The void period between tenancies is when small repairs can sink your re-let timeline. A broken cooker hood extractor or a lock that won't latch will scare off viewing applicants — even when the rest of the property shows well. Dartford has seen the largest increase in buy-to-let activity in north Kent thanks to the Ebbsfleet Garden City development, Crossrail/Elizabeth Line spillover and London commuters priced out of Bexley and Bromley. New-build flats around Stone Crossing and Greenhithe sit alongside older terraces in central Dartford, each with very different compliance profiles.
Fair wear and tear (you cannot deduct): faded paint, slightly worn carpet in walking lines, minor scuffs at door height. Damage (you can deduct, with evidence): cigarette burns, pet stains, broken fittings, missing items. The TDS site has detailed guidelines that Dartford adjudicators rely on.
Redecorate every 3–4 years on a single colour wall, sooner on rentals to professionals (white walls show every mark). Spot-touch up on shorter voids — full repaint between every tenant pushes void periods past 2 weeks and rarely pays back.
Standard 2-bed flat: handyman half-day (£140–£200), repaint living areas 2 days (£250–£500), professional clean half-day (£140–£200). Total turnaround typically 3–5 working days.
Only if the existing certs are within 60 days of expiry, or if work has been done that affects them. New tenants must receive copies before they move in, regardless of expiry — keep them in the welcome pack.
Most Dartford landlords use a specialist end-of-tenancy cleaner (£140–£250 for a 2-bed) rather than a domestic cleaner. The deep clean covers oven, fridge, descaling, hob, extractor, all skirting and behind appliances — items normal cleans skip.
Tell us the property and what's needed. We'll route to Dartford handymen, painters and trade specialists.