Spring cleaning season is fast approaching, but your HMO tenants might not be quite so willing to don the Marigolds. We all know the tension that a messy partner or child who refuses to tidy up after themselves can cause. The fallout between tenants in an HMO can be even more devastating.
Some tenants might struggle to clean and tidy their own spaces, let alone take on the responsibility for communal areas as well. But for the sake of harmonious HMO living, cleaning is a dirty subject that must be addressed.
Understand what you are responsible for as a landlord
Regulations state that the HMO manager should ensure all shared areas of an HMO property are maintained and in good and clean decorative condition. They must also be kept reasonably clear from obstructions.
Decide who’s responsible for shared areas
Your tenancy agreement will dictate whose responsibility it is to clean shared spaces. Beware that even if you decide it’s your tenants’ job, the ultimate responsibility will still lie with you. So, if tenants aren’t pulling their weight and it’s causing disharmony or bigger problems – such as a pest invasion – it’s your job to sort it out.
Consider an HMO cleaning service
You could consider a cleaning service for the shared space and include the cost in the rent. Tenants will still be responsible for their own space. It’s a tactic we usually advise at Progressive Lets since it ultimately means less time spent managing arguments over whose turn it is to empty the bin. External cleaners can also be a useful second set of eyes between inspections, alerting you if individual cleaning standards are starting to slip.
Set expectations from the start
Even if you decide on a third-party communal cleaning service, it will likely just be weekly or fortnightly, so your HMO tenants will still have lots to do in between. Set expectations from the start about the standards you expect.
Suggest a cleaning rota
A cleaning checklist or rota can help encourage good habits, especially if it’s laminated and allows tenants to tick off or rotate tasks. Be specific, so rather than a vague ‘clean the kitchen’ instruction, assigning tasks, such as ‘wipe down worksurfaces’ or ‘clear away food stuff’ will be more effective.
Monitor cleanliness
Inspections provide another opportunity to monitor cleanliness as part of your legal responsibility to keep shared spaces in a state of clean and good repair. If you do spot problems, address them calmly and clearly.
Give tenants no excuses
Tenants can’t clean without the right equipment, so invest in a hardwearing vacuum cleaner, mops, buckets and other cleaning essentials. Ensure that facilities, such as cupboard space and waste and recycling bins, are adequate for the number of tenants in your HMO.
Encourage open, calm communication
Make it clear that cleaning and tidying communal areas are shared responsibilities. Encourage the group to sort out issues between them if they can, but if you need to get involved address the group rather than victimising individuals, referencing the agreement and standards they agreed to when they moved in.
We Can Help
At Progressive Lets, we are experts in the rental market in the Peterborough area and help landlords find and manage properties within a 50-mile radius. Get in touch to find out more.
