A landlord is heartbroken after discovering his flat has been destroyed by a tenant from hell. The flat in Swansea, Wales, was left filled with rubbish, bottles and cans, clothes and even mouldy food and cat faeces in the bathtub.
The photographer from WalesOnline said it was the "worst place" he'd been during a 20-year career. Landlord Lee Locking claims that the tenant said to keep the deposit due to the mess, but now says he feels the letting agents, who managed to property have let him down.
He said they shouldn't have let the flat get to this state. Lee, 56, now has the overwhelming task of restoring the flat - which includes it needing a new kitchen, bathroom and carpets, plus getting rid of what he says is up to four tonnes of trash.
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The property is disgusting, with a litter tray filled with the cat's leavings, boxes and jars filled with mouldy food and empty cartons of milk. One room seems to have been used as a makeshift tip, filled with bin bags, Amazon deliveries, clothes and takeaway containers, so you can't even see the floor.
The bathroom, said to be worst room, has the bathtub crusted with the cat's faeces, the toilet seat dirty and hanging to the bowl, whilst the toilet has clearly never been cleaned. It is also filled with used tissues and empty food packets, and the entire property is said to have a stench to it.
Despite getting back the £400 deposit, the cost of making the flat as it was is likely to soar. Lee said: "It'll easily cost me a few thousand, I'll need to replace all the carpets, the kitchen, the bathroom. I've been told there is at least three to four tonnes of rubbish to clear. I'm at breaking point with it.
"I understand that people may struggle with their mental health, and keeping on top of cleaning might be tough for them, and I really feel for them, but John Francis allowed it to get to this state."
Lee had no previous experience of being a landlord, and was assured the letting agents, John Francis, would manage the property. Lee said: "I feel really annoyed and angry that I've let them manage my property for the past five years and this is the state it's been returned to me in.
"They were supposed to vet the tenants and be the main point of contact for any problems. The flat was meant to be no pets allowed but there has clearly been a cat in the property. They've taken 12% plus VAT for five years and now they've left me in limbo."
A John Francis spokesperson said: "John Francis Lettings takes any customer complaint extremely seriously. We are in receipt of an official complaint from the landlord and which we are currently investigating. We will liaise directly with the landlord to resolve the issues."
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