Advice: Cleaner Damaged Benchtop of Rental

Urin8or on 12/11/2021 - 20:08
Last edited 12/11/2021 - 20:10

Looking for some advice on an awkward situation. I booked a cleaner for a bond back guarantee on a rental we are leaving.

They promised a team of two for the whole day but only one came and stayed for 4 hours.

The job was below average but the real issue was that there was a large white stain on the laminate benchtop.

They left in a hurry and left an invoice for $75 more than she quoted. They asked for it to be paid straight away.

I haven’t paid yet and would love to hear people’s experience of what my options are. I’m inclined to wait until the outcome of the rental exit inspection and use the unpaid cleaning funds to cover the cost of repairing the damaged benchtop, or if nothing comes up paying the cleaner.

Home & Garden

Comments

  • Muzeeb on 12/11/2021 - 20:25

    large white stain on the laminate benchtop

    Bleach? Any pictures?

  • JimmyF on 12/11/2021 - 20:42

    there was a large white stain on the laminate benchtop.

    But was this there BEFORE they started cleaning?

    I haven’t paid yet and would love to hear people’s experience of what my options are. I’m inclined to wait until the outcome of the rental exit inspection and use the unpaid cleaning funds to cover the cost of repairing the damaged benchtop, or if nothing comes up paying the cleaner.

    I would be waiting for the 'bond' to be released before paying…..

    BUT again, was the damaged benchtop by the cleaner or by you!? If by you, you can't expect the cleaner to 'fix' that.

    • Urin8or on 12/11/2021 - 20:58
      -1

      Benchtop was fine prior to the clean

      • JimmyF on 12/11/2021 - 21:42

        Then yeah thats on them. So what have they said when you raised it with them?

        • Urin8or on 12/11/2021 - 21:48
          -2

          Pay now, send receipt. Communication is near Neanderthal.

          • JimmyF on 12/11/2021 - 22:57

            @Urin8or: Oh… Then reply saying payment will be made on 'successful' bond cleaning being confirmed by the agent.

  • apsilon on 12/11/2021 - 20:45
    +2

    Quoted for 2 people for 8 hours and received 1 for 4 hours. That's a quarter of the resources/time you were quoted so pay 25% of the original quote if you get your bond back.

    • Urin8or on 12/11/2021 - 20:59

      I feel this way too. Just concerned that I might be opening myself to a legal dispute.

      • garetz on 13/11/2021 - 00:14
        +3

        What legal dispute what that be, you are in the right. You need to stand up for yourself.

  • Iwantthebestprice on 12/11/2021 - 21:30
    +2

    If you have an image of the benchtop before they cleaned you could show them and say their cleaners caused the damage and have the cleaning company claim it via their insurance.
    I had a friend who hired a cleaning company, they damaged the dishwasher, she complained and they would not do anything and said it was probably their before. Then she sent pictures of the dishwasher from a week before they attended, only then did they go through their insurance and have the dishwasher replaced.
    It was an uphill battle and every step of the way they claimed it was not their problem.

    Lesson here, before cleaners come take a lot of pics of benches, floors, carpets, ovens and dishwashers so if something goes wrong you can show them.

    End of lease cleaning companies are the worst to deal with for damage claims

  • boomramada on 12/11/2021 - 22:03

    Real issue is having a laminated benchtop in a rental property. Avoid at all cost.

  • johndowy on 12/11/2021 - 23:44
    -1

    People did a job. Should get paid. Not, not get paid because you feel like it.

    If you don't get a bond back then bring it back up with them.

    • Quantumcat on 13/11/2021 - 15:16
      +3

      Person* did a quarter* of a job and caused damage that they haven't volunteered to rectify.

  • garetz on 13/11/2021 - 00:17
    +2

    Was the cleaner recommended by the real estate agent ? Or did you just find some random cleaner from somewhere.

    Call them up and complain, explain the damage, and also that they shorted you 2 cleaning people for 8 hours, and you only received one for 4 hours.
    So the quoted price and service provided do not match.

    See what they say.

    If it was me, and i wanted to be a prick, i would offer them 25% of what was quoted, minus the repair to the counter top cost. Then tell them they owe you money.

    • Iwantthebestprice on 13/11/2021 - 00:25
      +2

      While I love your response and thinks it's valid, it seems you have never dealt with a end of lease cleaning company, their motto is literally it was there before until you prove otherwise… they are modern day scam artists

      • garetz on 13/11/2021 - 00:30
        +1

        I agree, but all you need is photos or witnesses, let the onus be on the cleaning company and make them chase it up by having to take you to vcat.

        • Iwantthebestprice on 13/11/2021 - 00:32
          +2

          So agree! I think it should be normal practice to take a bunch of pics just before they come of the high value items, dishwasher, oven, carpets, benches and walls etc so if they stuff up you can show them where it went wrong and make them pay. These cleaners pay a dodgy game of "not our problem until you can prove otherwise'

  • Ridiculous Panda on 14/11/2021 - 10:37

    Wait.. $75 for 4 hours of cleaning? Did you hire a homeless person to do this job for you?
    So what was the original quote for two people cleaning for 8 hours?

    • apsilon on 14/11/2021 - 11:00
      +2

      Invoice was for $75 more than the original quote.

      • Ridiculous Panda on 14/11/2021 - 11:10

        Oh my bad.. that definitely stinks then.

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