Cleaning a Rental Property Between Tenants
Ontario landlords have both a legal obligation and a practical incentive to professionally clean rental properties between tenants. Under the Residential Tenancies Act, landlords must provide a unit in a good state of repair and fit for habitation when a new tenancy begins — a standard that extends to cleanliness. Beyond the legal minimum, professionally cleaned units attract higher-quality tenants, command higher rents, and generate fewer maintenance complaints in the early weeks of a new tenancy.
What to Clean Between Tenants
- Full kitchen deep clean: Inside all cabinets and drawers, oven interior, refrigerator interior, range hood filter, under and behind appliances, countertops and backsplash
- Bathroom deep clean: Grout re-scrub, toilet full clean, caulk inspection and re-caulk if needed, exhaust fan
- All rooms: Baseboards (particularly high-traffic areas), light switches and plates, door handles and frames, window ledges
- Floors: Professional carpet cleaning if carpeted; hardwood cleaning and inspection for any damage that should be documented
- Walls: Inspect for scuffs and marks — minor cleaning of painted walls; assess whether repainting is required
Documentation
Photograph the property after cleaning and before the new tenant takes possession — this establishes the condition at the start of the new tenancy and is your primary evidence if you need to pursue an LTB claim for damage or cleaning at the end of the tenancy. Provide the photos to the new tenant in writing with their move-in package.
Ontario Between-Tenancy Cleaning Pricing (2026)
Professional between-tenancy cleaning in Ontario typically costs $228–$498 depending on unit size and condition. Ontario HST (13%) applies.