It can be difficult to decide when to opt for professional tenancy cleaning or carpet cleaning and when to take the DIY route.

The most important things to consider are the cost, your own abilities, and the conditions of your lease or tenancy, if these apply. First things first... If you can afford it and you don't want to do it yourself or think you won't be able to, call someone.

For tenancy cleaning, there are literally dozens of companies working all over London providing fully guaranteed professional tenancy cleaning services. These companies are your best bet for getting your bond back if you are a tenant, or for getting your property back into a fit state for living or rental if you are a landlord or homeowner.

If you are bound by your lease to have a property professionally cleaned before vacating it, it is worth mentioning this to potential tenancy cleaning companies. Some will make price concessions for cleanly tenants forced to seek professional cleaning because of a legal clause rather than out of genuine need. Your best bet here is to spend it if you've got it or take a good look around to find the best deal if you don't.

Looking at carpet cleaning prices from a DIY perspective is somewhat trickier. It is not something you can do yourself, per se, though there are plenty of department store stain removal kits to be tried. Likewise, there are many late night shopping channel specials on similar cure-all stain removers, but this doesn't mean they are a good idea. If you are considering replacing old, soiled or damaged carpets and would rather not do, professional help is a great option regardless of carpet cleaning prices. It can add years onto the life of your current carpets or flooring at a fraction of the cost and without so much hassle.

For those more fortunate consumers, perhaps a stain is as good an excuse for replacement as any, and there is no shame in that. Again it comes down to personal finance, personal convenience and, for some of us, a sense of personal responsibility that is very, very closely related (dare I say identical to?) personal finance.

At the end of the day it is your home, your money and your life, and you should stick with your gut. Just keep in mind that there are options out there for any pocketbook and DIY or end of tenancy cleaning persuasion.