22nd
May 2014
Mr. Feeney, a landlord in Blackpool, rented out his home to a mother with three children believing that they would respect the property as their family home.
After visiting the property after they had left, he now firmly believes that there were more people living in the property who did not give a damn about causing damage to the home.
Mr. Feeney is not the first landlord in Blackpool left having to redress the vandalism and having to face a massive cleanup bill. He found that the house was in disgusting stage with rubbish and dirt thrown all over the place together with graffiti on wall.
He faces a bill of over £2,000 and there are even some estate agents who will no longer handle private rented homes as the cases of damage within Blackpool by tenants are increasing daily.
Unfortunately Mr. Feeney decided not to take a bond or deposit from the tenants, said: “I spent £5,000 before re-renting it and they have vandalised it and left it in a sorry state, but the council have given these people a brand new council flat.
“The whole house is pretty much ruined. It will have to be gutted, and the last time this happened it cost £1,000 to take everything to the tip.
“I don’t know how people can treat a property like this then get a new one.
“The council should have had a look at my property, then told them they weren’t entitled to another one.
“I will easily have to spend another four or five thousand pounds on it. I don’t know how the carpet has got into that state – it looks like they have had cattle in there.”
Richard Merrick of PIMS says:" We know of a council that has instructed all tenants on their books who leave their homes in a disgusting state, will be banned from a new council home.
"Greenwich Council implemented this policy after figures showed that approximately 5% of their tenants had wrecked their homes with an estimated cost of repair of £4,000 per property.
"More councils should protect their private landlords, as they like anybody else provides them with income, but everybody is too quick to blame landlords for unruly tenants and want to introduce licensing schemes.
"Councils should be made accountable for anti-social behaviour as they will re-house the vandals at everybody's expense."
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