Landlord: do I sanitise the units before new tenants move in, or is it their job?
This page explains a situation in an editorial format. It is not an open discussion board or a verified customer review. Contact us on WhatsApp about your own appliance.
I rent out a 2-room flat in Colentina; the old tenants stayed 3 years and left. Two 9,000 BTU Gree units, 6 years old. New tenants move in in two weeks. Do I sanitise now or write into the contract that it is their annual duty?
What is really happening
Three years of tenants means three seasons in which nobody opened the units: evaporator with biofilm, black roller, pan with sludge – exactly the profile that smells at start-up and makes the new tenant call in the first week of a heatwave. The new tenant has no reason to pay for someone else's dirt, and if the contract forces them, they will leave the unit as is. Sanitising at handover solves both the health side (start-up spores) and the legal side (documented condition).
- Inspection: assessing condition and symptoms.
- Service check: checks and measurements appropriate to the unit.
- Cleaning: removing deposits.
- Sanitising: suitable treatment of cleaned surfaces.
The actual scope is confirmed before the visit.
- When a contaminated air conditioner starts, airborne fungal concentration in the room can jump from 40–920 to 5,500–100,000 CFU/m³. [Indoor Air, 2023]
- The blower (cross-flow fan) is the most fungus-contaminated component of a split unit, more than the filter or the front of the evaporator. [Indoor Air, 2023]
- The condensate pan of household units had the highest bacterial load (~12,300 CFU/cm²), over 20 times the 500 CFU/cm² limit for public spaces. [Frontiers in Public Health / PubMed Cent, 2024]
- In Romania, a unit's commercial warranty usually requires following the manual's maintenance instructions; consumers can turn to ANPC for disputes. [ANPC, 2025]
What we do on site
- We come in the window between tenants – an empty flat is the easiest.
- Both units: sealed double cover, hose to the bucket, alkaline detergent, adjustable pressure wash of evaporator, roller, pan and hose; sanitising; filters washed.
- Outdoor units washed in place.
- Temperature, drain and noise test – if one has a technical problem you learn it now, not from the tenant.
- Dated before/after photos sent on WhatsApp, to attach to the handover report. See current rates on the Prices page.
What you can do yourself
- In the contract: 'units handed over sanitised on [date]; tenant ensures annual maintenance with proof'.
- Leave the tenant a note with 'filters every two weeks, Fan 20 minutes'.
What NOT to do
- Do not hand over unwashed units with a 'tenant is responsible' clause – it does not hold.
- Do not accept 'I used a spray' from the tenant as annual maintenance.
Prevention
Sanitising at every tenant change plus yearly during the tenancy.
When to call us
0764 012 943, WhatsApp, Monday–Saturday 08:00–20:00; Colentina is 20 minutes away.
Related threads
Ozone or UV lamp sanitising instead of washing – worth it?
Explanations and useful checks for this situation: Ozone or UV lamp sanitising instead of washing – worth it?
Private kindergarten – parents want proof the units are sanitised. How do we go about it?
Explanations and useful checks for this situation: Private kindergarten – parents want proof the units are sanitised. How do we go about it?
Boutique hotel with 12 rooms – what sanitising rhythm and how do we do it without closing rooms?
Explanations and useful checks for this situation: Boutique hotel with 12 rooms – what sanitising rhythm and how do we do it without closing rooms?
Dental clinic in Pipera – what does AC sanitising involve for a medical space?
Explanations and useful checks for this situation: Dental clinic in Pipera – what does AC sanitising involve for a medical space?
The outdoor unit is on the facade, 6th floor – how do you clean it? Is it worth including?
Explanations and useful checks for this situation: The outdoor unit is on the facade, 6th floor – how do you clean it? Is it worth including?
My daughter tested allergic to Alternaria and Cladosporium – what does that have to do with the unit?
Explanations and useful checks for this situation: My daughter tested allergic to Alternaria and Cladosporium – what does that have to do with the unit?
Sources (5)
The information on this page is educational and based on cited sources; it does not replace medical advice. We do not do repairs, installation or refrigerant circuit work.