Buying my flat was the worst mistake of my life.

[bibshamed]

6 months ago, at 22 years old, I bought a 3 bed duplex/maisonette flat in Aldershot. It was fine, I liked living there, and we made it home. Well, my 4 year relationship fell apart, and I realised I only bought it because he loved it and I wasn't happy there. I moved back with my Mum in Cambridge and realised I made the biggest mistake of my life. It's in a terrible area of Aldershot, with electrical issues.

I had 2 nightmare lodgers who eventually left and are now threatening me with small claims court for not returning their deposit, despite leaving the place in a bad condition after, constantly complained and lied about extent of repairs needed, only 2 months (smoking weed inside, not ventilating or heating it, so mould) AND running into arrears.

I put down a £50k deposit, which I saved for 5 years while living at home and studying, for that money. I have priced it so that hopefully to break even after estate agent and conveyancing fees. I don't know why I moved so far away from my family, it was a huge mistake, and I realised I was only happy living there because I was with Him. I don't know what to do I just want to cry. I don't think anyone will buy it. I paid 165k for it. I think I may have overpaid. I feel so stupid.

OP if this is real and you genuinely are the owner of the flat (and a teacher) please ask Mumsnet to take it down. Firstly you have overshared, and secondly when you are selling a property, you don't want to go on the record saying you regret buying it as it is in a terrible area and "rubbish".

If you do rent it out OP, make sure you get landlords' insurance.

You'll be fine, you've got property at a very young age!

OP - I hope everything works out with your property. You seem to have done such a lot from 17-23. Can I ask what you meant by my '3 degrees'

The estate agent photos make it appear that way, they need to do better for their client. No one has stuck the boot in OP.

No need to say people who can't see that the ugly cable is a light have 'half a brain'.

Who's being referred to then. Father xmas?

where is the 3rd bedroom? it looks amazing for the montey - just a bit studenty but so what!
Maybe try once more to rent the whole thing or sell up and take your money and try again another time - perhaps a small house

Yes, this is a good point.

I'm also still baffled about the bit where he found you "blue" and threw a helium canister at the wall. Were you inhaling helium?

You really should have this deleted.

You poor thing, people are awful aren't they. But you live and learn. Please try to rent again because it's paying the mortgage for you and this is essential for you to get something out of it in a few years

I asked MN to take it down yesterday before people figured it out. They removed my posts trying to steer away from it instead!!

ive sent the pic of one of the other bedrooms hoping the agent will upload it

Does your LA have a scheme whereby they take over propertys to rent out for their housing list tenants? Ours does, so a guaranteed rent, no need to deal with the tenants, the authority returns the property to you in decent condition after a period of some years. You might need to sort out the mortgage to a buy to let but you wouldn’t have the hassle of selling and losing possible equity.

Stop whining; stop looking for people to blame, take responsibility for yourself.

If you lived with the vandal weedsmokers as "lodgers" you had ample opportunity to prevent those problem behaviours .

If you lived elsewhere, not sharing it with them, they are tenants not lodgers and everybody is on a very different legal footing.

BF was your cocklodger.

If you let your cocklodger choose which property you bought with your money and your mortgage, more fool you. Your fault not his.

Trying to sell the flat as an abandoned uninhabited stinking dump, guarantees the lowest possible price. Don't run home to Mum (again). You need to be living in your flat, cleaning it up and presenting it to best advantage as YOUR HOME,
which you occupy.

If you can’t figure out the “finding them” blue but that’s your own issue, but not kind to hound the OP about it.

Maybe google “why would someone be blue”, reread the post and connect the dots. And grow a bit of sympathy.

My son had saved that himself by 22 and would have been able to get a mortgage at 22 of that (and slightly more).

And to make some mumsnetters feel happier- most of his GCSE grades were C. (plus one B, one D and one E)

Oh for goodness sake @Nordix.

Not being at all unsympathetic.

She's a teacher and she's posted information that has led to somebody posting her home, whilst she has also posted some very personal information so I'm suggesting she has the thread deleted, whilst my previous post said that the properly purchase was not the end of the world and was in no way unsympathetic. So stop getting your knickers needlessly in a twist.

And no, I don't have much experience with turning blue from helium, and I wouldn't consider that to be a "problem" that I don't 🙄

Take a breath. You’ve had a lot happen in a short time and the legalities of lodgers and selling can be daunting at any age.
It’s a good size flat —- might appeal to a landlord who’ll have 3 sharing, or a family could buy as it’s a more reasonable price for a family home.
Lodgers don’t have the same legal rights as tenants. Take photos of their damage, get someone to collaborate the smell of weed as you can’t document that. Then write to them stating the damage, itemise repair costs and show the deductions from their deposit. If they threaten small claims let them, you have a stronger case.
Then get 3 agents to value your property for sale ( you are selling due to work transfer or family commitments forcing a relocation ) Don’t mention any problems you’ve had — wait you be asked.
This will work out, I’ve been were you are thinking this ( awful) house won’t sell— but it did.
And it’s all experience!

You have doe amazingly well to buy a property at your age. This is a good investment. The flat looks lovely and if you can get that kind of rent that is good.
Don't do anything rash (if it is the one, I found on PrimeLocation above the shops.)

Find a good agent and let them manage it. It will rent out.
Will the rental cover the mortgage?
Rember you can only put 25% of the mort interest against the income.
You may have penalties on your morg so selling might not be viable and I think that is not in your best interests.

A $165k outlay for £1100 monthly return is very good. BTL owners would jump at that return (I appreciate there are other costs so not a perfect return, nor would a BTL owner ut down the whole amount)

You have gone through a lot over the last 6 months. Give yourself a break.
You are doing brilliantly and have a great future.

As for the nightmare lodges, write everything down, all the costs to repair and replace with the photos. Do a dossier and they will go away.

Best of luck

Is it the one with "no onward chain" and only 5 photos?

I just looked at Aldershot on Rightmove...£165 k is nothing!

You will surely be able to sell at a profit?

I think you should be proud of yourself for even doing all that at your age!

Try not to panic. What a difficult time you’ve had recently. 💐💐

Take up the poster’s advice about having people make suggestions via photo for how to market it and stay calm.

Out of curiosity how did you do three degrees by 22?

@bibshamed are you allowed to rent out your flat under the terms of your mortgage?

Usually it's not allowed. If you are doing it without telling the bank/lender, you could be in big trouble.

You must have a hefty mortgage on an NQT salary of around £27K. ( I used to be a teacher.)

I'm not sure what your question is.

You need to make really sure that your mortgage allows you to rent it out. My DD owned a flat and considered renting it when she and her partner moved in together, but her mortgage wouldn't allow the flat to be rented.

I really do think you are breaking the terms of your mortgage as you are now treating it as a Buy to Let.

You were young and you gave it a go. Do not beat yourself up about it.

Sell it. Hopefully you will break even. If you don't then try not to worry, you have your whole life to recover from this. Keeping it or renting it out will do a number on your health.

As for the ex-tenants, was the deposit protected by that scheme? I think you can keep some of the deposit for damage.

You can't have done THREE degrees by the age of 21.

what do you mean?