Just got to keys to rental house in awful state...

[ParkingFeud]

I've just got keys to a rental house and popped in on my lunch time. There is junk, overflowing bins and old garden furniture all over the Garden. The property was marked unfinished and we verbally checked it would be when looking round but there are 4 large pieces of awful furniture left in which are not to my taste at all. The kitchen is still full of appliances and all sorts else so definitly hasn't had cupboards wiped out or anything like that. The walls are COVERED in filthy marks. I have not been given an inventory, what can I do?! Awful posters left on wall etc.

You should have a proper inventory, with photographs, recording the state of the property. You could try negotiating a cleaner, paid for by the landlord, so that you take over a clean property, but at the minimum, you must not accept a dirty property with broken appliances/whatever, without recording that it was in this state. The contract should specify that you return the property in the state it was handed to you, plus reasonable wear and tear. So unless you want to be stung for your deposit when you leave, you must record the state it was in. And get the landlord to sign off their agreement.

Your offer letter should include any provisions that you agreed, such as removal of all furniture. Do you have this?

You should receive proper paperwork showing that your deposit is protected by a recognised scheme. This will include a reference number that will allow you to go online and see the details that are held.

Your landlord should also have given you an EPC, a gas safety certificate and an electrical safety certificate.

So, got those things? If not, I would advise pulling out of the contract.

Waves at @CuriousaboutSamphire

Hi all, sorry I disappeared, unfortunately we had to spend the day moving in as we have nowhere else to go. We live in a rural area and rental properties have 10+ booking booked on the first day etc. We do have the gas certificate, tenancy deposit certificate etc as that was all handled by the advertising agent thank God. We did look round but didn't expect a previous tenants mess to be left for us. Also did not check windows closed and things like. Just assumed that was a basic. We've wedged pillows in the gap for tonight. The agent has had a word with the landlady who sounds like a bit of a nutcase and apparently "has a lot on" and cried down the phone. They were meant to contact a builder today but we haven't heard anything.... a family member did at least come up and pick up the junk including an old rolled up carpet that had been left in the living room. I'm devestated and pissed off but what we can do, we can't sleep in the car. We have also discovered the internal bathroom door doesn't shut and the hinges are coming out plus the sink plughole is evidently quite blocked. Bloody hell landlords need licenses, this is horrific

Id expect the first month rent free while they do the repairs as a minimum

Thanks for the update , but I am so sorry you are stuck with this dump. Landlord licensing is there in some areas but doesn't work, there is no enforcement and crooks like yours ignore it anyway. It is unusual for this to happen outside London,but rental properties are scarce everywhere as many landlords are selling up. Covid has made that happen quicker as it is massive risk taking on tenants that you may have to house free for two years. Open season for the crooks.

All you can do is try the council regarding the decent homes standard - again I don't know details as I am not a crook who rents out a shithole. Shelter may help with advice, that is all they do.

@iwishiwasatcentralperk

I work for an estate agent 1 day a week, and they do inventory's on all empty property (if the landlord asks them to) so they are done on unfurnished property. They take pictures of every room, the inside of the oven, any existing marks on the walls or flooring, the garden, sheds, garage, anything and everything.

That way, it can be proven what damage a tenant has done, and what was already there. It protects both parties.

The Landlord must provide you with certain things when you move in , being :

Energy Performance Certificate
Government How to Rent guide
Deposit Protection certificate

They must have a smoke detector on every floor and carbon monoxide detectors in rooms with coal or wood fires.

You cannot move into a property if it is unfit for habitation, and it is the LL's responsibility to clear it and clean it between each tenant.

Take photos of everything, ask him to rectify everything that is wrong, including the window, for security reasons, and he should also pay for the cost of paint if painting is definitely required.

If you have already signed a tenancy agreement and are now unsure about moving in, please get advice from Shelter about how to proceed.

You missed off the Electrical Safety Certificate

Thanks for coming back.

I am glad there is an agent...it should help a bit.

You should email the agent and copy in the landlord every single day about these things that remain outstanding.

Just keep listing the same things again and again and say the property is not habitable with a window which does not close or a bathroom door which does not close. Say you expect the agent to arrange these works to be sorted and to deal with the landlord about payment.

You are in now, so the contract is started and you will be bound by it. How long is it?

The earliest you are likely to be able to give 2 months notice is at the 4 month point assuming you have a 6 month minimimum contract. You’ll be looking to give notice on that day.

Be clear with the agent that you cannot accept the LL having a difficult time or crying and there is no excuse and you want to know about their official complaints procedure. Put the onus on them to chase the landlord and get this sorted out.

You will have to be persistent.

