is a timed service. This means you book the number of hours you want. If you’re not sure what those would look like, don’t worry about it – any respectable company would make a recommendation based on the size and condition of your home.

Benefits of one-off cleaning

The biggest benefit of one-off cleaning is you get quality cleaning without wasting your time. It can take as much as a day for you to clean your home as thoroughly as a cleaning professional would clean it in a few hours. For even better results, you can book a deep one-off cleaning to get the most out of it.

That’s not even mentioning cleaning professionals would probably do a better job at it. While it may seem simple, cleaning does require a certain degree of expertise. Different surfaces get treated with different detergents. Otherwise, you risk ruining those surfaces.

But more than that, hiring professional cleaners simply saves you time. Time that’s better spent doing things you actually want to do. Whether it’s reading, resting, working out, playing video games, or going for a walk, to most of us almost any other activity is more fun than doing chores.

What is end of tenancy cleaning?

End of tenancy cleaning is another popular cleaning service in London. However, unlike one-off cleaning, it’s very specific. It’s the service you book at the end of your tenancy, as the name suggests. It’s the deepest cleaning service you can book.

The whole point of end of tenancy cleaning is to restore the property to its former glory (without having to do actual repairs). It’s not a timed service but instead, you pay for the end result (which is a clean property that will pass the landlord’s or letting agent’s inspection).

Finally, end of tenancy cleaning is a guaranteed service. In most cases, you get a 72-hour guarantee and, if something’s not up to standard, the company comes back and re-cleans. 

Because of this, end of tenancy cleaning is more expensive than one-off cleaning. The sum is trivial when there’s a security deposit hanging in the balance, but some people try to get away with paying less. They book one-off cleaning instead of end of tenancy cleaning and, in doing so, really do end up paying less.

That being said, the level of detail in one-off cleaning is not comparable to end of tenancy cleaning. These are two very different services with very different purposes. So if you’re thinking of booking one-off cleaning to save money, bear in mind there are no guarantees (unlike end of tenancy cleaning). You may very well lose your security deposit to save a few pounds.

Benefits of end of tenancy cleaning

The biggest benefit of end of tenancy cleaning is getting your deposit back. The guarantee helps you feel much more confident that the inspection will go well and, even if it doesn’t, the company will come back and re-clean.

End of tenancy cleaning is an excellent service when you want to make moving less stressful. Especially when you’re running on a tight schedule, it’s important to know that different elements of the move are well taken care of.

Finally, end of tenancy cleaning saves you from an extreme headache. Cleaning a property up to landlords’ and letting agents’ standards is not easy when you’re not a professional and you don’t know what those standards are. Not to mention even if you can do it, it’s going to take a lot of time – time better spent on other aspects of the move.  

Which one is right for you?

In the end, the answer should be pretty clear – if you’re moving and you want a professional cleaning so you can get your deposit back, then end of tenancy cleaning is the service for you.

In most other cases, whether you need cleaning before the holidays, or simply don’t feel like handling it yourself, or you’re busy with work, then one-off cleaning is the right choice.

Of course, if you’re not certain, you can always pick the phone and give us a call. We’d love to help you out!

Author: Atanas Dzhingarov

Hi, I’m Atanas - brand consultant and writer. I’m helping Samyx Cleaning create the best cleaning company blog on the Internet. Join us on our journey and learn how to live a cleaner, healthier, happier life in the process.