Ontario tenants not required to pay for professional cleaning when moving out
Legal expert clarifies landlord demands for expensive cleaners don't align with provincial law.
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Ontario tenants are not legally required to pay for or hire professional cleaning when moving out, even if their lease includes such a clause, according to a legal expert at Parkdale Community Legal Services.
Under the Residential Tenancies Act, tenants must leave a rental in a state of "ordinary cleanliness" rather than professionally cleaned. Samuel Mason, a staff lawyer and clinic instructor, explained that while landlords can ask for professional cleaning, they cannot legally demand it or make it a condition of the tenancy.
"Ordinary cleanliness" is less pristine than what a professional provides. In practice, it means the unit should be left in "broom-swept condition" — emptied of personal belongings, garbage removed, floors swept or vacuumed, and surfaces wiped down. Lease clauses contradicting the Residential Tenancies Act are unenforceable at the Landlord and Tenant Board.
Tenants remain responsible for maintaining "ordinary cleanliness" throughout their lease and avoiding undue damage. If a tenant leaves excessive dirt, damage, or conditions creating health or safety risks, a landlord may seek compensation through the LTB. New tenants are also entitled to receive a unit in ordinarily clean condition and can pursue remedies if cleanliness issues arise.
