I would like to think that I am a tolerant, fair and reasonable person but there have been a few times in life when I have encountered someone whom I have very little time for. More often than not, these people have little-to-no emotional intelligence. They do not ‘get’ people at all and are far more interested in facts, figures and money than people.
I decided to tell my recent horror story with my Landlord from hell because many people don’t stand up for themselves and Landlords can be real bullies.
My story has a successful ending and I thought it may encourage others to challenge their Landlord if they are being unreasonable.
My last Landlord forced me to leave the property because I dared to complain about the way he was treating me. He never considered my privacy, visited without notice, made decisions without consulting me and caused misery for me for several months. When I complained I was promptly given notice under a Section 21 (no reason for the eviction is given) two weeks before Christmas. In the USA, Australia, Canada and a few other countries this is called “Retaliatory Eviction” and it is illegal but unfortunately it is not illegal here in the UK.
I had to leave the house that had been my home for four and a half years. To add insult to injurt, the Landlord had new people viewing the property a few days later.
The Landlord then tried to claim £1000 of my deposit, charging me for moss in the paving ( it was the middle of Winter when I left), he wanted money for light bulbs, dog poo in the garden (which had been left by a neighbour’s dog who could get through the hedge) and tiles that had fallen off the fireplace (they just needed to be stuck back on)..
I challenged him and in the end I only had to pay £450 for a clean and some damage to the carpet. The company: My Deposits dealt with the deposit dispute and were efficient and professional.
I am also taking this man to the Small Claims Court for breaching the Tenancy Agreement and the Charity Shelter will be doing a campaign on people living in homes where there are health risks.
The Landlord left me with a broken roof and damp walls for two years which resulted in health problems for my son and I.
Never be afraid to challenge your Landlord if you feel you are being treated unfairly. The more noise you make, the more likely positive reforms will take place.
Mandy X
For more info: Â
Shelter
Tenant’s Rights
For a bit of fun..try Mandy’s iphone app:
Life Wisdom https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/life-wisdom/id392898772?mt=8
 More on Mandy: https://www.mandyjane-lifedesign.com The author of this blog lives in Surrey, UK and offers counselling to couples and individuals. All names have been changed to protect the identity of clients. Personal client stories shared in this blog have been published with prior permission from the relevant clients.
Author: Mandy Kloppers
Mandy is a qualified therapist who treats depression, anxiety, OCD, PTSD, trauma, and many other types of mental health issues. She provides online therapy around the world for those needing support and also provides relationship counselling.
