Landlord Storing Items + Mould Issue

Unclear101

Hello,

I am hoping someone could help.

Recently rented a small flat with one storage cupboard (boiler cupboard). It's an unfurnished flat but this cupboard has been left full of random items.

Our landlord is refusing to remove them. We have tried to meet in the middle and allow some items to stay (for example kettle that could be used by next tenants as he wants to go back to furnished renting in the future) but he is steadfastly refusing to move any of them out. We are talking some real rubbish here, like a broken ironing board. It means we have less than half of that space to use ourselves now.

Estate Agent has been unable to convince him.

Also, there are curtains in the property, they have visible mould on the inside. Again he is refusing to replace them and wont even let us replace them ourselves.

The more I read our Assured Short Hold Tenancy the less clear I am on what we can do about him storing personal items in our space. Is there any recourse we have here, in which case, what was stopping him filling the place with crap before we moved in! We have a few days to respond to the check in inventory but I'd really like to get this resolved as it's not the best way to start a tenancy.

Thanks!

davidmcn

If it's obviously junk then just bin it - what's he going to do, ask you to find a replacement broken ironing board?

Replace the curtains. If he really wants, keep the mouldy ones so he can have them back at the end of the tenancy.

csgohan4

if you throw them away, take pictures and notify the LL by mail so you have a trail and have tried to notify them if a dispute happens

Robots

In the past I've boxed up the items I don't want in a rented property then left the box out when I've moved out. I agree with taking photos of everything.

pinklady21

If the landlord is refusing to remove the items, it could be that:
1. he does not care
2. he has nowhere else to put them
3. he may not think of them as junk and genuinely intends to use them again at some point.

You would therefore be ill advised to dispose of them or store them anywhere they could be lost or damaged without his permission. Seems like he may be unlikely to grant such permission.

So - you are either stuck with them, or can box them up and leave them somewhere for him to collect, while also ensuring nothing untoward happens to them, as if it did, he might then try and claim the "value" back off you.
Re the curtains, ensure the condition is noted on the inventory.
Take them down, and store in the cupboard with everything else, then put them back up at the end of the tenancy.

xylophone

Could you photograph the curtains and the stored items, box them up and deliver them to the landlord?

ripplyuk

Is this stuff listed on the inventory?

G_M

ripplyuk wrote: »

Is this stuff listed on the inventory?

Indeed. If not then it does not exist.


When you move out: "Ironing board? What ironing board??"

However if you have now admitted the presence of the ironing board in writing the landlord could rely on that as evidence that he DID leave an ironing board in the property and you have failed to return the ironing board with the property when you leave.... even if its value is negligible.

diggingdude

Ask landlord what contribution he will be making towards storage fees and insurance. Ask landlord if you can store some things of yours in their house as it only seems fair.

Sorry nothing I can say to help it just really grates me how arrogant some (not most) landlords are

ancientofdays

Would things belonging to the landlord be covered on your personal contents insurance? I'm not being sarcastic, I just have no idea.

G_M

ancientofdays wrote: »

Would things belonging to the landlord be covered on your personal contents insurance? I'm not being sarcastic, I just have no idea.

Absolutely not. Hence landlords with contents in the property usually have their own contents insurance.


This mostly applies with furnished properties, but many landlords buildings policies include a token £5K of contents cover - enough for carpets, curtains, fridge, freezer...... and ironing board.