Shared Houses in Tooting and Balham: Splitting the Move-Out Clean
Tooting and Balham are full of shared houses: long Victorian terraces split between three, four or five professionals. Each has a room, and all share a kitchen, a bathroom, and a hallway nobody takes care of.
Moving out of one is trickier than moving out of your own flat. People don’t have the same move-out dates. They often don’t see eye to eye on who cleans the shared rooms. Commonly, the deposit is one sum for everyone. This guide covers cleaning in a shared house and splitting the bill fairly.
Since 1 July 2025, Wandsworth's additional licensing scheme has included smaller shared homes throughout the borough. This refers to homes rented to up to four people from more than one household who share a bathroom or kitchen. In Tooting Bec, Tooting Broadway, Furzedown and South Balham, almost all other private rentals also require a selective licence.
For sharers moving out, two things are to consider:
- You can check whether the house was licensed. The council has a public register on its Regulatory Services Hub. If a house hasn’t been licensed, even though it should have been, renters can apply to the tribunal. They’re entitled to claim back up to 12 months' rent.
- The licence doesn't decide who cleans. Still, the tenancy agreement and the check-in inventory decide who should clean.
For further details, read our guide to property licensing in Tooting, Balham and Putney.
Who’s responsible for what
Because shared houses are rented in two different ways, start with the tenancy agreement.
One joint tenancy for the whole house. Everyone signs the same agreement and is typically responsible for the entire place together; shared rooms are included. Commonly, the deposit is a single amount. So, if the kitchen is dirty, it’s not only one person’s issue.
Separate agreements for each room. Each person rents a room and shares the rest. Typically, you’re responsible for your own room. The agreement should state what happens with the shared rooms.
If you don’t know for sure which applies to you, take a look at the agreement and the deposit protection certificate. You can find it in there. Still not sure? Plan the cleaning only after talking to your landlord or agent.
What happens when everyone leaves at once?
This is ideal. You can book a single clean for the entire house on the day after the last renter moves out. Split the cost.
We charge based on the number of rooms. Prices for a four-bedroom house start at £310 + VAT, and the clean takes 6 to 7 hours. Split four ways, that's about £78 + VAT each. A three-bedroom house starts at £250 + VAT and takes 5 to 6 hours. London jobs can cost more than these starting prices.
The job includes every room, all the kitchen appliances, and descaling in every bathroom. And with hard London water, that’s important in a house where several people have used the same shower. Do carpets also need cleaning? Add it to the clean and get 40% off its standard price.
What if people leave at different times
This is where shared houses go off-track. So the first occupant moving out cleans their room. But the last person vacating gets the kitchen.
A few things help:
- Agree early which rooms are shared and which are private. Write it all down in the house group chat.
- Photograph your own room when you leave, with the date. Until you get the deposit back, keep the photos.
- Leave the shared rooms to the end. Once the last person has moved out, book the clean for the shared areas. Split that part between all renters.
You don't need to book the entire house. We also take on partial cleans. For instance, we can only clean a bathroom and hallway, a shared kitchen, or a single room for the person vacating first. When asking for a quote, tell us which rooms you want us to clean.
The deposit
Typically, with a joint tenancy, the deposit is protected as one amount. At the deposit refund, the renters should decide how they will split it. If everyone can see the same proof, things go smoother.
That’s one reason we conclude our cleans with a signed cleaning checklist, an invoice, and before-and-after photos. In a shared house, they show what was cleaned on the day. If housemates argue about the cleaning, or with the landlord, that proof matters.
Our re-clean guarantee applies to shared houses as well. If we’ve missed something, you send us photos within 7 days. We’ll return and do free re-cleans. This refers to the standard of our clean and doesn’t cover the deposit refund. Many things, such as damage or rent arrears, can cause deposit deductions.
On the day
We can clean while you’re not home. When you book, inform us how to return the keys. Tell us if anyone is still living in the house on the day of the cleaning.
Is the house in a controlled parking zone? Tell us where the vehicle can stop. Our local move-out guide for Wandsworth covers removal vans and disposing of furniture.
Start by understanding who’s responsible for what. Afterwards, book the clean for when the last person vacates. If you’re students, our guide to moving out of a London student let covers the rest. If you’re ready to book, see what a whole-house move-out clean covers.