End of Tenancy Cleaning in Hampstead

A Grade II listed Georgian cottage on one of the narrow cobbled lanes off Flask Walk — deep in the heart of Hampstead village, a 2-minute walk from the Heath. The property had been let at £3,800/month to a senior diplomat on a 2-year posting, managed by Goldschmidt & Howland (on the corner of Church Row and Heath Street since 1888 — the longest-established agent in NW3).

This was a different cleaning challenge from anything our teams encounter in East or South London. The cottage was approximately 750 sq ft across two floors with a ground-floor kitchen-diner, a small sitting room, and two bedrooms upstairs. What made it complex was every surface: the ground floor had original flagstone floors (sealed, but with uneven joins where debris collects), lime plaster walls throughout (absolutely no abrasive contact — even standard sponges can damage the surface), low oak beams across every ceiling on both floors, and a fireplace with hand-painted Delft tiles dating from the 18th century.

The kitchen was compact — a recessed range cooker (smaller than a standard oven, built into the original inglenook) that took 50 minutes despite its size because the cavity was irregular and the racks non-standard. The worktops were reclaimed slate — pH-neutral cleaner, no acidic products. A Belfast sink (original) scrubbed and descaled. The flagstone floor was swept with a soft broom, then mopped with diluted pH-neutral cleaner — no excess water, which seeps into the stone joins and can cause efflorescence.

The sitting room: lime plaster walls dusted with a soft brush at arm's reach (no hard contact), the oak beams dry-cloth dusted, and the Delft tile fireplace cleaned tile by tile with a barely damp soft cloth. These tiles are 18th century, irreplaceable, and worth more than most London bathroom suites. One tile had a hairline crack documented at check-in — we photographed it again and noted no change.

Two bedrooms upstairs accessed via a steep, narrow staircase (cottage-width, not Victorian terrace-width). Both had low beamed ceilings — our taller team member worked crouched. Original timber floorboards mopped with specialist wood cleaner. The cottage windows were small casements, not sashes — each opened, cleaned inside, frames wiped.

The bathroom — a converted cupboard off the landing, genuinely tiny — had a walk-in shower with Samuel Heath fixtures. Moderate limescale at ~270 ppm. The chrome was polished to the standard these fixtures demand — Samuel Heath at this price point is not cleaned the same way as a standard mixer tap.

The cobbled front path couldn't be accessed by vehicle — equipment carried from the nearest parking point on Heath Street, a 4-minute walk. The original front door (painted, with a brass knocker and letterbox) was wiped and the brass polished.

Goldschmidt & Howland inspected the following day. Their agent had handled this cottage through multiple tenancies over 15 years and knew every surface, every tile, every beam. The checkout took 75 minutes for a 750 sq ft property — longer than some agents spend on a 2,000 sq ft house. The Delft tile crack was confirmed as pre-existing. The lime plaster was inspected for any contact damage. The flagstone joins were checked for debris. Royal Cleaning passed.