Have you asked for or been offered a rent discount? When you email every day, enquire about what financial recompense they are going to give you because the property is currently uninhabitable with a window which does not close and a loo door that doesn’t close.

My landlord soon got moving when I told them I had contacted citizens advice and was seeking legal advice. Stand your ground op

I’ve been here. We got let off the deposit and first month’s rent to sort it out.

Do a virtual tour by video as well as photos,band accept it in this poor condition.

I've had this before - I emailed pictures and cc:d a trusted friend in to the landlord, explaining the situation. There's a chance he's not aware and only checked it before the tenants left.
Offer to arrange a cleaner and you will stay in a hotel, with that amount receipted and taken off the next month's rent.

I'm sure it's been said, but wd40 on the window hinges might work

We have a small flat which we rent out through a reputable agent who checks that the flat is clean and in good nick when a tenant leaves. Vacating tenants would have to pay for thorough cleaning if the place is in a state but we've never had a problem and decorate when necessary. Its shocking that you've been put in this position but please don't think all landlords are like yours.

I am a LL and this makes me so angry as a few LL like this give LL a bad name. I ask tenants to leave property clean and take all their stuff with them. I always have a professional clean in between tenants including cooker and every room is painted fresh in between tenants. Costs can be written off against tax in full as invoices kept, so no excuse not to. I would tell LL it is their responsibility to paint house not yours. Our kitchen appliances, dishwasher, fridge freezer, washing machine and double cooker and large hob are integrated so have to stay but we rent lock up so if tenants have their own.appliances we offer to store them got them. We have a few nice sofas and fining room tables and chairs which we store in lockup but if tenant wants them they can use them. I obviously spoil my tenants as they have moved in 2 weeks ago and today we weeded and pressure washed the patio for them as last tenant let it get untidy. DH cut back a few tree branches for them too.

Don't accept it.

Take photos, contact agent/landlord/lady. Tell them it needs to be emptied and cleaned before you move in. You need a new contract to start from when all this is done.

Oh dear OP. LL sounds awful. Maybe there is a history with last tenants who wrecked the place and she had a hard time getting them out. Not your issue though. New rental home should be cleaned, painted the lovely standard magnolia, new carpet etc if required. Hopefully agency step in and help you out so you do not have to directly contact LL. Fingers crossed all gets sorted and you can live there happily 🤞🏻

That’s crazy I’m a landlord and tenants and agents expect beyond perfection pro cleaning full inventory etc

Good to see yoyr update, OP It's brilliant there is an agent as that will make things a lot easier, they are the middleman between you and the LL and that's literally their only job. The LL has obviously dropped the ball but that's no excuse, and you the tenant shouldn't be made to suffer because of them being overwhelmed or having 'a lot on' The agent should arrange for any work that needs doing swiftly and bill the LL for this, and you can chase this if you haven't heard anything by 3pm Monday. Be very polite and friendly to the agents but just keep chasing until all the issues have been rectified.

It's normal for there to be issues with a property at the end of a tenancy, especially a long tenancy because of wear and tear etc but it's the agents and landlords responsibility to leave a window between tenants so all work that needs doing can be completed in time. I'm surprised this hasn't happened! But anyway, this window of time right now is when you need to make noise to get it done. Comb through that place like sniffer dogs searching for drugs so you can present agents with a list of any major niggles, it's much harder to get these things sorted later on and it makes you look moany - even if the issue has been there from the start and you've only just noticed it. Speaking from bitter renting experience.

Taking the preferable, ask for some discount on rent to decorate. Or just paint white, that's cheap.

Photograph every Mark otherwise you’ll get a bill for damage at the end of the let.

I take it the ll is not full management. Either tenant-find only or maybe plus rent collection. It sounds like she needs to be full management. There is no excuse for crying or letting the house to you in this state when she could have simply used the agent to organise the lot! Ok that’s costly but life is about choices. What did she think, the house would magically be in the state you need it to be? Lazy and entitled.

Take photos, videos, send everything via email and recorded delivery. Assume you will have to prove everything. Don’t do phone calls. Document everything. Ask council, MP and environmental health for advice sometimes they have links with with local agents and landlords and might be able to find you somewhere else. Tell the landlord the urgent things need fixing by a certain date, maybe end of the week?

Bought privately 2 weeks ago and similar situation. What is wrong with people

Insist it is properly deep ...cleaned by a professional company..did you go via an estate agent? ..I hope so ... No self respecting decent landlord would not inspect prior to a new tenant going in so this is a real red flag for me ...be careful.. Use good agents as they won't accept poor landlords or poor tenants and vet properly.
Send all pics to landlord and agent. Ps CHK inside oven too as this should have been cleaned as should windows etc