Reposit & End of Tenancy Cleaning
If you're renting in London, there's a good chance your letting agent offered you Reposit instead of a traditional deposit. It's the most popular deposit replacement scheme in the UK — and it saved you a lot of money upfront. But now you're moving out, and you might be wondering: what actually happens with cleaning charges? Do you still need a professional end of tenancy clean? And what if the landlord tries to charge you too much?
Here's the honest answer: your cleaning obligations haven't changed — and in some ways, the risk is actually higher than with a normal deposit.
1 week
Your upfront fee (non-refundable)
8 weeks
Maximum landlord can claim
~70%
Tenancies end with no charges
14 days
Dispute resolution time
~20 days
Landlord receives payment
£30/yr
Renewal fee after 12 months
How Reposit Actually Works — the Simple Version
Reposit is an insurance product. You pay a small fee, and the insurance company (Reposit) promises to cover your landlord if things go wrong. But here's the thing — if the insurance pays out, they come to you for the money. You are always the one who pays in the end.
You pay a small fee when you move in
About one week's rent. This is non-refundable — think of it as the price of the insurance, not a deposit. You won't get this money back, even if you leave the flat spotless.
Your landlord gets more protection than a normal deposit
With a cash deposit, your landlord can claim up to 5 weeks' rent. With Reposit, they're covered for up to 8 weeks. That's more money that could potentially be claimed against you.
You live in the property — nothing changes day to day
During the tenancy, Reposit doesn't affect anything. You pay rent as normal. Your obligations as a tenant are exactly the same.
When you move out — this is where it matters
If there are cleaning or damage issues, the landlord submits charges to Reposit. If you agree, you pay. If you disagree, it goes to an independent adjudicator. Either way, you're the one paying — not losing money from a held deposit.
In plain English
With a normal deposit, the money is already gone — it's sitting with the DPS, TDS, or mydeposits. If there's a cleaning problem, the landlord takes money from that pot. You lose what you already paid, but you don't owe anything extra. With Reposit, there's no pot. If the landlord says you owe £400 for cleaning, that's £400 you have to find and pay — on top of the Reposit fee you already spent. And if you don't pay, it can hurt your credit score.
What Happens With Cleaning Charges — Step by Step
This is what the process looks like from the moment you hand back the keys. Knowing each step helps you prepare and protect yourself.
Checkout inspection happens
The letting agent or inventory clerk walks through the property and writes a report. They note anything that isn't clean enough — oven, bathroom taps, behind the fridge, window tracks. The report includes photos.
Landlord submits charges to Reposit
The landlord logs into the Reposit platform and enters the charges. For example: "Kitchen not cleaned to standard — £180" or "Professional oven clean required — £75." They upload the checkout report and photos as evidence.
Reposit tells you about the charges
You get a notification showing exactly what the landlord is claiming and how much. You have two choices: accept and pay, or dispute. This is the most important moment — don't ignore it.
If you accept — you pay the amount
Straightforward. You pay the landlord through the Reposit platform. The money comes from your pocket — there's no pot of deposit money to take from. If the charge is fair, this is usually the fastest way to close it out. See our guide to what end of tenancy cleaning actually costs in London to check if the amount seems reasonable.
If you dispute — an independent adjudicator decides
Works very much like a traditional deposit dispute. Both you and the landlord submit evidence. An independent adjudicator reviews everything and makes a decision. This usually takes about 14 days. The adjudicator's decision is final.
After the decision — you pay what's owed
If the adjudicator says you owe money, you need to pay. Reposit pays the landlord first (usually within 20 days of checkout), and then comes to you for the money. If you don't pay, it can affect your credit score and Reposit can take legal action.
Things to Watch Out For
Reposit can be a good deal — you keep more cash when you move in. But there are things that catch people off guard. Here's what you should know before your tenancy ends.
Cleaning charges on top of your fee
IMPORTANT
The fee you paid at the start doesn't cover cleaning charges. If the landlord claims £300 for cleaning, you owe £300 on top of the fee you already paid. These are two completely separate things.
Higher claim ceiling than a normal deposit
IMPORTANT
With a cash deposit, the maximum the landlord can claim is 5 weeks' rent. With Reposit, it's 8 weeks. If your rent is £1,500/month, that's the difference between £1,731 and £2,769 in maximum claims. See what landlords can legally deduct for context on what's allowed.
Credit score impact
IMPORTANT
Reposit says unpaid charges could affect your credit rating. With a traditional deposit, the worst case is you lose money you already paid. With Reposit, the worst case is a debt that affects your ability to rent, borrow, or get a phone contract in the future.
Don't ignore notifications
GOOD TO KNOW
If Reposit contacts you about charges and you don't respond, the process continues without your input. The adjudicator will decide based on whatever evidence is available — which means just the landlord's evidence. Always respond, even if you plan to dispute.
The non-refundable fee is gone either way
GOOD TO KNOW
Even if you leave the property in perfect condition with zero charges, you don't get the Reposit fee back. With a traditional deposit, a perfect checkout means your full deposit comes back to you. Factor this into your decision if your landlord gives you the choice.
How to Protect Yourself
Whether you chose Reposit or had no choice, these five things will give you the strongest position when you move out.
Get a professional end of tenancy clean — and keep the receipt
A dated receipt from a professional cleaning company is the single strongest piece of evidence if your landlord claims the property wasn't clean enough. It proves you took your obligations seriously. Our end of tenancy cleaning service includes a receipt and date-stamped photos of the clean — both are usable as evidence.
Photograph everything on your last day
Every room. Every surface. Open the oven and photograph inside. Pull the fridge out and photograph behind it. Photograph window tracks, bathroom taps, skirting boards. Turn on date and location stamps on your phone camera. If you didn't photograph it, you can't prove it was clean. See our cleaning checklist for exactly what to photograph.
Read your check-in report carefully
The check-in report is the baseline. Whatever the property looked like when you moved in is the standard you need to meet when you leave. If the check-in says "domestically clean" — that's the target. If it says "professionally cleaned" — the standard is higher. Know what you're being measured against.
Schedule the checkout close to the clean
If you're getting a professional clean, book the checkout inspection within 1-3 days. Our 72-hour reclean guarantee covers you if anything is flagged — but only if the inspection happens within that window.
Don't assume 70% odds protect you
Reposit says roughly 70% of tenancies end with no charges. That sounds good — but it means 30% do have charges. If you're in that 30%, having no evidence and no professional cleaning receipt puts you in the weakest possible position for a dispute.
Is Reposit regulated?
Yes. Reposit is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA reference number 844985) and is covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS). This means there are protections in place if Reposit itself were to fail. However, Reposit is not a government-approved tenancy deposit protection scheme — it's not the same as the DPS, TDS, or mydeposits. Different product, different rules.
Other Deposit Replacement Schemes
Reposit isn't the only option. If your tenancy uses a different provider, see our guides:
Related Guides
No deposit doesn't mean no risk
A professional clean with a dated receipt is your best protection — whether you have Reposit, a cash deposit, or any other scheme.
Deni is a seasoned professional with over 10 years of experience in content marketing and vast knowledge in the cleaning business. He specializes in creating engaging content that drives growth and builds brand identity. Passionate about innovation, Deni believes in delivering value through impactful messaging and providing value to readers in a concise and comprehensive manner.
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