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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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

191 replies

ParkingFeud · 12/03/2021 13:41

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.

OP posts:
Onedropbeat · 15/03/2021 07:28

I really hope they get everything up to scratch and give you a decent amount of the first months rent

How stressful for you

RMNMummy · 15/03/2021 09:32

I mean.. did you not view it before accepting it? I’ve done many viewings over the last month as I’m moving so just wondering how this has happened as the letting agent I ended up going with encouraged me to request what I wanted changed/patched up prior to moving in?

babyinthacorner · 15/03/2021 09:34

I’m speechless at this OP. My husband is a landlord and we spent the weekend at his property cleaning and mending things because the last tenant left it mouldy and unclean. They provided an invoice from a professional cleaning company but it’s absolutely filthy. There’s no way we’ll even put it back on the market until it’s ready.
From previous experience, we’ve found it difficult to get money back from the deposit and we’re having to go through the check out report and compile evidence so carefully to ensure we get costs recovered.
It really upsets me when I hear stories about people like your landlord when we struggle to find responsible tenants. I really hope it gets sorted for you.

riceuten · 15/03/2021 09:53

I had a similar experience - luckily the letting agents attended the letting so we put off moving in for 2 days until it was sorted. They’d done a midnight flit, so we had the added joy of almost daily visits by debt collectors and bailiffs for the first couple of months.

DebHagland · 15/03/2021 10:59

Insist the agent visit the site with you. Video & photograph the house while they are there.
Get a quote for professional cleaning of the property & insist that either they pay for it or deduct the cost from your rent (demand this is agreed in writing). Tell them if they don't do something about it, you will refer it to Which magazine and pull in the local papers for an interesting "bad landlord" story.
Agents normally do a site check before the keys are given out and record the condition of the property before the new tenant moves in . So it is hard to believe that they don't know the condition of the property. They will have with-held the deposit to cover the cost of cleaning and repairs from the last tenant.

CrotchetyQuaver · 15/03/2021 12:21

Photos/video of everything plus a list and maybe get a couple of quotes for professional cleaners. A good relationship with tenants is entirely separate to a clean house. Ugh at the mould on that window.

Kateguide · 15/03/2021 14:14

As others have suggested documenting evidence is key and getting the agents to sort it ASAP. When I moved around flats and houses in London a lot, we ensured with the agency that there was an end of tenancy clean and inspection before we moved in. Once we moved in at was filthy, really disgusting stains, horrendous bathroom. We informed the agency, they came round and got a team of cleaners in the next day. It came out of the previous renters deposit. Unfortunately, this is a relatively frequent issue which the agents should be used to and have the appropriate contacts to sort it.

Remember you are paying rent so you shouldn't have to sort this kind of issue out

grannyinapram · 15/03/2021 14:23

When we rented our house it was vile, the kitchen was covered in grease and food and there was actual shit in the bathroom.
Hadn't even had a hoover round and the land lord said that they had 'almost' finished cleaning...
yeah perhaps they had almost begun cleaning... unlikely.
I couldn't believe it. it took days and we soon moved out. A landlord that will rent out other peoples poo is not a good landlord.

safariboot · 15/03/2021 14:35

Your landlord is a slumlord. That broken single glazed window says it all. Unfortunately for you, you found out after you signed the contract, so unless things are so bad as to be unlawful you're liable for the fixed term's rent almost no matter what.

Look up the house's Energy Performance Certificate. It needs to have one that's within the last 10 years and at least an E, unless it's exempt. (Note that not all EPCs show up in the search.)

find-energy-certificate.digital.communities.gov.uk/

I would not expect things to ever get good. Plan on moving as soon as you can once your fixed term has expired.

Beline4u · 15/03/2021 14:50

I really dont understand, how people can leave a house in such a state!!

Can you speak with your landlord and see what they are gona so about it?

Pebbledashery · 15/03/2021 15:00

This is awful.. My rental was absolutely spotless when I moved in. Spotless. My best friend had a similar issue. Its the previous tenants responsibility to ensure that the house is Ieft in the original condition. Have you got your tenancy agreement yet, those terms will be the same for the previous tenant so when you contact the agency with photos you need to ask that the previous tenant removes all furnishings and ensures its deep cleaned. There is absolutely no way it can be moved into that state.

