i am in the middle of packing up our house, and i am surrounded by boxes and storage tubs, and garbage bags filled with towels and bedding and clothes, and wishing that i could fast forward to next week, when my new house will be unpacked, and all the cleaning and madness will be over.
we went over to check out the new house...and while it was "clean", it wasn't CLEAN. you know what i'm talking about? floors that haven't been mopped, a fridge that didn't get cleaned...nothing BAD, but i guess not what i was expecting.
SO, my big question is:
when moving, who is responsible for cleaning the house? the old owners? the new owners?
and how clean does it need to be?
help me out here, because maybe i've been doing it all wrong the past 11 moves...
option A:
it should be reasonably clean. major stuff and trash removed from the house. most personal items from bathrooms and closets gone, but ok to leave razors, hangers, laundry soap or other small items behind. floors swept, but not mopped. some food left behind in fridge is ok. small items in garage like paint cans, tiles, rakes and shovels are ok to leave. not important to wash windows or sweep patios, or wipe down the insides of cupboards.
option B:
the house should be really CLEAN. fridge clean. inside of all drawers and shelves wiped down. tops and underneath cleaned of all appliances staying. floors mopped. spider webs removed. all baseboards and window sills cleaned. windows cleaned. toilets immaculate. doors and outlets/light switches cleaned. all trash removed. nothing should be left in the house.
so, which is it?!
option A, or option B? or something in between?
let me know, cuz i really want to know what y'all think!
oh, and if you don't hear from me again this weekend, then i will hopefully be back tuesday with some pictures of our new space! wish me luck!
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I know that if you sell the house the only requirement is that it be "swept clean" {NOT satisfactory in my mind!} and if you're renting, then it depends on the rental agreement.
ReplyDeleteI have always cleaned my old house to the hilt and then had to clean the new one, too. I am all for really clean, but it seems like not everyone else is!
i totally agree...i just CANNOT leave a house dirty. i kills me. but, it's hard to literally spend an entire day cleaning your OLD house, and then have to hold off on upacking the NEW house until you clean it.
ReplyDeleteWe have always cleaned our old house, and then our (listing) real estate agent has paid for the old house to be professionally cleaned. However, I have learned this isn't necessarily the case across the board, since having moved into "swept clean" houses. Good luck on your move!
ReplyDelete"Broom swept" was the term used in our last two purchase and sales agreements. Certainly not ideal!
ReplyDeleteOh, only option B. It has to be really clean before you leave it! I don't think it's fair to expect new owners - renters or purchasers to clean up your little bits of stuff. Especially razors??? Not cool.
ReplyDeleteI hope everything else goes smoothly for you. Moving is such a pain!
When I moved from my last house, I CLEANED that place. Floors, bathrooms, base boards, fridge, sink, everything! I was dragging the dust mop over the wood floors as we were exiting! I found out the next day, the buyers' agent gave the new owners a full house cleaning as a house warming gift! Oh well. The house I moved into - filthy! So I got to do it all again!
ReplyDeleteB!! Option A is vile!
ReplyDeleteWe use to own a trailer park and when people moved out they left everything behind! So if I moved to a new home and it was like A I would be thrilled. I do think you need to have all the drawer, closets, etc cleared out, but I would go overboard clean. Why? Because even if I moved into a new how cleaned like B I would still re-clean it b/c I wouldn't be able to sleep unless I know I did the cleaning myself.
ReplyDeleteB for sure! You shouldn't have to clean up someone's moving mess. You have your own things to worry about. The tenant should clean their own mess. And if that's not completed fully, it is the landlords responsibility to take care of the rest.
ReplyDeleteIt all depends on your rental/sales contract. Most do specify "broom swept" which is really just a marginal clean. If you want more, don't be afraid to ask for it in the contract!
ReplyDeleteI vote for Option B, or at least having Option B as the goal. Option A is UNacceptable!!! I'd freak if I moved into a house in that described condition. In fact, I have freaked over less, and I've moved 10 times in 7 years. While I might not get a chance to scrub the baseboards just before I leave, I do scrub them once a month anyway, so you can be sure when moving in to a place I've just vacated, the basebaords will have been cleaned within the last 30 days. Food in the fridge though? Soap and razors? I think not. My rule of thumb: When moving out, clean as if you were moving in. Or, hire someone to do the same!
