1202 Williamson Street, Suite 102, Madison, WI 53703 | Rental Rights (608) 257-0006 | Administration (608) 257-0143 | Fax (608) 286-0804
Carpet Cleaning
Also available as a PDF or
en español for easy printing and distribution.
The real deal with carpet cleaning
According to the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection,
landlords CANNOT charge for routine carpet cleaning - no matter what.
Even if...
- your lease requires that you pay for it when you move out
- your lease states that you must provide a receipt showing that you had the
carpets cleaned
- your lease says that you must pay for carpet cleaning when you move in
- your lease says that the cost of carpet cleaning will be deducted from your
security deposit
- any of the above rules are listed in a "NONSTANDARD RENTAL PROVISION"
...your landlord still can't legally charge you.
What can I do if the landlord is trying to make me pay
for routine carpet cleaning?
- Write a letter to the landlord explaining that the note to state ATCP code
134.06 (3)(c) states that "a landlord may not withhold from tenant's security
deposit for routine painting or carpet cleaning, where there is no unusual
damage caused by tenant abuse." Madison General Ordinance 32.07(14)
forbids withholding for routine carpet cleaning in the City of Madison.
- File a written complaint with the Department of Agriculture, Trade and
Consumer Protection at 1-800-422-7128 or
http://datcp.state.wi.us/core/consumerinfo/cp.
- File a claim in small claims court to recover an illegally withheld security
deposit. You may be eligible for two to three times the amount wrongly
withheld.
When can the landlord legally charge for carpet cleaning?
When you damage or abuse the carpet beyond normal wear and tear. For example,
the carpet requires treatments to remove severe stains or repair damage caused by
you, your guests, or your pets.
