Can Landlord Legally Charge For Carpet Cleaning Between Tenancies? (CA)

[Jetsetter1]

I live in California.

My husband and I are about to finish up a 6 month lease. We just received a move-out checklist from our property manager, which states it is their standard policy to deduct the cost of professional carpet cleaning from tenants' deposits. We were also given the option to hire a professional carpet cleaning service (at our own expense) in lieu of that. We have only lived here for 6 months, 2 of which we weren't even home because we were traveling. We have no pets. The carpet looks exactly like it did when we moved in, in fact it even still smells new. I have heard it is illegal for a property manager to charge for carpet cleaning between tenants when it is just normal wear and tear (not damage or excessive dirt). Am I correct? If so, I intend to bring it up during our preliminary walk-through with our property manager. Thanks for your advice.

 

[Zigner]

I live in California.

My husband and I are about to finish up a 6 month lease. We just received a move-out checklist from our property manager, which states it is their standard policy to deduct the cost of professional carpet cleaning from tenants' deposits. We were also given the option to hire a professional carpet cleaning service (at our own expense) in lieu of that. We have only lived here for 6 months, 2 of which we weren't even home because we were traveling. We have no pets. The carpet looks exactly like it did when we moved in, in fact it even still smells new. I have heard it is illegal for a property manager to charge for carpet cleaning between tenants when it is just normal wear and tear (not damage or excessive dirt). Am I correct? If so, I intend to bring it up during our preliminary walk-through with our property manager. Thanks for your advice.

You've used the carpet for 6 months. I get that you feel that it's clean, but it's not unreasonable for the LL to have the carpet professionally cleaned at the end of your tenancy. Make sure that the LL provides you with appropriate receipts, if required. The following addresses the matter: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=CIV&sectionNum=1950.5

 

[Jetsetter1]

You've used the carpet for 6 months. I get that you feel that it's clean, but it's not unreasonable for the LL to have the carpet professionally cleaned at the end of your tenancy. Make sure that the LL provides you with appropriate receipts, if required. The following addresses the matter: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=CIV&sectionNum=1950.5

Oh, of course I would expect the LL to have it cleaned, just to sanitize it for the next tenant (it looks brand new, we don't even wear shoes in the house). But I was under the impression that things like this are the cost of doing business as a landlord, and only our responsibility if we left excessive dirt or damage.

 

[Zigner]

Oh, of course I would expect the LL to have it cleaned, just to sanitize it for the next tenant (it looks brand new, we don't even wear shoes in the house). But I was under the impression that things like this are the cost of doing business as a landlord, and only our responsibility if we left excessive dirt or damage.

Ask the LL what the cost of having his professional cleaning service do the carpet cleaning is, then find out how much you could get it done for yourself. Finally, review the section of the law that I quoted and make your decision as to whether or not the cost is acceptable.

 

[xylene]

Unfortunately eating these kinds of charges associated with moving are part of living somewhere, and it is worse if you live there for a short time. If you'd live there 2-3 years, the amortized cost would be pretty low. Living there only 6 months, it is a more of a pinch. I've been there. Good luck!

 

[FarmerJ]

Keep in mind when you rent even if its for a six month time and even if you didn't wear shoes beyond the entry area and even if you weren't home a lot Your LL has every right to insist the carpet be cleaned before re renting it to another tenant and its not just the cost of doing business. When people rent they often hear of myths like the myth that buying a home a LL has to let tenant out of lease, so when you say > I have heard it is illegal for a property manager to charge for carpet cleaning between tenants when it is just normal wear and tear (not damage or excessive dirt). < who ever it was that said to you didn't offer you a statute number did they ? BUT since the LL will allow you to hire a local carpet cleaning firm your self you can perhaps negotiate a reduced rate when you tell them you have only been there 6 months and there is still a slight new carpet odor to it and how lightly it was used so it may be to your advantage to call a couple of cleaning firms and if one might discount it then you make darn sure to not only make extra copies of your receipt but to take exit pictures to show how nice and clean you have left the place including pictures of the cleaned and last time vacuumed carpets