Flat trashed after eviction. Landlord Basra faces £5000 cleaning cost. Flat was once “immaculate”, now a mess.
Bas Basra owns the Folkestone flat, where the tenant lived for twelve years. Cleaning may cost him £5,000, as the flat used to be “immaculate” before.
The flat was a mess, with belongings abandoned and rubbish covering every room. Cooking hobs were rusty, mould covered the windows, and plumbing leaked badly.
The property was in terrible shape, so Mr. Basra’s contractor refused to work. The landlord was very shocked by photos of the damage.
They left everything behind, including alcohol, a sofa, and mattresses. The bed, cutlery, and dishes remained, and the flat wasn’t aired out at all.
Mould sealed the windows shut and cobwebs looked like Halloween stuff. Cleaning supplies were present, but the tenant evidently never used them.
Mr. Basra started legal action because he couldn’t inspect the flat and wanted to sell the property. Cleaners were turned away too, due to the home’s awful state.
He felt demoralized by it all because he invested much in the buildings. It is disheartening to see them ruined since he usually rents to people in need.
He fixes problems quickly and is always available for tenants, because fixing problems is in his best interest to avoid messes like this.
Mr. Basra plans to sell now, because mortgage costs and taxes are too high. The tenant paid just under £600 monthly, and authorities didn’t help him.
“I am not a doctor,” he stated, nor is he a social worker. Duty of care can only extend so far, and councils are very overwhelmed.
Folkestone council did not take any action, even though Mr. Basra owns properties across Folkestone, where demand for rentals is very high and he could fill 100 more.
It’s a crazy rental market, where he gets lots of viewings. Since 2019, Folkestone is more popular and people move there from London (DFLs).
Demand raised rental costs, which rose 36% since 2019. This is Kent’s biggest increase, and average rent is now £989, with few flats costing under £1000 monthly.
Folkestone and Hythe District Council replied that they work with renters and landlords and are helpful.
They help with housing issues and refer people to agencies. Renters must report issues first, and they give the landlord’s contact, so a housing officer can carry out inspections.
Renters must use properties responsibly, which means reporting needed repairs. They should ventilate, maintain, and clean, and they must dispose of rubbish.
Not doing so breaches agreements, so the landlord might evict the tenant. They serve notice and get a court order
The Renters (Reform) Bill was announced to end Section 21 evictions. Landlords can’t evict without a reason, and they need to give two months’ notice before.
Tax hikes were announced for landlords, as stamp duty went from 3% to 5%. This applies to buy-to-let owners now.