How to get your deposit back in Manchester

Moving out is stressful enough without worrying about your deposit. The good news is that if you know how the system works and leave the property clean, you give yourself the best chance of getting every penny back. Here's what renters in Manchester need to know.

Your deposit should be protected

If you rent on an assured shorthold tenancy in England, your landlord or letting agent must put your deposit in a government-approved tenancy deposit protection scheme within 30 days of receiving it, and give you the scheme details. There are three schemes:

• Deposit Protection Service (DPS)

• mydeposits

• Tenancy Deposit Scheme (TDS)

If you're not sure where your deposit is, check your tenancy paperwork or search each scheme's website. At the end of the tenancy, you and your landlord agree how much comes back. If you can't agree, each scheme offers a free dispute resolution service, where an independent adjudicator looks at the evidence from both sides.

That word "evidence" matters. The check-in inventory, the check-out report and photos are what decide most disputes.

Before you start: find your inventory

Dig out the check-in inventory and any photos from when you moved in. The landlord can't expect the property back in better condition than when you got it, and fair wear and tear is allowed. But cleanliness is one of the most common reasons for deductions, so the aim is to return the place at least as clean as it was at check-in.

The end-of-tenancy cleaning checklist

Kitchen

• Oven, hob, grill pan and extractor hood degreased, inside and out

• Fridge and freezer emptied, defrosted and wiped, doors left ajar

• Cupboards and drawers cleaned inside and out

• Sink, taps and draining board descaled

• Washing machine drawer and seal cleaned

• Worktops, tiles and splashbacks wiped down

Bathroom

• Toilet cleaned all over, including the base and behind it

• Bath, shower, screen and tiles descaled

• Mould on seals treated where possible

• Mirrors, taps and extractor fan cleaned

Every room

• Skirting boards, door frames, doors and handles wiped

• Light switches and sockets cleaned

• Inside windows, sills and frames cleaned

• Radiators dusted

• Cobwebs removed from ceilings and corners

• Carpets hoovered (and deep-cleaned if your tenancy asks for it), hard floors mopped

Don't forget

• Remove all your belongings and rubbish, including from sheds and bins

• Replace any blown bulbs

• Take meter readings and photos on the day you leave

• Return every key, and get a receipt if you can

Take your own photos

Once the cleaning's done, walk round and photograph every room, including inside the oven, fridge and cupboards. Date-stamped photos give you something to point to if there's any disagreement.

If deductions are proposed

Ask for an itemised list and the evidence behind it. If you think a deduction is unfair, say so in writing and, if you still can't agree, raise it with your deposit scheme's free dispute service.

Let us do the hard part

A proper end-of-tenancy clean takes much longer than most people expect, especially the oven and bathroom. VC Services is based in Failsworth and covers Manchester and the surrounding areas. We clean room by room to the checklist letting agents use, at a fixed price agreed before we start:

• Studio / 1 bed: £179

• 2 bed: £219

• 3 bed: £259

• 4 bed: £299

Extras like oven cleaning (from £40) and carpet cleaning (£25 per room) can be added. And if your agent flags something that was part of the clean, tell us within 72 hours and we'll come back and put it right free of charge.

Book your end-of-tenancy clean online: https://www.vcservices.co.uk/book-online or call us on 07377 506921.