Dontfuckingsaycheese · 15/03/2021 16:07

Bloody hell it makes me fume the state some tenants leave their properties in. I can't believe the agent or landlord didn't do a checking out inspection. Could it be previous tenants did a flit? Even so it should be made ready for new people. When I moved out of our rented property I spent WEEKS scrubbing, dusting, wiping, piggling etc. The inspection noted every sodding detail (apart from the fact that I insisted to be there for it and they did it early without me. Grrrrr) They even noted the Charlie and Lola spider sticker I just had to leave on a cupboard shelf. I just didn't have the heart to remove it! The shelf was still spotless though. Their checking out instructions are ridiculous - Empty and washed wheelie bins, no mildew on windows, no touching up paint - you have to do the whole wall..... That is so unfair to hand it over to you like that. Glad the LL is planning to empty it but still!

jobling · 15/03/2021 16:31

You should insist on a professionally clean on entry and then you get professionally cleaned in exit. However some people don't like the cost of a deep cleaning service, cleaning carpets and oven, every nook and cranny a good service isn't cheap but it means a good standard is always passed on.

When we were accidental landlords we paid out for cleaning, inventory, check in and them out in exit. We replaced oven, repainted and made the place tip top because we had heard the bad press of landlords and disagree with landlords not caring about tenants. Sadly we got bitten the other way and the tenants trashed everything and cost us a fortune to repair and took them to court, very stressful indeed especially when the law is in the tenants side for everything!

You should take photos and send emails documenting everything. If you make a phone call document the date and time and follow up with email confirmation.
Ask them to arrange cleaners before you move in (if that's possible) but there should be a clean either way and the previous tenant should have been charged for this before the deposit was returned!
The landlord must get an inventory done I can't understand why they wouldn't, it protects both parties!
Good luck

WombatChocolate · 15/03/2021 18:03

This state is on the Landlord, not the previous tenant.

The tenant moving out is answerable to the LL for the condition.

Then it is up to the LL to get the property into lettable state, regardless of the condition they took it back in.

So, between let’s, LLs nearly always have to do something...it’s part of the job. That would often be a refreshing of paint where there are scuffs, perhaps new carpet every 5-7 years, some gardening, could be more major work such as a new bathroom or boiler. Everything should work and be clean.

The LL is responsible for the property having a window which doesn’t close and for the stuffs to the wall and dirt and stuff left behind, even if the previous tenant did all those things, in terms of the current tenant.

I agree about getting the agent to come and look with you as it will be hard to say any of it is acceptable. As I said before, email them and the Landlord every day listing everything which is unacceptable. Start going doing the agents official complaints procedure and make it clear you will take it further if you don’t get satisfaction.

I agree this is a slum landlord ...a rogue. You might force a few minor improvements gradually, but someone who starts like this is not going to be a landlord who meets the obligations you pay for...they aren’t going to respond quickly to issues and send workmen fast and without quibble if the boiler breaks, or take it as their responsibility to always provide a habitable property. This will be a constant battle and you will be treated as a nuisance, rather than as a paying customer who is entitled to what they have paid for. On this basis, I would look to give notice at the 4 month point (assuming you have a 6 month fixed term contract) and leave ASAP. As you have moved in and the tenancy has started, you are now committed.

It would have been better not to move in....but I appreciate it’s easy to say that and not so easy to carry it out if you have nowhere else to go and no money left because the rogue landlord has your deposit and first months rent.

Buyer beware. Inspect very carefully close to the move in date. Do not hand over money until you’ve done that. Do not move in if the condition isn’t satisfactory. Always go to the property with the agent or landlord so you can go round the property together to do an inventory and condition report. Insist on these things and don’t deal with LLs or agents who just want to give you the keys, or take money for a property you havent seen or only saw ages before the time for moving in. Always aim to speak with the LL even if an agent is involved as you can gauge them, as well as them gauging you. Ask for references from previous tenants. Avoid this kind of nightmares which OP is now in for months minimum.

Salome61 · 15/03/2021 20:36

I've just popped in to say I moved into my rental last February, and the tenant said he was going to shampoo the carpets.

I completed on my bungalow last Thursday, and hired a carpet shampooer to do the carpets in the rental over the weekend, I've had pets there. I've been there just over a year and have been really careful to wipe my feet, no shoes past the lino in the kitchen.

Started off well and had to empty it really quickly - the water from the back bedroom was black - I don't believe the previous tenant had shampooed the carpets. I don't believe the carpets have ever been shampooed! I hadn't used the room for a year as I'd had all my boxes in there. The carpet shampooer actually stopped working as it got clogged with muck - had to do the stairs with a sponge and the fluid in a bowl! Lovely lady at Johnsons cleaners said she'd get the engineer to look at it, and didn't charge me.

aquashiv · 16/03/2021 17:44

Get the landlord to remove the furniture and an end of tenancy clean. They can do amazing things and have the place sparkling

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