Carpet cleaning is one of those areas where Perth agents are picky. Most leases now require professional carpet cleaning at the end of the tenancy, with a receipt to prove it. Get this wrong and you can lose hundreds of dollars from your bond even if everything else is perfect.
What counts as professional
A truck-mounted hot water extraction (steam clean) by a registered carpet cleaning business. Not a hire machine from Bunnings or Coles. Not a friend with a portable. The agent wants to see a receipt from a real carpet cleaning company.
What the receipt needs
Company name and ABN. Date of cleaning. Address of the property cleaned. What method was used (steam clean is what they want to see). Total paid. Some agents also want to see the date matches your bond clean date or within a few days.
Common arguments and how to handle them
'The carpets still look dirty.' Steam cleaning lifts dirt from the fibres but cannot fix permanent staining from spills or pet accidents. If the carpet was reasonable when you moved in and reasonable now, except for normal wear, you have done your job. If you damaged it during the tenancy, you might have to pay for repair or replacement.
'You needed to use a specific cleaner from our list.' Some real estate agencies have preferred carpet cleaners. They can recommend them, they cannot legally require you to use them. As long as your carpet cleaner is a real business and the work is done properly, the receipt is valid.
Realistic Perth carpet cleaning prices
1-bedroom unit: $60 to $100. 2-bedroom: $100 to $160. 3-bedroom house: $150 to $230. 4+ bedrooms: $200 upwards. Add 20-30% if there are heavy pet stains, lots of furniture marks, or really bad traffic patterns.
Bundled with bond clean
Most professional Perth bond cleaners (including us) include the carpet clean in the bond clean package. One receipt. One contractor. One bond back guarantee covering everything. Usually $50 to $100 cheaper than booking them separately.
Pet bond consideration
If you paid a pet bond on top of your regular bond, the agent will inspect more carefully for pet-related issues. Steam cleaning helps lift pet smells from carpet fibres but flea treatment is sometimes also required. Check your lease for what is specified.