Can a Landlord Charge for Oven Cleaning?

Oven cleaning is frequently bundled into a generic cleaning fee. The dispute is usually about proof: photos of the oven condition, and whether the cost is reasonable.

When the charge can be legitimate

• There's heavy grease/burnt-on residue beyond normal use
• The oven was left in unusable condition
• Invoice shows an oven-specific cleaning service or reasonable labor time

Red flags

• No photos of the oven interior
• Charging a high fee without explaining time/materials
• Bundling oven cleaning into a flat fee with no breakdown

What to ask for

• Photos of the oven interior at move-out
• Invoice/work order identifying oven cleaning as a line item
• Time/material breakdown if done in-house

How to dispute

1. Request photos and invoice details tied to the oven.
2. Provide your move-out oven photos (wide + close-ups).
3. Dispute any flat charges not supported by evidence.

Start with the dispute template, then escalate to a demand letter if the landlord won't correct it.