Washing Machine Smells Bad How to Clean It in Aylesbury Rental Properties

Published October 2026 | Washing machine smells bad how to clean it

Landlord Obligations Under Current Regulations

Under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, landlords are required to keep appliances they provide in good working order for the duration of the tenancy. If a washing machine was included in the let, it must be functional - and if a persistent smell is rooted in a fault rather than neglect, responsibility sits with the landlord.

Common scenarios that fall to the landlord include:

• Faulty drainage systems - A blocked or poorly fitted drain hose causes standing water to sit inside the machine, creating conditions for serious mould and bacterial growth. That is an installation or structural problem, not tenant misuse.
• Defective door seals - If the rubber door seal on a Bosch, Hotpoint, or Samsung machine is cracked, warped, or poorly fitted from the outset, it will trap moisture and develop mould regardless of how carefully the tenant uses the machine.
• Pump failures - A filter or pump that is failing mechanically will cause water to stagnate inside the drum. Our engineers find this more commonly on older Beko and Indesit machines that have been sitting in rental properties for several years without any servicing.
• Poor installation - Machines that are not level or have incorrectly fitted hoses create the underlying conditions for persistent smell problems from day one.

If you are a landlord in Aylesbury managing multiple properties, it is worth getting appliances checked on a regular basis. The Voltrade GoFIX diagnostic tool can help identify whether a reported smell is tied to a mechanical fault or a routine maintenance issue on the tenant's part - which is particularly useful when a dispute is developing and you need clear evidence before deciding who pays for a repair.

What Tenants Are Expected to Handle

The vast majority of washing machine smell problems are caused by how the machine is used day to day. As a tenant, you are expected to carry out basic maintenance and keep the appliance in reasonable condition throughout your tenancy.

The most common causes that fall on the tenant include:

Low-temperature washing. Most people now wash at 30 or 40 degrees Celsius. According to Which?, washing at these temperatures will not fully clear mould and bacteria from the drum, which builds up over time and produces that distinctive musty smell. Running a service wash - an empty cycle at 60 or 90 degrees - is standard maintenance that any tenant can carry out.

Leaving the door closed after use. Closing the machine door immediately after a cycle traps warm, damp air inside the drum. Over a few weeks, that is enough to encourage mould growth in the seal and on the drum walls.

Neglecting the detergent drawer. Fabric softener and detergent residue collects in the drawer compartment. Left uncleaned over months, it goes mouldy and contributes significantly to bad odours spreading through the machine.

Using too much detergent. Overfilling with detergent, or using non-HE products in modern LG or Samsung machines, creates excess suds that do not rinse away cleanly. The residue stays in the drum and around the seal.

Not cleaning the filter. Most front-loading machines have a small filter panel at the bottom front. If it has not been cleared in months, it will be packed with fluff, hair, and debris sitting in stagnant water. That is one of the most reliable sources of a bad smell, and it takes under five minutes to sort out.

As a practical starting point, a simple fix using bicarbonate of soda and white vinegar can clean the drum and drawer without scrubbing - run the bicarb on a hot cycle, then follow with a short vinegar cycle. It is not a cure for long-term neglect, but it works well as a reset when you first notice a smell developing.

Grey Areas - Where Disputes Happen

Not every smelly washing machine dispute is clear cut. These are the situations our engineers see most often in Aylesbury rental properties where both landlord and tenant have a legitimate argument.

Pre-existing mould on the door seal. If a tenant moves in and the seal is already mouldy, they should not be held responsible for cleaning it up. The problem is that this is rarely documented at check-in. If the inventory does not specifically note the condition of the appliance's seal and drum, you are in disputed territory from the start.

Mould caused by poor ventilation. In properties without adequate airflow - common in older housing stock across Buckinghamshire - condensation and damp create conditions that make mould growth almost inevitable regardless of how carefully the tenant uses the machine. If the property itself has a structural ventilation problem, the landlord arguably carries some responsibility for the knock-on effects on appliances.

Shared or communal machines in HMOs. In Houses in Multiple Occupation, multiple tenants share appliances. Working out who is responsible for routine maintenance cleaning becomes complicated quickly. Landlords in Aylesbury managing HMOs should have a clear cleaning schedule set out in the tenancy agreement before any issue arises.

Older machines nearing the end of their life. A Hotpoint or Beko machine that is eight to ten years old may develop persistent smells that simply do not respond to tenant-led cleaning because internal components are degrading. In these cases, the landlord may need to have the machine professionally serviced or replace it altogether.

Tenant cleaning attempts that cause damage. Some tenants use neat bleach or harsh chemicals directly in the drum, which can degrade rubber seals and damage internal components. If this has happened, it complicates responsibility for any subsequent problems significantly.

How to Report This Issue (Tenant Perspective)

If you are renting in Aylesbury and your washing machine smells bad despite your best efforts to clean it, follow these steps to report it properly and protect yourself.

