Upon inspecting his rented house, a landlord was left on the verge of tears upon witnessing the abysmal condition left by his former tenants.
Daniel Needes, a resident of Bridgend in Wales, had leased the house for two years. He had meticulously renovated the property, which was in pristine condition and equipped with new appliances, in memory of his late father.
However, to his dismay, when he visited the house less than two years later, he was stunned to discover that the property had been completely vandalized as the tenants had vacated without any prior notice.
Expressing his distress, Daniel, a single father, shared, “I rushed to the house as soon as possible, and that’s when I saw the extent of the damage. To be honest, when I first laid eyes on it, I was on the verge of tears. They had completely destroyed it.”
He further revealed that the tenants had not informed him of their departure, with the notification coming only through a letter from the Department for Work and Pensions, which had ceased rental payments as he was no longer their landlord.
Subsequent images shared revealed a ghastly scene within the house.
The kitchen was strewn with plastic bags, crushed boxes, bin bags, and empty food containers, seemingly covering the floor; the sink was overflowing with dirtied items, and a greasy fryer had been carelessly abandoned, while a partially defrosted chest freezer stood ajar.
Additionally, the tenants had left decaying food, including prescription medication such as tablets and inhalers, scattered around the kitchen and bathroom, creating a foul odor throughout the residence.
“The stench in the house was unbearable. They had transformed it into a dumping ground,” he lamented.
Photographs also depicted torn wallpaper, walls riddled with holes, and doors in disrepair, alongside a once-cream carpet now tarnished with dirt and black stains.
In addition, the tenants had left behind a surplus of unwanted belongings, including clothes and toys, throughout the property.
Daniel estimates that the cost of repair will amount to thousands of pounds.
Reflecting on the situation, he shared, “It took my father five years to renovate, and it was flawless, akin to a show home. He passed away shortly after. I had intended to move back in, but circumstances led me to rent it out. I had to reside with my mother. Strikingly, I’m thankful he isn’t here to witness the ruin they’ve wrought.”
Additionally, Daniel disclosed that the tenants had accumulated approximately £1,000 of arrears on the gas and electricity meters, leading to a cutoff of services.
Conclusively, he acknowledged that the ordeal had taught him a valuable lesson, vowing to exercise greater caution in future property rentals.
“I will restore the house to its former state and then lease it out. This setback hasn’t dissuaded me. However, going forward, I will certainly be more vigilant,” he affirmed.