To think this is unacceptable - photos attached

[Pinkdot97]

I signed for the keys for a private rent today and the landlord then rushed off saying he has an emergency appointment. I looked round the house and some photos below of the cleanliness. green thing is some substance on the carpet. This is only a few photos but the whole house needs deep cleaning. I’ve since spoke to him and he’s refusing to have someone out to clean it so I have to do it all. The toilet is also filthy and has waste in it.

Aibu to think it isn’t acceptable? I did look round the house but that’s when the previous tenants were still in, I was expecting it to be cleaned when they moved out.

Film and picture it with date stamps so you don't get stung with it later. We (Ireland) don't have a deposit protection system so sometimes (almost always) a landlord tries to steal it. Can you find out if they stole the deposit from the previous tenant for cleaning purposes?

If there's no inventory the landlord is very unlikely to be able to claim for any damage, particularly if the OP makes her own condition report (with photos and by email). The deposit schemes tend to rule in the tenants' favour when there is no inventory as it's up to the landlord to be able to prove there is a change in condition which it is almost impossible for them to do without an inventory.

I don’t understand how you could have missed that filth when you did a viewing even when the other family were still living in the houses. You must have seen it.

No inventory is a good thing. The landlord then can't sting her for anything. He is the one that has to 'prove' the OP has caused damage, left the property dirty or removed items.

Bet he charged the last tenant a hefty cleaning fee as well.

I think that actually needs some refurbishment not just cleaning. I'm a landlord, I always do a video inventory with the tenant before move in including filming the tenants comments about the place.

All the houses I’ve rented stipulated I had to do a deep clean or organise a deep clean before leaving. Inventory was done before and after too with a separate company. Dodgy landlord!

Exactly and OP was at the empty house with the LL and signed the contract there. She should have raised the condition of the property before signing the contract. Tenants should use their eyes and common sense and not sign until they are satisfied.

Take huge numbers of photos. Confirm with him this is the state he is happy to have it back in

In some cases there are 10 or more people competing for each rental property. If OP hadnt signed she could have lost it.
The Uk rental market is brutal at the moment, especially at the price point I suspect OP is at

What you have here is a scum landlord.

This won’t be the only thing that he hasn’t done. Have you had the following?

-details of deposit protection
-valid EPC
-renters guide
-gas and electrical safety certs
-does the property have a carbon monoxide detector and working smoke alarms

I’m a landlord and people like this drive me mad, my tenants get absolutely everything and these people do absolutely nothing.

If OP followed this advice she'd receive a Section 21 asap. The best option seems for OP not to rent this property and find somewhere else. She shouldn't have signed the contract with property not in satisfactory condition. She was there in the house with LL, could see the condition yet still signed the contract.

I think you know the mistake you made - you should have walked around the property with the Landlord and pointed out all the dirt / faults, and NOT signed anything before you saw it. You would also have had more back up if you had used an agent.
You made a mistake this time - one you won’t repeat in future, and now you will either have to pay a cleaning company to go in or do it yourself.

This. Definitely speak to the scheme who hold your deposit for advice. I’d always be nervous about renting directly from a LL. I know not all are bad before anyone starts.

Get all your ducks in a row asap. Document everything… dates and times etc for proof.

I’d be so upset if I were you. Good luck.

This guy is a total cowboy. Run for the hills, he’ll make your life hell. I bet loads of stuff is broken and he won’t fix it.

OK it's disgusting - but at least he wont be able to get a penny back off you when you move out unless you smash the place up completely. Photograph and video everything. Check the condition of any extractor fans and vents, photograph the toilet, upend and photograph the underside of any furniture. Take hundreds of photos, upload to cloud storage as I believe that confirms the date.

Oven pride is a great oven kit, can sometimes be picked up cheap in Aldi or Tesco.

So many red flags here, all been stated by very helpful MNers.

Good luck with resolving it one way or the other, OP.

There is absolutely no point not looking around and signing a contract you won't be happy with. I know there is a shortage of properties as I'm a LL and I get about 20 requests to rent after a day of viewings. It's a nightmare and I feel bad having to turn many down because honestly most of the tenants seem suitable but only 1 can rent it.

You need to take a time stamped video of all the damages and dirt. You also need to take time stamped photos of everything. Then email him a copy for his re order. After that I'd pay for it to be cleaned if you can afford it. I would then NOT clean it on exit. It will still ve cleaner when you leave than when you got it.

Honestly, it doesn't bode well for what sort of landlord he will be. How long is the tenancy?

I bet the cheeky git charged the last tenants for cleaning as well!

I’d be looking at ways to get out of the contract. This place is shocking. Can you stay where you are and keep looking? Please contact someone who deals with housing issues in your local area.

Not only is that disgusting its firstly a highly serious health and safe guarding issue.
Is it now too late to hand the keys back. If they’re not prepared to leave the house in an acceptable state for their tenant to move into what else would they refuse to do (urgent repairs ect)

I would contact the landlord and say you are not moving in til it has been cleaned professionally. The are better photos - the ones you have posted are very blurry and could be of anywhere.
I don't get it - I'm a landlord and you better believe everything has to be pristine (I let through an agency) before they would let a tenant in.

From the op: ‘ I did look round the house but that’s when the previous tenants were still in, I was expecting it to be cleaned when they moved out.’

Really people need to read the post properly before making themselves look silly!

What if the ll produces one? I think I'd get it written down that there's no inventory and sent to him to ignore or rebuff. Our agent did the inventory AFTER our tennants had moved in. By then things was dirty, like the oven trays. For me it's irrelevant as I'm not going to claim for a dirty oven tray on check out. But in OPs shoes I'd cover my arse.