A Glasgow resident “burst into tears” when she discovered multiple issues in her new flat, including cockroaches, damaged furniture and mould.
Jess Banks and her four-year-old toy poodle, Cooper, were met with a harrowing scene when they arrived at the two-bedroom flat in Rutherglen, South Lanarkshire on Friday 30 June.
The flat, rented from AVJ Homes for £1,750 (which included a deposit and one month’s rent), was infested with cockroaches and riddled with mould.
Jess was forced to vacate the property just three days after moving in due to the appalling condition of the property, which led her to resort to temporary accommodation.
Her enthusiasm for renting her first flat quickly turned to outrage at the poor state of the property.
She told Glasgow Live: “As soon as I got inside the property, I saw cockroaches all in the kitchen with mould all around the windows. The windows were cracked so water was getting in and contributing to the mould.
“The property was in disrepair – the fixtures and fittings were all broken, the bath is cracked, the shower heads were caked in mould and broken, both toilet seats were broken, the kitchen cupboards were hanging off the hinges, the pipe to the washing machine cannot be turned on as it leaks, the kitchen sink leaks, and the carpets were covered in stains.
“I was so excited because it was the first time I had keys to a flat of my own. I literally burst into tears.
“I was so upset and didn’t want to stay there but felt like I had no choice but to try and attempt to make it clean and homely.”
Jess says she spent six hours cleaning the flat, with her family lending a hand. But despite his best efforts, the house still did not seem as comfortable and welcoming as he had hoped. She made the difficult decision to leave and has been without a home since Monday, July 3.
She added: “I don’t have anywhere to stay so I am sleeping on a friend’s sofa. It’s so stressful and I had to take a day off work with unpaid leave.
“The tenancy agreement said it had to be a safe and habitable environment with all the walls and windows sealed, which they weren’t. It said it had to be clean and liveable but it wasn’t.
“I can’t get another property until they give me my money back because I need it to put a deposit on a new place. I don’t want this to happen to anyone else.”
After being contacted by Glasgow Live, the letting agency informed Jess that the landlord would refund her rent and deposit, and she returned the keys on Thursday 6 July.
AVJ Homes stated that it is conducting a full investigation into the matter.
