DIY end of lease cleaning can work for a smaller property in reasonably good condition throughout the tenancy, provided you have the time, equipment and energy to dedicate a full day to it around an already busy moving schedule.
Professional cleaning tends to make more sense for larger properties, longer tenancies where wear has built up, or any situation where carpet steam cleaning is required, since commercial equipment consistently outperforms consumer-grade machines on that front specifically.
The other factor worth weighing is risk, a failed inspection means either redoing the clean yourself under time pressure or paying for a professional clean anyway on short notice, often at a premium. Booking professionally from the start avoids that scenario entirely and generally costs less than most people expect relative to the bond amount at stake.
