To think my landlady should compensate me - Clothes moths

[Riesling]

Hi. I am seeking some advice on this.

I have been renting a room for one year and about 2 months ago I found my favourite Ralph Lauren dress has lots of holes. Straight away I checked the wardrobe and found out cloth moth larvae and my precious wool coat and another Ralph Lauren jacket were completely destroyed by clothes moths.

I talked about this to my landlady and she said " oh I am so sorry but the thing is there are lots of moths in London and my friends are going through the same!"

And then she bought me some moth killers and sticky stuff to catch moths but they are still flying around in my room.
I vacuumed the room day and night and put some clothes into the tumble dryer but no luck

When she was away over Xmas holiday I sent an email saying that how much I was distressed and my clothes were the gift from my family member etc. She said " Ok, I will discuss with you later" but instead off of sudden, she asked me to leave within a month as her cousin is coming to stay.

The thing is I had already paid the rent in full this month and she gave me a notice. Now I am feeling she is really sly(I dont believe her cousin is coming) and it is unfair. She should compensate my clothes damaged?

What is best way to deal with to deal with this? Can I get any help from the council etc?

FYI I have an en-suite room but she let another lodger use my bathroom without my agreement. We did not have a written contract and I should move out next Sunday.

Any advice would be appreciated.

I would think general housekeeping is the tenants responsibility. Hardly the landlords fault really is it.

Depends on her insurance doesn't it? But if she had a decent policy why wouldn't she get her home professionally treated and claim for damaged items?

Pretty deceitful to let someone move in when you know you have moths and not tell them seeing as though they target wool!

It's a shame that your landlady hasn't/won't claim on her insurance

Never come across a 'My Tenant's Designer Clothes' policy before.

OP if you (which you should) have contents insurance; you could try claiming on your own.

The replies on this thread are just bizarre. If the OP had moved into a house infested with fleas would people still be blaming her for the problem? The whole place needs to be fumigated as it sounds like it’s infested.

Dong I totally agree, it sounds foul. I bet OP is paying a fair bit for this privilege too!

Moths can be a huge problem. HUGE, everything can get infested as it sounds like here.

LL knows it so is evicting tenant.

All so unfair.

Yabu.

Lakeland, Robert Dyas, John Lewis , hardware shops - they have all got big selections of moth killer, repellent etc at the moment ( I’m inLondon) We devoted last weekend to vacuuming every carpet inc edges and crevices, , turning all the wardrobes and drawers out, pulling out furniture, checking everything, bagging up silk and woollens, spraying with killer and then putting repellent everywhere. It was exhausting.

It’s an ongoing battle - and our house is normally well kept and clean but still the little munching bastards got in.

You need to take responsibility for your own property, OP.

I don't live in London so don't know the scale of the problem but moths fly. Surely they get in through open windows. Fleas etc are carried in by animals, rodents get in through structural problems but moths just fly. I don't really know what can be done other than mothballs etc to stop them.
You have to take some responsibility for your own things.
If it's such a horrible place surely you want to leave.
Next time get a written contract and chalk this up to experience.

It's funny. people are assuming that I brought moths into the house.

I vacuum my room very often and even use a fabric vacuum cleaner after coming back from outside.

I have found that there was sticky stuff under the cupboard in the kitchen where also washing machine stands.
My landlady was aware that the house has had moth problems. But She didn't tell me when I moved in.

If I had known that my expensive clothes will be eaten by disgusting moths, I would have moved in.

It’s your job to keep your clothes safe. When I moved into my new place I thoroughly cleaned out the wardrobe and put moth repellent before putting my clothes in.

Your responsibility, I’m afraid.

@PlatypusPie I have tried mothballs, moth spray and the sticky thing but no luck:(

Because the carpet is really old and dirty, there is not much I can do more.

@Ginnymweasley Thank you! sure thing, I will get a written contract next time!

Should have been insured.

I had moths in my rented property eating holes in my clothes and you know what I did? Bought moth killer. It's not my landlord's fault any more than the mould that grows in the bedroom if it's not properly aired out.

What would you have done if you owned the place?

Also moths aren't disgusting. Lovely creatures. Yes we don't want them in our spaces, but they're only doing what they have evolved to do.

Sorry you are having a tough time OP, and also sorry other posters are being harsh and lacking empathy. Makes sense the LL would pay for your clothes. Good luck at your new place.

@WelcomeToGreenvale

There are already mothballs, moth killer etc.

If I owned the property, I would have got a specialist's help asap.especially If I relied on tenant's monthly rent.
If you owned the place and you knew there are moth issues, would you have told your tenant before she or he moves in?

If I rented the room through an agency and had a written agreement, would it make any difference? When we had a mouse at the property a few years ago, the agent straight away took an action

@MorningsEleven oh I have already put loads of them and your comment is not really helpful :(

Moths can get anywhere OP, it's beyond your landladies control. If you have expensive designer clothes then it's best you protect them with mothballs etc and also have insurance for your possessions. I've been seeing moths for years i wonder who I can blame and claim

I genuinely thought mothballs were something that went out in about 1900! 😂

There are also larvae on the matress, ceiling etc in my room.

A written contract, if you are a LODGER, will not suddenly make you into a tenant. It may set out a few more details about rights and responsibilities, as a lodger, but nothing more than that.

There is an epidemic of cloth moths across the UK. It's a constant battle to keep them at bay and your landlady is not morally or legally responsible for replacing your clothing items. If they're that important then keep them in a sealed vacuum pack and make sure you protect against moths at all times by using the pheromone traps and spray.

You will really have to notch it up to experience.
Brush up on your rights as a tenant in the next agreement you take on.
Speak to shelter
But you've been served notice, and your LL doesn't have to compensate you.
I know this seems unfair.
I had to throw £1000s of pounds of stuff away due to damp( furniture and clothes) in a rented property.
Your LL doesn't have to compensate you.
You have to be more vigilant and protect your stuff.

And I say this as a tenant and as working for a letting agent in the past.
There is a lot of difference between being a lodger or a tenant.
But in either situation the LL isn't ever going to be made to compensate for this