Get Your Deposit Back — End of Tenancy Cleaning Ireland

Professional End of Tenancy Cleaning in Ireland

Moving out of a rental property is stressful enough without the worry of losing your deposit over cleaning. In Ireland, the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) reports that approximately 56% of all deposit disputes involve cleaning-related deductions. That is more than damage, more than rent arrears, and more than any other single category. Cleaning is the number one reason tenants lose part or all of their deposit.

Optus Glean provides professional end of tenancy cleaning services across all 26 counties of Ireland. Our service comes with a deposit-back guarantee: if your landlord or letting agent raises a cleaning-related issue within 48 to 72 hours of our clean, we return to the property and re-clean the affected areas at no additional cost.

Every clean includes dated before-and-after photographs that you can use as evidence in any deposit dispute. Every member of our team is Garda vetted and fully insured with €6.5 million public liability cover. And every clean follows a comprehensive room-by-room checklist designed to meet the standard any landlord or letting agent would expect.

End of Tenancy Cleaning Pricing in Ireland

Our pricing is transparent and based on property size. The costs below are for a standard end of tenancy clean where the property is in typical lived-in condition. Heavily soiled properties or those requiring specialist cleaning may attract a small surcharge, which we confirm before any work begins.

Optional Add-On Services

All pricing is exclusive of VAT. Need a quote for a specific property? Use the form on this page or call +353 (47) 37427 for an instant estimate.

Our Deposit-Back Guarantee

We stand behind every end of tenancy clean with a straightforward guarantee: if your landlord or letting agent identifies a cleaning issue within 48 to 72 hours of our clean, we will return to the property and re-clean the affected areas free of charge.

This guarantee is subject to the following conditions:

• The property must be empty of all personal belongings at the time of our clean
• The issue must relate to cleaning (not pre-existing damage, wear and tear, or structural defects)
• You must notify us within 72 hours of the original clean
• You must provide access for the re-clean within a reasonable timeframe

We take dated photographs before and after every clean. These photographs are provided to you as evidence that the property was cleaned to a professional standard. In the event of an RTB deposit dispute, this photographic evidence — combined with your professional cleaning receipt — gives you the strongest possible case.

Why 56% of Deposit Disputes Are About Cleaning

The RTB processes thousands of deposit dispute cases every year, and cleaning consistently accounts for more than half of all disputes. Why is this figure so high?

• No agreed standard — Unlike damage, which can be photographed and costed, "clean enough" is subjective. Landlords and tenants often have different expectations, and without a professional clean, there is no objective benchmark.
• Missing documentation — Many tenants clean the property themselves but do not take photographs or keep any evidence. When the landlord claims the property was not clean enough, the tenant has no proof to counter the claim.
• Oven and bathroom traps — The two areas that cause the most disputes are ovens (baked-on grease that tenants cannot remove with household products) and bathrooms (limescale, mould, and grouting discolouration). Professional cleaning addresses both comprehensively.
• Inventory gaps — If no detailed inventory was taken at the start of the tenancy, the landlord can claim any cleanliness issue existed before the tenancy ended. A professional clean with before-and-after photos creates a clear record.

The cost of a professional end of tenancy clean (€120 to €450) is almost always significantly less than the deposit at risk. In 2026, the average rental deposit in Ireland is equivalent to one month's rent — which for a 2-bed apartment in Dublin could be €2,000 to €3,000 or more. Spending €250 to protect a €2,500 deposit is simply smart financial decision-making.

The RTB Deposit Dispute Process

If your landlord withholds your deposit and you believe the deduction is unjustified, here is how the RTB dispute process works:

1. Submit your dispute — You must file a dispute with the RTB within 28 days of the tenancy ending. The dispute can be filed online at rtb.ie.
2. Free mediation — The RTB first offers free telephone mediation, where a mediator works with both parties to reach an agreement. Mediation resolves the majority of cases.
3. Adjudication — If mediation fails, the case goes to formal adjudication. An RTB adjudicator reviews the evidence from both parties and makes a binding determination.
4. Tribunal appeal — Either party can appeal the adjudicator's decision to a three-person Tenancy Tribunal within 10 days.

