If you tidied up before dropping off, a cleaning fee can come as a surprise. Almost always, it comes down to one of a few things that are easy to miss, because "clean" usually means tidy inside, while our return check also covers a couple of things a quick glance won't show.
The most common reasons a tidy-looking van still picks up a fee:
- The toilet cassette or the wastewater tank wasn't emptied.
- There's a lingering smell — smoke or pets are the usual ones, and they often fade for you but not for the next traveler.
- Sand, mud, or stains that need proper scrubbing rather than a wipe.
- The outside was too dirty for our team to check the bodywork for damage.
To avoid it next time, here's all it really takes before you hand back the keys:
- Empty the toilet and wastewater tanks (planning your last night somewhere with disposal facilities makes this easy).
- Take out all rubbish and your belongings.
- Give the kitchen, fridge, and surfaces a wipe, and do any dishes.
- A quick vacuum or sweep of the floors.
- Air it out so there are no lingering smells.
- Rinse the outside if it's very muddy.
That's the short version — for the complete list, including fuel, battery, and equipment, have a look at what are the drop-off requirements before your return day.
If you've been charged and you think something's not right, get in touch and we'll go through it with you.