Dirty bedsit

[MuyBien]

Hi all, just moved in and it's really dirty. The landlord said was professionally cleaned which was bullshit. Here is a list of problems;

1. Old and brown poison mouse trap behind oven with mouse droppings running along the back bottom of kitchen wall

1. Oven glass completely brown and old greasy food stuck to it on inside

1. Extraction fan filter completely brown.

1. Shower full of limescale

1. Food crumbs over surfaces and of bits of food lying around.

1. The room has a musty cat litter smell

1. New mattress has stains.

I just plugged in a fabreeze scent thingy to try and mask the smell

This is normal when renting? I was living with family for the last 2 years and previously the family home.

Keep on at the agent or the landlord and tell them you are going to hire an end of tenancy cleaner to clean everything properly usually £250
Buy a new mattress

And charge them via invoice!

And if they don't pay it you'll take them to small claims court.

They didn't even do an inventory with you present which actually against the law!
Look up gov.uk and your rights as a tenant.

Keep all receipts

Hi, I took photos on my phone but do I need to buy a digital camera with a date / time stamp? I signed tenancy on the 8th of July so hopefully it's not too late.

I think is a HMO, just Googled it. It's 4 flats with the same address.

What did you sign? If you've signed an inventory then you have a problem - if you haven't signed an inventory then they won't have a leg to stand on at the other end of the tenancy (not that that helps you now)

england.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice/private_renting/houses_in_multiple_occupation_hmo

Check shelter for help. Your agent should also be on this - they can get emergency repairs done and charge the landlord - but you need to be sure about what you've signed, and you need to be on them - this is not right, they are taking advantage.

As to the pictures - if you've emailed them all to the agent, that's a date stamp, but make sure you keep copies of all those because agents have been known to 'lose' them

It sounds disgusting and I would go back to the letting agent and insist they do a personal inspection of the premises. You shouldn't have to do a deep clean on a bedsit the day you move in, it should have already been done.

Kenneth Lloyds Limited is the estate agent I'm using

They said on Wednesday they would send someone to see the property and see the property but no one has come yet.

Hi everyone, the landlord is avoiding doing a check-in report. I have taken photos but not of everything because there is a lot! I also have videos but I don't know if I can use them? They show more than what the photos do.

Can I still take more photos and then email them everything?

I moved in the 8th and I've asked multiple times for a check-in report but he keeps delaying!!!

Hmmmm. I would be tempted to ring environmental health for advice.

Done through a letting agency? Before I could hand my keys back I was sent an email with all the things I had to do before leaving the property. I had to clean all the carpets all the way through. Repaint all the walls and fill in any holes I'd put in to hang pictures up (I didn't as the only ones hung up were on hooks already in the wall when I moved in) clean the oven out and the oven door, defrost the freezer and give the fridge a wipe down. I'd have done those 3 anyway. I also cleaned the inside and outside of the wardrobes and drawers of the fitted furniture and made a note of anything that needed repairing which was the pull cord of the light switch in the bathroom, which typically snapped off the day I was moving out and I think the flush on the toilet was the other one. The bed, settee, a few bits of furniture and washing machine were mine but everything else was in when I moved in

I'd show up at the agency with the photos and kick up a fuss till they send someone ! And post on their website and social media too. Make it as messy as you can to incentivize them to actually do their job.

As the owner for the details of the cleaner so you can contact them and complain (this way you'll know whether the place was actually cleaned or not - I suspect not). Odds are the owner will look for some excuse not to give you the cleaner's detail (because there was no cleaner).

Hi, my tenancy agreement says the same thing even though it wasn't cleaned when I moved in.

Hi everyone, thank you all for the info and advice you gave me.

The letting agent delivered a new mattress but was very rude about it!!

I ended up cleaning the property myself as they weren't going to clean it.

My problem now is that the letting agent is ignoring all requests to do a check-in report but replying to other emails that I send.

I don't know what to do.

I sent him an email with a video of the whole property and also a dropbox link to view in higher quality but still didn't get a reply.

Tell the landlord and letting agents that you will be getting the council EH department to issue an enforcement notice (they will be fined if they don't comply).

I would check and see if your deposit was put
into the deposit scheme.
If not, Shelter will be able to give you some great advice along with other housing issues.

The property is now in a livable state. New mattress was supplied and bedsit was cleaned properly by me and family member.

My only issue is with the check-in report which they keep ignoring. Something seems fishy.

The letting agent enrolled me into the scheme.

Deposit awaiting 30 day clearance

@MuyBien
so glad that you got a new mattress - is it starting to feel more like your home now it’s been cleaned properly ?
good tip to keep on top of the cleaning now as you go along it is much easier and will be when you move on

It does feel more like a home thanks

Thanks for tip also :)

The letting agency I'm using is really bloody dodgy. The supposed director who I am in contact with keeps dodging the check-in report.

I'm really worried about what his end game is!!

Does anyone know of a reason why he would block a check-in report? Because I am thinking about contacting a solicitor to write him a letter.

Just to add more info...

He has said to me twice about sending me the inventory list. Once when picking up the keys(8th July) and then again on the 12th of July. I still have nothing from him and have asked twice more and no reply.

I don’t think they have an end game as such - just sounds inept and unscrupulous and can’t be bothered to do their job properly, just likes taking his fees for doing basically f**k all. It is positive he provided a new mattress though seems he is taking you seriously up to a point.
Next time (there will be one) go with a more reputable agency perhaps one that has recommendations / good online testimonials
also you can give them an honest review about your experience when the time comes to move on.
I wouldn’t worry too much about your deposit as long as it is registered
have they given you the details of that ? The reference number etc ?
The Deposit Scheme people are okay

They do seem like they just want people in the property and not care about what it looks like.I should of checked the reviews as they are bad.

The letting agent enrolled me into the DPS and it says "Deposit awaiting 30 day clearance"

Before you speak to a solicitor, speak to Shelter for advice .