Infested flat

adonai

Hi all,

Found a shared flat. Looked like a decent 3bed, 2 people living in there. Top floor - nice, spacious etc. People were good. I've paid the 1 months rent and the deposit on 27th Sept. Collected the keys and signed the agreement with the landlord on 30th Sept. Yesterday on my first day (before even moving in with my stuff) came there to do some cleaning. Noticed a heavy carpet beetle infestation - larvae crawling in between wooden floor planks, in the bathroom, on the bed frame, on the mattress (!). And so on. Disgusting. Not moving in there. I know that I will get 1 months rent, but what about the deposit? How does the law works in such cases?

Sleeper12

You could give the landlord opportunity to clear the infestation. One visit from an exterminater would sort it out.

adonai

I had one experience with infestation like this in the past. It took almost 6 months, chemical treatments every couple of weeks, property need to be accessed and vacant for hours, deep clean every time, moving all of the stuff and furniture etc. Proofing had to be done due to large gaps left around pipes etc. I've been through this and it was horrible. I was extremely dedicated to solve it before because I was already living in that other property. Not doing this all over again. So, it's not as easy as it seems. And this infestation in that place was even worse. And I can't wait with moving in. That's the main point: the flat is not suitable for living. It might be in the future. So, what about the return of the deposit?

meijin

adonai wrote: »

So, what about the return of the deposit?

The place is not suitable for living.

Document conditions, take photos & videos, and demand return of both rent and deposit. If it doesn't happen, file a dispute with RTB, or contact Threshold first.

adonai

Sound advice. If you wouldn't put your kids in such place, you should not be living in there either.

The landlord told me that he will ''I'd like to wait and meet the Rentokil representative tomorrow afternoon first and see what his conclusion is. We can agree what's fair then. ''but of course the Rentokil might say ''oh yes you can certainly live with all the live/dead matter in here during the treatments no bother'' - anyway I won't be going through the same thing I did in the past, I know what it means. I'll wait, and file a dispute with the RTB. Can this still be done if my tenancy wasn't registered with them?

meijin

adonai wrote: »

The landlord told me that he will ''I'd like to wait and meet the Rentokil representative tomorrow afternoon first and see what his conclusion is.

maybe he'll be reasonable

adonai wrote: »

Can this still be done if my tenancy wasn't registered with them?

yes

adonai

Exactly. He sounds like a genuinely good person. So I'll just wait and see.