Hi,

I am moving into a shared property with a family who own the property and are already living there.

I am wondering if it is normal in Australia to ask the owner to have my room cleaned by a professional cleaner? (in shared properties)

Any similar experiences?

Thank you.

If you are renting a complete property then you would expect it to have been professionally cleaned before you move in, and would have the right to complain if it wasn't.

If you are renting part of a house from the people who live in the other part (in effect you are a lodger rather than a tenant) your 'rights' are a little less distinct. you could certainly expect the room to be clean when you moved in, but whether you could insist on a third party professional clean would depend on the terms of your agreement with the owner.

Are they providing any other services apart from the provision of the room? Is the room furnished or unfurnished? Do you clean it yourself or is regular cleaning/ clean sheets/ etc included?

If they draw up an agreement for you to sign and it says on vacation you must have it professionally cleaned then yes you should insist on that when you move in. If they do not expect that of you then no you should not insist on that either. I would guess 99% of these arrangements will not. Certainly never happened for me but it was expected to be clean.

The room is furnished, but we didn't talk about how the room would be cleaned. This is the first time I am renting a shared room!

It sounds like you need to sit down and talk to them, so that you can sort out a few details, such as what you expect of each other apart from you handing over money to live there. Perhaps draw up a list of questions, such as cleaning, noise, food, washing, use of hot water, drinking, smoking, having visitors, length of notice if you want to leave or they want you to leave, which rooms in the house are you allowed to use, etc, etc.

I might have this chat with my husband and kids.Its about time I put some rules down.

When we get some flooring down and buy some furniture, same here.