End of tenancy carpet cleaning in Dublin: a complete guide for tenants and landlords

What the rules say in Ireland

Private tenancies in Ireland come under the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB). In summary, from its published guidance:

• Normal wear and tear isn't the tenant's cost. The RTB describes wear and tear as the gradual deterioration of things in a rented property over time, and gives "flooring getting worn" as an example.
• Excessive carpet stains go beyond it. The RTB's examples of excess wear and tear include excessive carpet stains, along with burn marks, smoke damage and torn curtains.
• Deductions need evidence. The RTB suggests photographic evidence of the damage, preferably from before and after the tenancy, invoices showing the age and condition of items, and quotes for repairs.
• Age matters. The RTB is clear that a landlord can't claim full replacement cost for an old item. Its example is a nine-year-old sofa.
• Deposits are capped. A landlord can't ask for a deposit of more than one month's rent.

On cleaning, the tenancy advice charity Threshold advises tenants to clean the property thoroughly, remove their belongings and rubbish, and take dated photos. It recommends that a deposit is normally returned within 14 days of the tenancy ending. If you can't agree, the RTB runs a dispute resolution service.

Wear and tear vs damage: what that looks like on carpet

Where the line falls depends on the age and condition of the carpet at the start of the tenancy, how long the tenancy lasted, and the evidence on both sides. As a practical guide:

General dirt sits in between. A carpet that's simply been lived on isn't damaged, but a property should be left clean, apart from normal wear and tear. That's why a clean before handover removes one of the most common arguments.

For tenants: protecting your deposit

1. At move-in: take dated photos of every carpet, especially existing stains, worn patches and marks, and send them to the landlord or agent so there's a record. Check the inventory if there is one.
2. During the tenancy: deal with spills straight away. Blot, don't rub, and use cold water. See the stain guide. Put pads under furniture legs, and mats at the door.
3. Before you move out: remove all furniture, belongings and rubbish first, then clean. If there's furniture or rubbish to remove, an end of tenancy clearance service can empty the property before the carpets are done.
4. After the clean: once the carpet is dry, take dated photos of each room, and keep the receipt or confirmation of the work.
5. At the inspection: be there if you can, bring your move-in photos, and ask for any deduction to be explained with evidence.

Whether a professional carpet clean is required depends on your tenancy agreement and the condition you're handing back. Some agreements include a cleaning clause. If yours does, read it carefully, and if you think a deduction is unfair, Threshold and the RTB can advise.

For landlords and letting agents

• Document the start. Dated photos of every room at check-in, plus the carpet's approximate age, are what make a fair deduction possible later. Without them, most disputes come down to one person's word against another's.
• Be realistic about age. A carpet that was already tired at the start won't look new at the end, and wear and tear can't be charged.
• Clean between tenancies. A documented clean on the same standard for every tenancy makes expectations clear, and an incoming tenant starts with a clean carpet. Our guide to reducing deposit disputes covers the record-keeping side.
• Get a cleaner's view before deducting. If a stain is in question, an honest assessment of whether it will come out is better evidence than an assumption.
• Plan turnarounds. Clearing, cleaning, drying and re-letting in a tight window works best when the carpet clean is booked as soon as the move-out date is known.

What inspections notice, room by room

• Hall, stairs and landing: grey traffic lanes, the edges of each stair tread, and the area inside the front door.
• Living room: the strip in front of the sofa, food and drink marks, and anything hidden under rugs or furniture.
• Bedrooms: spills beside the bed, make-up and hair-dye marks near mirrors and dressing tables, and burns from straighteners.
• Near the kitchen: grease tracked through from tiled floors. It darkens carpet in a recognisable pattern.
• Under furniture: dents, and stains that were covered up for the whole tenancy.
• Smell: stale smoke, pets and damp are noticed the moment the door opens.

Furniture dents and marks

Light dents from beds, sofas and wardrobes are normal. Cleaning and grooming the pile often helps them lift, and a common home trick is to let an ice cube melt into the dent, then brush the pile back up once it's dry. Deep dents in old carpet, where the fibres have been crushed for years, may never fully recover. That's wear, not damage.

Rust or dye marks from furniture legs are different. They usually happen when furniture stands on a damp carpet. That's why we ask customers to keep furniture off a freshly cleaned carpet until it's dry, or to use foil or plastic under the legs.

Pets in rented homes

If you had pets, give pet stains and odours extra time before a move-out. Urine soaks into the underlay, the smell can come back in damp weather, and odour treatment is a separate job from a standard clean. Scratched or chewed carpet at doorways can't be cleaned out. Our pet stain and odour guide explains what's realistic, and our pet stain removal service covers the treatment.

Timing the clean

• Clean last. After the furniture and boxes are out and any other cleaning or painting is finished, so the whole floor can be done properly and nothing gets walked over again.
• Leave drying time. Most carpets are dry within a few hours to most of a day, and longer on still, damp days. Don't book the clean for the hour before the inspection.
• Book early. Many tenancies end around the same dates, so get in touch as soon as you know yours. We'll give you the soonest realistic slot rather than a promise we can't keep.
• Plan access. If you're handing back keys, agree how we'll get in: you there, the agent, or a key arrangement. Also check the power is on, because the machine needs a socket and a tap.

Our working hours are Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm.

What carpet cleaning can and can't fix

We'll tell you which of these applies to your carpet before we start. That's useful for a tenant deciding what to do, and for a landlord deciding what's reasonable.

Printable checklists

Booking a move-out carpet clean

Tell us the move-out or handover date, the rooms, stairs and any stains or pet issues, and how access will work. Photos make the quote accurate. Tenants, landlords and letting agents can all book directly. See our end of tenancy carpet cleaning service, including confirmation of the work carried out. We also have area pages for some of Dublin's busiest rental neighbourhoods: Rathmines, Ranelagh, Portobello, Drumcondra and Phibsborough.