I did a mutual exchange with a woman, me and my 4 year old daughter exchanged on Monday.
I had viewed the house at Xmas and said I would exchange as long as she cleaned it and took out the old carpets. (I was leaving her my carpets)
After a very long wait of about 4 months we finally got the move date, it was the longest day ever and we didn't get to the house until 6pm. When I walked through the door I was gobsmacked.
Let me paint a picture; a heap of rubbish out the front, urine on the bathroom floor, wet mud on the kitchen floor, dry shit on the carpets, a human ponytail and an old plaster arm cast in the kitchen cupboard. There was thick dirt in every inch of the house, dry fly poo all over the walls, a dirty mattress in the spare room and garden, an old reptile tank in the shed.
My daughter was asleep in the car so me, my sister and her partner spent 2 hours cleaning so it was almost child proof. It was so disgusting and we were already exhausted. I messaged the lady saying how upset I was, as I had bleached and hoovered my flat for her arrival. Instead of unpacking and putting our feet up, we literally had to scrub shit off the walls. I spent £100 on cleaning products, and a further £80 on a cleaner as my sister had to go home for work.
The lady's response was I can't have everything my way, and that it's my fault she didn't clean? She also said her partner died in the small bedroom and he walks around at night, I will hear his footsteps she said.
I can't settle in the house, I'm exhausted beyond belief, all I have done is clean, my hands are raw from bleach.
The council are aware but there is nothing they can do. There is a skip load of her items on the front garden that she promised to collect Wednesday, it's still there.