ReplyDeleteP.S. I ditto the previous poster who said she'd have to clean it again anyway, even if clean upon arrival - you never know how good a job others do!
ReplyDeleteThis is pretty perfectly timed. I just moved my family into a new house too (our furniture arrived Monday) but we had the same issue.
ReplyDeleteThe house wasn't "clean". My husband and I spent all night Friday night cleaning carpets and I had to hire a cleaning lady to come in and deep clean everything from the fridge to the bathrooms.
I wish the home owners had more respect and left it clean. We did for the owners of our old house but this way we at least know it's clean to our standards.
Whenever we move I always count on a couple hundred bucks for Merry Maids to come in and deep clean the NEW house...even it looks pretty good. I just don't know if the old owner really spent time cleaning, or if their "clean" is the same as mine. AND I don't want to spend the time, like mentioned, cleaning my old home and then the new home.
ReplyDeleteMerry maids is a must-do for me. And a great housewarming gift!
Good Luck Autumn!
Please tell me it's 'B'!!!! Because that's what I did...with a little assistance from friends....and I have done many many times for friends moving. And yes, I've also helped clean for them on the move in. Regardless....some of us have higher standards. But...if you don't have friends and family to clean with/for you on either end...hire it done. I can't imagine moving in to a home that isn't clean...how in the world would you be able to put things away as quickly as necessary?
ReplyDeletethat would be option B for sure.. anything less is just nasty.. they should actually have a cleaning service in to take care of the house top to bottom and the floors/carpets steamed cleaned.. if it wasnt I would bring someone in myself and take it off next months rent
ReplyDeleteOption C - Something in between. No matter how clean you leave a house, or how clean your new house is, it WILL be recleaned. Also, every time I've moved, I've given the place a really good clean..then in the process of moving, the floors get dirty from the movers/friends helping, dust bunnies you didn't realise were there come out to play. Each time I had to leave the situation as is for the new owners/renters because of the day wasting away. The fact of the matter is the process of moving is stressful and there is a time crunch involved concerning trucks/rentals, key handover, elevator booking. I've never been offended by a previous person's mess because I've always given the benefit of doubt that I would like to receive myself.Then again, the messes were never that bad.
ReplyDeleteWe lucked out with our first two homes and had families who hired a cleaning service to come in after they moved out. From the buyer's point of view we were completely thrilled and grateful to be able to skip the step of having to clean. If you're able to get the place CLEAN for the next family I know that they'll be thrilled. (But then again, you rented the place, shouldn't the landlord deal with it? On second thought, just a quick scrubbing might do.)
ReplyDeleteOption BBBBBBB
ReplyDeleteIt's good Karma to leave a clean house behind. Your old neighbors wont have to hear what slobs you all were if you leave a dirty house.
I am so sorry! Unfortunately people don't have the same common courtesy as you. I would see if you can afford to hire merry maids, like the other lady mentioned, for your new place.
ReplyDeleteMay I select both? Now, what I would prefer is "B," however, we recently sold my mom's house and the buyers were so stinkin' picky about every item in the home inspection, no matter how minor, I didn't mind leaving them some dust and cobwebs. Harrumph. We didn't even leave any spare T.P. in the bathrooms or excess furniture they were hoping we'd leave behind.
ReplyDeleteBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB
ReplyDeleteB - absolutely.
ReplyDeleteWhen we left our last place, I hired cleaners to come and clean. I also had those same folks clean the new house.. it was very clean when we bought the house but I needed it cleaned prior to moving in.
Very definitely B. Our first apartment 'looked' clean when we moved in, I probably did some minor cleaning. It wasn't long though before we discovered a rat in the kitchen...all because there was old food behind the fridge!
ReplyDeleteMy friends also recently moved into a house... filled with lovebugs, ants, mold in the fridge...it was awful - and they were moving in with a baby.
I will have to keep in mind hiring cleaners if I ever run into that situation, moving is tiring enough!
