End of Tenancy Cleaning with Pets: What Landlords Actually Check

Pets leave evidence that standard cleaning can't fully remove. Here's what letting agents look for and how to avoid losing your deposit as a pet owner.

If you have a pet and you're moving out of a rental, you're facing a tougher checkout than most. Landlords and inventory clerks apply an extra level of scrutiny to pet-permitted tenancies — and rightly so, because pets leave evidence that standard cleaning products often can't fully address.

What Letting Agents Look for in Pet Tenancies

• Pet hair embedded in carpets, sofas (if included), and in corners of rooms
• Pet odours — urine, dander, and general pet smell absorbed into carpets, curtains, and soft furnishings
• Scratch marks on floors, skirting boards, and door frames
• Staining on carpets and upholstery from accidents or muddy paws
• Garden condition — digging, dead patches from urine, or accumulated waste
• Flea treatment — many tenancy agreements require professional flea treatment when vacating with a pet

The Flea Treatment Clause

Many tenancy agreements for pet-permitted properties include a clause requiring a professional flea treatment on departure — regardless of whether the property has fleas. This is because fleas can remain dormant in carpets and emerge weeks after the tenant leaves, creating a problem for the next tenant. Check your tenancy agreement — if this clause is present, you will need a receipt from a pest control company to avoid a deduction.

Removing Pet Hair Effectively

Vacuum cleaners alone are rarely enough to remove embedded pet hair from carpets. For a checkout inspection, you need:

• A pet-specific vacuum attachment or a rubber broom — the rubber creates static that pulls hair from carpet fibres
• For hard floors, a damp mop or microfibre cloth — pet hair clings to dry mops and redistributes
• Lint roller or rubber gloves for fabric surfaces and skirting boards
• For corner accumulations, use a stiff brush to work hair into the open before vacuuming

Odour — The Hardest Problem to Solve Without Professional Help

Pet odour is the most common reason professional cleaning is worth it for pet owners. The source is usually embedded in carpet fibres — and once urine or dander has soaked into the underlay, surface cleaning doesn't reach it. Enzyme-based cleaners are the most effective DIY option (brands like Simple Solution or Biokleen), but for persistent odours, hot water extraction carpet cleaning is the only reliable solution.

At Scrubbr, carpet cleaning can be added to any end of tenancy clean. For pet tenancies, we strongly recommend including it — both for the odour removal and to provide evidence of professional cleaning for the checkout inventory.

What to Do About Scratch Marks and Staining

Scratch marks on floors and skirting boards are often classified as damage rather than wear and tear — which means they can be deducted from your deposit. Skirting boards with minor scratches can sometimes be disguised with a touch-up using the right paint (emulsion for walls, gloss for skirting) if the scratch is not deep. For wood floors, a wood touch-up pen can reduce visibility. Be aware that landlords can claim for full replacement if the damage is deemed beyond reasonable repair.