1. Try the basics first. Before contacting your landlord, run a hot service wash at 60 or 90 degrees, clean the filter, wipe down the door seal, and rinse out the detergent drawer. Take photos and make a brief written note of what you did and when.
2. Put it in writing. Do not rely on a phone call or text. Send an email or message through your tenancy platform so there is a written record that cannot be disputed later.
3. Be specific about the problem. "It smells" is not enough. Describe where the smell is coming from (the drum, the drawer, or from underneath the machine) and what it smells like. A sewage-like smell points to a drainage issue; a musty smell points to mould. That distinction matters for diagnosis.
4. Give a reasonable timeframe. Request a response within 14 days for a non-urgent repair. If you have no access to laundry facilities at all, that is more pressing and you can reasonably request faster action.
5. Reference your tenancy agreement. Check whether your agreement contains any clauses about appliance maintenance responsibilities. Some agreements explicitly state that tenants are responsible for all white goods maintenance.
6. Escalate if needed. If the landlord does not respond within a reasonable period and the machine is genuinely faulty, you can contact Buckinghamshire Council's environmental health team. The council covers Aylesbury and has powers to enforce landlord repair obligations where there is clear evidence of a fault.

Getting It Fixed Quickly in Aylesbury Rental Properties

When the machine needs professional attention, speed matters for both sides. A washing machine that smells strongly and is not responding to cleaning may have a blocked pump, a failing drum bearing causing water to pool, or a drain hose that is kinked or incorrectly routed.

Typical repair costs in the UK run from around 60 to 150 pounds for filter or drain issues, up to 150 to 300 pounds for pump replacements or seal work on machines like Bosch or LG models. If the machine is older and the repair cost is approaching or exceeding what a replacement would cost, it is usually better to replace it - particularly in a rental property where reliability is important for the tenancy.

Our engineers serving Aylesbury and the wider Buckinghamshire area use the Voltrade GoFIX diagnostic tool to identify quickly whether a smell issue is a surface maintenance problem or a mechanical fault. That distinction matters because it determines who is liable for the repair cost, and having it documented by an engineer removes any ambiguity from a dispute.

For landlords managing multiple Aylesbury properties, getting a professional diagnosis before authorising any significant repair is sensible. For tenants, having an engineer confirm the fault is mechanical gives you documented evidence if you need to escalate.

If the machine is still under manufacturer warranty - many Samsung and LG models come with a two or five year guarantee - the landlord should be working through that route before paying out of pocket.

Documentation You Should Keep

Good documentation protects both sides. In practice, most disputes about washing machine smells in rental properties come down to what evidence is available. Here is what landlords and tenants should each hold onto.

For landlords:

• The original appliance manual and proof of purchase
• Any service records or previous repair invoices
• The check-in inventory noting the condition of all white goods, with photos
• Email correspondence with tenants about reported faults
• Engineer reports that confirm whether a fault is mechanical or maintenance-related

For tenants:

• Photos of the smell source (mould on the seal, debris in the filter) with timestamps
• Written records of any cleaning you have carried out and when
• Emails or messages to your landlord reporting the problem
• Records of any responses, or lack of response, from the landlord
• A copy of your tenancy agreement, particularly any clauses about appliance maintenance

A tenant who can show they reported the problem in writing, tried basic maintenance steps first, and received no adequate response is in a much stronger position than one who waited months to raise the issue. Equally, a landlord in Aylesbury who has a clear check-in inventory documenting appliance condition is far better placed to challenge a deposit dispute at the end of a tenancy.

If you have not been including appliance condition in your standard check-in inventory, it is worth updating your process now. A brief note confirming the washing machine was clean, functional, and odour-free at the start of the tenancy costs nothing and can save a great deal of argument later.

Landlord and Tenant Questions

Is a smelly washing machine the landlord's responsibility?

It depends on the cause. If the smell is down to a mechanical fault - a failed pump, a cracked seal, or a drainage problem - the landlord is typically responsible for repairing it. If it is caused by the tenant's maintenance habits, such as always washing at low temperatures or never cleaning the filter, it generally falls to the tenant to resolve. An engineer's diagnosis is the clearest way to settle the question.

Can a landlord charge a tenant for cleaning a washing machine?

In some cases, yes. If a machine is returned at the end of a tenancy in a significantly worse condition than it was at the start - heavy mould, a blocked or damaged filter, or a seal damaged through misuse - a landlord can potentially make a deduction from the deposit. However, fair wear and tear applies, and the check-in inventory must document the original condition clearly for any deduction to hold up.

How do I get rid of the musty smell in my washing machine in a rented property?

Start with a service wash - run the machine empty at 60 or 90 degrees Celsius. Which? recommends this approach because lower wash temperatures do not fully clear mould and bacteria from the drum. Follow up by wiping the door seal with a damp cloth, removing and cleaning the detergent drawer, and clearing the filter at the bottom front of the machine. Done monthly, this typically prevents the problem from returning.

What if my landlord ignores my washing machine repair request?

If you have reported the issue in writing and received no response after a reasonable period, follow up in writing again and keep the record. If you still get no action, contact Buckinghamshire Council's environmental health team, who can enforce landlord repair obligations. Shelter and Citizens Advice also offer free guidance on tenant rights around appliance repairs in privately rented homes throughout the UK.

How often should a washing machine be cleaned in a rental property?

A service wash every one to three months is commonly recommended to prevent mould and bacterial build-up in the drum. The filter should be checked monthly if the machine is in regular use, and tenants should leave the door slightly ajar after every cycle to allow the drum to dry out properly. For machines in Aylesbury rental properties used by larger households, more frequent cleaning is advisable given the higher daily usage.