A-
ReplyDeleteI would leave a home in Option B condition b/c I'd be embarrassed any other way. I would also expect a new-to-me home to be in Option B condition for my arrival; however, I'd clean it all myself anyway even if it was. ;) (But then, I don't eat other people's home-baked goods and avoid riding in the vehicles of others. ::shivers and chills::)
Why should you have to clean up a mess left by someone else? Definitely, without a doubt, super clean
ReplyDeleteit should be clean; other people are slobs; it's never clean enough. save yourself some time and hire some cleaners. the cost will be worth it. we never hire anyone to do anything and I always wish we would.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely Option B is ideal yet probably not the norm. Somewhere in between Option A and B seems to be the most acceptable. But food in the fridge, razors, dirty cupboards, trash? Sounds like the days of my mobile home management years ago when I saw plenty of vacated mobile homes left in such condition or worse. People in a hurry to move, however, don't usually take the time to clean baseboards, window sills, etc. I say if one can afford it, hire professional cleaners. Sure saves you the hassle and time:)
ReplyDeleteThe trouble is, even with "B", it is all open to interpretation... One person's clean is another's "it's a mess". And yes, "broom clean" is the term most often used,which really doesn't say much.
ReplyDeleteCan you get the agent to hire a cleaning service? Can you hire one and be reimbursed?
We cleaned our old house (still....for sale) at least three times. It is immaculate. But still no offer after 15 months.
We are all thinking of you, Autumn, and wish the best with the move...
Anytime I move out of a place, I make sure it is option B!!! And I expect the place I'm moving into to be the same, whether it's a rental or a place I've purchased. BUT, believe me, I've had to scrub the places I've moved into so many times - it's disgusting!
ReplyDeleteI've always left every place option B clean. Most places I've moved into have been option B clean, too, but there have been a few "Ick" episodes. The previous owners of our current home left so much stuff here it was ridiculous. The garage was literally full of crud. I had to give the house a thorough scrub down before unpacking a single box.
ReplyDeleteWITHOUT A DOUBT "B"!!! Insane to think anyone would think "A" is even acceptable!..Good luck with your move.
ReplyDeleteI would almost have to say a mix. Definitely no personal items should be left. All things should be cleaned but not immaculate. I would want that and would do it but I don't think most people would stop and clean windows and light switch covers. Some of ours were even broken (well, cracked). Things should be swept, vacuumed, mopped, dusted, etc. though!
ReplyDeleteWe were also among the "broom clean" bunch. But I left it at option B, I swear. Our first house was my first baby and I wanted to clean it one more time...Also, the house we moved into was sparkling, they'd even had carpet cleaners come!
ReplyDeleteWhen leaving a rental, I often left them more A than B. However, I would only move into a rental that was truly clean.
ReplyDeleteThe owner has an obligation to give you a truly clean home, no matter how the previous tenant left it. And I would be suspicious of a landlord that refused to do even that basic service. Here in NY, it is common practice that the owner will have a professional cleaner come in and do the place before move-in, and deduct the cost from the prior tenant's security if the place is a mess.
Good luck, and don't settle for less than you deserve.
It all depends on what was in the sales contract. Our agent put in that we wanted the house including carpet professionally cleaned. But even is that is not put in the contract, I don't think leaving any personal items around is acceptable.
ReplyDeleteAt LEAST clean the fridge, the stove, the toilets, and the sinks. It's useless to worry about floors because people are going to be moving in and dirtying the place anyway. And yeah, get rid of all the trash you can, especially gross stuff like razors.
ReplyDeleteWhen we moved in to our house, the fridge had MOLD in it because they didn't clean it, and then they let the electricity get turned off. The toilets weren't disgusting, but they certainly didn't sparkle. They also did not have the carpets professionally cleaned, as they claimed and as was in the contract. We should've asked for a receipt.
Remember on Seinfeld, where Jerry would say "Newman" with disgust? We now say the name of the previous owners this way.
If you buy a house, they have to give it to you "broom clean" If you rent a house, they should deliver it move in ready. Everything spick and span. In New York City when you rent an apartment it has to have a brand new toilet seat. How about that?
ReplyDelete