December 20th 2024.
Renting a place to live in the UK can be quite a wild experience. From exorbitant prices to troublesome flatmates, tenants often have to deal with a lot. It's no wonder that Gen Z and Millennials have been labeled as 'Generation Rent.' In fact, in London, the average rent is a staggering £1,625 per month, which is 50% higher than anywhere else in the UK. This is definitely not pocket change.
Over the years, there have been numerous reports of landlords with outrageous behavior. One landlord was notorious for timing his tenant's showers and even restricted them to only two minutes. Another tenant unknowingly paid rent to a fake landlord for six months before the real owner showed up to evict him. With these horror stories in mind, we decided to ask our readers for their own landlord tales.
One reader, Jess, shared her experience of renting a room in London with her girlfriend. In their contract, there was a specific clause that stated fans were not allowed to be used on the premises. And if they did use one, they would be charged £10 a week. With a heatwave hitting the city, Jess and her girlfriend couldn't resist using a fan in their room. And although she won't admit whether she broke the rule or not, she hopes her landlord enjoyed whatever he was able to buy with the small amount of money he saved on electricity.
Another reader, Laura, had to deal with a blocked kitchen sink in her shared flat. When she called her landlord for help, he suggested she buy sulfuric acid and pour it down the drain. Not only was this a dangerous solution, but Laura also didn't feel comfortable handling such a corrosive substance. When she refused, her landlord became hostile and threatened to throw away her belongings and change the locks if she didn't leave the property. Laura, who hadn't signed a proper tenancy agreement, decided to cut her losses and leave.
Will, a London resident, shared his experience of living in a flat with a landlord who had cameras installed on every floor. He found out when the landlord messaged the tenants, stating that any guests had to be pre-approved and pay a fee of £10 per night. Will was shocked that his landlord was monitoring their every move.
Emma, who moved to Leeds, had a rude awakening when she arrived at her new house to find a builder smoking on her front step. As she entered the house, she discovered that the whole downstairs was still under renovation, which her landlord had failed to mention. With no functioning kitchen, her landlord suggested they eat at his friend's Chinese takeaway for free. Emma and her roommates declined, not wanting to live on takeaway food for a week.
Rob, who lived in London, had a scary encounter when someone tried to break into his flat. Although they were unsuccessful, they did damage the door, which needed to be replaced. However, his landlord tried to make them pay for the replacement, claiming it should come out of their contents insurance. It wasn't until one of Rob's flatmates threatened legal action that the landlord finally agreed to fix the door. But he still managed to cut corners and install one less lock.
Lastly, Cat shared her experience of being asked to pay an extra £50 a month to park on her landlord's driveway, which was part of the house and had plenty of space. She saw this as a way for her landlord to make more money and refused to pay.
Do you have a landlord story to share? We would love to hear from you. Please email us at [insert email address].
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[Generative AI is experimental.]
