YUCK!!! Cleaning out fridge and freezer at our new rental property and....

[Becaroooo]

...its disgusting

The letting agent is meeting me there at 4.15pm as I have complained at the way its been left...

We are due to move in on Friday and the int dishwasher doesnt work (guy is supposed to be coming out today) and the int fridge and freezer are horrid.

Main issue is that the freezer has a lot of water in the bottom of it (its been empty for a few weeks) and there is mold growing on the sides and freezer trays.

How on earth;
a) do I get the water out?
b) clean the mold? and
c) make it ok to use?

Tbh we have a chest freezer we could keep in the garage to use - should I just ask for a reduction in rent and buy a small larder fridge?

Help!!!

I would not clean it. You are the ones moving in right? Therefore they need to leave it in a decent state.

I would

a) demand it is cleaned to a reasonable state
b) do your option of chest freezer/reduction in rent.

Up to you, but it isn't your responsibility to be cleaning it out. I doubt the last tenants realised you need to leave a fridge/freezer door open when it has been switched off.

Yes we are moving in...I am really upset as its been very stressful...we didnt want to have to rent but 2 house purchases fell through so here we are.

I am not sure the landlord would pay to replace the appliances though

oh, I'm disappointed... I was expecting some ageing chicken or, possibly, a rat.

Agree, don't clean it, make the landlord sort it.

So, what do I say to the letting agent then?

(sorry, dh is out of the country and I am about at the end of my tether with all this)

Sorry soup Its just general filth!!

If you did want to clean it out then use a cup to scoop out as much water as you can (if it is deep enough) and then use a sponge/absorbant cloth to get the dregs out. You could then use a bleach/water solution to wash any mouldy bit/the drawers, etc

A mop and bucket is great for cleaning a chest freezer. Use it to soak up the water thats in there (put the bucket in the bottom so you're not sloshing water everywhere) then splash some hot water and and some bleach in there, give it a scrub round with the mop, then use a cloth to get under the seals, and use the mop to get all the water back out

For the fridge, a mild bleach solution should be sufficient to get any mould out unless its been there a long time. I've had to use raw bleach with lots of rinsing afterward before now