What Northcote's brick cottages mean for house cleaners
Brick first
Early cottages and row houses here were built in brick rather than timber, and the local brickworks left a solid terra cotta look across the suburb. Many homes are double-fronted, or weatherboard California bungalows.
Row houses
A row house usually has no side way in, so gear and rubbish come through the front door. Mention it in the note, and keep the hallway clear on the day.
Rucker's Hill
The hill slopes down to the Merri Creek, so some streets have steep approaches and steps to the front door.
Mostly not houses
In 2021, 37% to 39% of homes in the two Northcote census areas were rented. Just 23% to 28% of those rentals were separate houses, and 36% to 41% were flats or apartments.
Trams, and no car
Tram route 86 runs along High Street and route 11 along St Georges Road, and 13% to 14% of homes had no vehicle in 2021. If you've never needed a park out front, check your street's sign, because a cleaner with gear will.
Period details Northcote cleaners should hear about
- Ceiling height, and anything up high you'd like dusted.
- Open fireplaces or hearths, and whether they're in use.
- Polished boards, and what they've been finished with.
- Old windows that stick or don't open fully.
- Anything delicate, like original plaster or leadlight.
End of lease cleaning in an older Northcote rental
Old homes show their age, and normal wear isn't yours to fix. Victoria's standard is reasonably clean, allowing for fair wear and tear, so boards worn down by years of feet aren't the cleaner's job.
Your entry condition report is the reference point. A rental provider can only insist on a professional clean if one was done just before you moved in and you were told, or if it's needed to get back to the start condition.
The rest is up to you. Clean it yourself, or get an end of lease clean and spend the week on boxes and keys.
Our advice: photos of the fiddly bits for Northcote cleaners
Send the business a few photos of the fiddly bits. Cornices, hearths and old window frames tell it far more than a bedroom count does. In an older rental, mark up your entry condition report first, so the clean goes after real dirt, not a century of wear.
