End of Tenancy Cleaning in Downe

We had a detached Edwardian cottage on Luxted Road — maybe quarter of a mile from Down House. The kind of property where you park on gravel, walk through a garden gate, and the front door has a cast-iron latch instead of a Yale lock. Three bedrooms, bathroom, a kitchen-diner with flagstone floor, a sitting room with a working wood burner, and a small study. A couple — both working remotely, moved from Peckham for space and quiet — 18 months at £2,200. Langford Russell managing.

Van on the gravel drive. Quiet. You could hear the birds.

Sitting room first. About 15ft by 13ft. The wood burner — a cast-iron stove in a brick-lined inglenook. Ash in the grate, fine soot dust on the brick surround, and a faint ring of heat staining on the flagstone hearth. Ash scooped and bagged. Brick surround: dry-brushed, then wiped with a damp cloth. Hearth stain: noted — heat staining on stone is permanent, not a cleaning issue. The rest of the room: original timber floor, specialist product. Two small sash windows — original timber frames, cleaned per pane. The walls were lime plaster — slightly uneven surface, painted cream. Wiped gently with a dry cloth on the upper sections, damp cloth lower.

Kitchen-diner. About 14ft by 11ft. Flagstone floor — the real thing, irregular, uneven, centuries old. pH-neutral mop. Never acid, never bleach on flagstone. Oven: freestanding Rangemaster, gas. Pull it forward — 18 months, a couple who cooked a lot. One pass on the wall. Both ovens sprayed, 20 minutes. One pass each. Hob done, five burners. Extractor hood over the range, filter soaked. Butler sink — stained from 18 months of tea and washing up. Cleaned with specialist cream cleaner. Worktop: solid oak, oiled. Specialist product. Cupboards wiped.

Bathroom. Upstairs. A refitted bathroom in the cottage style — freestanding roll-top bath on claw feet, pedestal basin, walk-in shower with frameless panel. ~285 ppm, 18 months. Bath waterline: one pass — the couple kept it clean. Shower panel: one pass. Chrome polished. Floor: encaustic tile — pH-neutral, same as Angel and Raynes Park. No mould — stone walls breathe.

Three bedrooms. All with timber floors, all with sloping ceilings where the roof meets the wall. The master had exposed beam across the ceiling — dusted. Two smaller bedrooms, both straightforward.

The study. Small room, maybe 8ft by 7ft. Timber floor. Desk marks — photographed.

Front door: cast-iron latch wiped. Thresholds: gravel and garden debris cleared front and back.

4 hours 30 minutes. Two people. The wood burner hearth, the flagstone, and the butler sink are where the care goes. The cottage is Edwardian but the flagstones and the inglenook feel older.

Langford Russell came two days later — their Downe person handles maybe 10 properties in the village total. Sitting room: wood burner area checked, heat stain on hearth noted as permanent. Flagstone kitchen: inspected, butler sink checked. Bathroom: roll-top bath behind checked, panel clear. Beams: noted. Desk marks: accepted. About 12 minutes. Passed.

Deposit back in 10 days. Full return. The couple were moving to a larger house in the village — buying this time, staying in Downe.

Downe is the most rural area we cover. 5 jobs a year. The properties are period, the surfaces are original, and the village hasn't changed much since Darwin walked his Sandwalk. We clean it with the right products for every surface and we document what's building character and what's tenant use. Our guide on deposit dispute evidence covers listed and period properties.