The key to winning a deposit dispute is evidence. A professional cleaning receipt, dated before-and-after photographs, and a copy of your original inventory are the three most powerful pieces of evidence you can present. Optus Glean provides all of this documentation as standard with every end of tenancy clean.

What Is Included in Our End of Tenancy Clean

Every Optus Glean end of tenancy clean follows a comprehensive room-by-room checklist. This is not a maintenance clean — it is a thorough, deep clean designed to return the property to move-in condition.

Kitchen

• Clean oven inside and out, including racks, trays, and door glass
• Clean hob, extractor hood, and filters
• Clean fridge and freezer inside and out
• Clean dishwasher interior, door, and seals
• Clean washing machine drum, door seal, and detergent drawer
• Clean all cupboards and drawers inside and out
• Clean and degrease worktops, splashbacks, and tiles
• Clean sink, taps, and drainer — remove limescale
• Clean light fittings, switches, and sockets
• Mop floor including under moveable appliances

Bathrooms and En-suites

• Clean and sanitise toilet inside and out, including base and behind
• Clean bath, shower tray, and shower screen — remove limescale
• Clean basin and pedestal
• Polish all taps and chrome fittings
• Clean tiles and grouting — remove mould and discolouration
• Clean mirrors streak-free
• Clean extractor fan and light fittings
• Clean towel rails and radiators
• Mop floor including behind toilet and under basin

Bedrooms and Living Areas

• Vacuum carpets or mop hard floors thoroughly
• Wipe all skirting boards, door frames, and architraves
• Clean windowsills and window tracks
• Clean internal windows streak-free
• Wipe light switches, sockets, and door handles
• Clean radiators and vents
• Clean inside wardrobes and storage cupboards
• Dust and wipe light fittings
• Remove cobwebs from ceilings and corners

Hallways, Stairs, and Entrance

• Vacuum stairs and landing
• Wipe banister and handrail
• Clean front door and frame inside and out
• Wipe meter cupboard door
• Clean under-stairs storage area

For Landlords and Letting Agents

End of tenancy cleaning is not just a tenant service. Landlords and letting agents benefit equally from professional turnaround cleaning:

• Faster re-let — A professionally cleaned property lets faster. First impressions at viewings are critical, and a visibly clean property reduces time-on-market.
• Higher rental value — Clean, well-presented properties command higher rents. The cost of a professional clean is recovered within days of the new tenancy starting.
• Reduced disputes — When you commission the end of tenancy clean yourself (rather than relying on the outgoing tenant), you control the standard and eliminate cleaning as a source of deposit disputes.
• Portfolio pricing — Landlords and letting agents with multiple properties qualify for portfolio pricing. Contact us for a tailored rate card.

For landlords managing multiple properties, our vacant property cleaning service provides ongoing maintenance cleaning for void periods between tenancies.

End of Tenancy vs Deep Cleaning: What Is the Difference?

The terms "end of tenancy clean" and "deep clean" are sometimes used interchangeably, but they are different services with different scopes:

• End of tenancy clean — Performed on an empty property after all personal belongings have been removed. Covers inside cupboards, behind appliances, window tracks, oven interiors, and every surface that was hidden by furniture. The goal is to return the property to its original move-in condition.
• Deep clean — Performed on an occupied property. Covers all accessible surfaces to a higher standard than a regular maintenance clean, but cannot access areas behind furniture, inside packed cupboards, or under heavy appliances. The goal is to refresh and thoroughly clean the living environment.

If you are moving out and need to protect your deposit, you need an end of tenancy clean, not a deep clean. The empty property allows us to access and clean every surface that your landlord will inspect.

When to Book Your End of Tenancy Clean

Timing is critical. We recommend the following approach:

1. Book as soon as you give notice — Popular dates fill quickly, especially at the end of the month and during the summer moving season. Book your preferred date as early as possible.
2. Schedule the clean after all belongings are removed — The property must be completely empty for a full end of tenancy clean. We cannot clean behind furniture that is still in place.
3. Allow time for the clean before key handover — Ideally, schedule the clean 1 to 2 days before your final key handover date. This gives time for any issues to be addressed.
4. Take your own photographs — In addition to the photographs we provide, take your own photographs on the day of the clean and on the day you hand back the keys.