Moving into a new home is one of those moments that should feel completely fresh. In reality, the flat or house you are moving into in Fulham has been lived in by other people — and regardless of what the outgoing tenant claimed to have cleaned, or what the letting agent’s check-out report says, the standard of cleanliness you will find on arrival is almost never the standard you want to unpack into.
A professional clean before your furniture and belongings arrive is one of the smartest things you can do when moving. This guide explains what it covers, how to book it, and why the timing matters.
What You Actually Inherit When Moving Into a Fulham Property
Even a property that passed a check-out inspection is not the same as one that has been professionally cleaned to move-in standard. Check-out inspections focus on whether the outgoing tenant has met their contractual obligations — not on delivering a home that meets your standard.
What is commonly found in ‘cleaned’ Fulham properties:
- Limescale on taps, shower heads, and bathroom tiles — London hard water makes this a near-universal problem
- Grease residue inside the oven, extractor fan, and around the hob
- Dust behind and underneath appliances that have not been moved in years
- Mould in bathroom grouting or silicone sealant
- Hair and debris in drains
- Allergens in carpets and soft furnishings — particularly significant if previous tenants had pets
- Accumulated dust on top of door frames, behind radiators, and in ventilation grilles
| 💡 | The Reality
A professional end of tenancy clean by the outgoing tenant cleans the property to ‘acceptable checkout standard.’ A professional move-in clean cleans it to the standard you want to live in. These are different things. |
Why Timing Matters: Clean Before You Unpack
The single most important thing about a move-in clean is the timing: it must happen before your belongings arrive.
Why:
- Empty rooms can be cleaned completely — every surface, every corner, every floor area
- Cupboards can be wiped inside without items to move
- Hard floors can be mopped fully without furniture obstacles
- Fine dust can be vacuumed without disturbing soft furnishings you have just moved in
- Fridge and appliances can be cleaned without your food inside them
Once furniture is in place, you lose access to the walls behind sofas, under beds, under wardrobes, and behind appliances. A move-in clean with furniture already in position achieves perhaps 60% of what it would achieve in an empty property. The difference is significant.
What a Move-In Clean Covers
Kitchen
- Full oven clean — inside, racks, door glass, and door seal
- Inside fridge and freezer — shelves, drawers, walls, and door seals
- Inside all kitchen cupboards and drawers
- Extractor fan and filter — degrease or replace filter
- All worktops, tiles, and splashback
- Sink, taps, and drainer — full descale
- All appliance exteriors
Bathrooms
- Full descale of all taps, shower head, shower glass, and bath
- Clean and treat bathroom grouting
- Toilet fully cleaned — bowl, under rim, exterior, and behind cistern
- Bathroom cabinet cleaned inside and out
- All tiles and wall surfaces
- Floor mopped including behind the toilet
Throughout the Property
- Wipe top of every door frame
- Clean all windows inside — glass, frames, and sills
- Behind and underneath all appliances
- Clean all skirting boards
- All light fittings and lampshades
- Inside all wardrobes and storage units
- Vacuum all carpets thoroughly
- Mop all hard floors
What to Check When You Collect the Keys
Before your professional cleaner arrives — and before you accept the property — conduct your own walk-through. This protects you against being held responsible for pre-existing conditions at your own checkout.
- Photograph every room — walls, floors, ceilings, fixtures. Timestamp every photo.
- Check the inventory — go through it room by room and note any discrepancies in writing on the day.
- Check appliances — turn on the oven, run the washing machine, test the dishwasher.
- Check the bathroom — look at the grouting, the silicone sealant around the bath, and the condition of the shower glass.
- Note existing damage — scratches on floors, marks on walls, chips on surfaces. Add these to your inventory notes and send by email.
How Much Does Move-In Cleaning Cost in Fulham?
| Property Size | Move-In Clean Duration | Typical Cost |
| Studio flat | 2.5–3.5 hours | £90–£158 |
| 1 bedroom flat | 3.5–5 hours | £123–£225 |
| 2 bedroom flat | 5–6.5 hours | £175–£293 |
| 3 bedroom house | 6.5–8.5 hours | £228–£383 |
| 4+ bedroom house | 8.5–11 hours | £298–£495 |
| 💡 | Cost vs Benefit
A move-in clean on a 2-bedroom Fulham flat costs £175–£293. The alternative is unpacking into a property that has not been cleaned to your standard, then living with it or trying to clean it yourself around your furniture — which is significantly harder. |
Book a Move-In Clean in Fulham
Maid in Fulham provides move-in cleaning services across Fulham SW6, Parsons Green, Chelsea, Hammersmith, Clapham, Battersea, and all surrounding postcodes. We work around your moving timeline and can typically arrange a clean within 24–48 hours of key collection.
Bring all your products and equipment — you do not need to provide anything. We clean the property completely before your belongings arrive, so you start in a home that meets your standard, not your predecessor’s.
