Renting Advice/ Horror Stories....

[Atastrophea]

Ok, I am trapped in a horrible joint tenancy agreement that I wanted to leave 4 months ago but look like I will have to stay in until mid September unless I can find some sucker foolish enough to move in here and replace me, at which point I would be allowed to pay £300 to move out. Moral? don't let idiots(me) sign contracts..... :[

Anyone else got any horror stories to get off their chest (or advice to stop me beating myself to death with a sketchbook and ending my misery?) :nohope:

[Hyoscine]

A ceiling fell in at my old house, two days after I convinced my landlord to come round and look at this ominous crack. "It'll hold, I'll sort it next week". Jerk.

The best advice I can give is take photos of everything less than perfect of the house, and get the landlord to acknowledge them, before you sign your life away. Also, if you accidentally (briefly) set fire to a carpet, raise the pile with a wire brush, then you can get rid the offending charred stuff with nail clippers.

[MiniGoth]

Eh, I don't think it's just you.

One house I rented from slimy cheapskates. When the hot water heater broke for the last time, they actually argued about not replacing it, deciding that nobody needs hot water in the summer.

[Flake]

The best advice I can give is take photos of everything less than perfect of the house, and get the landlord to acknowledge them, before you sign your life away.

Seconding this ^

Also, if the flat is furnished check the inventory, then check it again. Dodgy landlords will always try and keep your deposit for any reason.

Wasn't my flat but a good friend of mine complained to her landlord about damp growing in the kitchen only to be told that humans exhale x amount of water per day, so if she just breathed in the kitchen less, it should be alright.
She also had birds nesting in the bathroom air venting in the same place.

I once stayed in a flat that was so cold and damp, the kitchen curtains froze solid to the window.

Then there was the student flat with the dodgy gas fire that nearly poisoned us all.

[Atastrophea]

:O wow. Its amazing the rubbish excuses that Landlords/Agents can come out with.... at least the ceiling hasnt fallen down on me yet! ;) my problem is more with rubbish housemates and not being able to leave because of the contract I signed but it could definitely be worse!

I'm feeling much better today as theres now a possibility that everyone will move out in june and that way we can just use the break clause to terminate our contract with 2 months notice *phew* much better than being stuck here until September :) *fingers crossed*

[magicgoo]

I have horror stories of my living situations that would make you barf.

Cat piss, dog vomit, blood on the walls, landlords who made you bring your own toilet, rat shit in every cupboard, ant infestations, sobbing psychotic roommates, soda encrusted carpet, moldy bathrooms, mildew covered rooms, ant poisoning on my food, leaves and chunks of soil in my shower, human feces....

No. I'm not exaggerating. When you're in your early 20s, you'll live anywhere for the stupidest reasons.

[enrigo]

my problem is more with rubbish housemates and not being able to leave because of the contract I signed

I'm being in a similar situation, there's a girl housemate who complain about every sanitary thing possible to the landlord. Somehow out of the four people here I'm the only one to blame and have to clean it up, while the other guy who stinks so bad (you know his presence from the stench long before you see him) aren't suspected of anything.

[Burtzum]

My renting advice: rent from me. We have a room for rent and we're totally chill and sane even though were all artsy.

[Atastrophea]

I would move out now if I could ; ) (although would be to wimbledon, uk, not the usa just yet lol) house full of arty people would be amazing though - hopefully when I graduate I can find one :D