Watch: Maltese Landlord Revisits Property Left Trashed By Previous Tenants That ‘Cost €4,650 To Fix, Clean And Repair’
One Maltese landlord was left with a €4,650 bill to repair damages made on his rented apartment, which was found trashed by its previous tenants.
Speaking with Lovin Malta was Dave*, a landlord who has been in the letting business for the better part of fifteen years.
“When a tenant calls me and tells me that he is planning to leave, I already know that I will be in for an unwelcome surprise,” he said.
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Footage sent to the newsroom showed the dire state of an apartment that had been rented out in January this year.
The tenant received the place in a decent condition – normally the case – as one could see in the images shared below.
But upon Dave’s return, the apartment’s condition was far from decent. “The front door was broken. Already a bad sign, I thought,” Dave said.
But cracks in the door were only the tip of the iceberg.
“Once you enter, I was met with swarms of cockroaches. They were everywhere. The place was infested. They were under the beds, between the sheets, in the cutlery drawer… and in the cooker itself. Everywhere!”
Content warning: the following images contain content that viewers may find disturbing.
“And that’s not all. Practically all the kitchen appliances were wrecked. The planks beneath the bed were either broken or missing. Even the wardrobes were broken.”
Interestingly, there was no surprise in Dave’s tone. Having been in the letting business for so long, the unsightly state of his apartment post-tenant was a problem he had gotten accustomed to over the years.
“It’s always the same,” he said. “People rent the place and so long as they pay, they don’t give a f***.”
“It cost me €4,650 to fix, clean, fumigate and replace broken items. And I did not replace the air conditioning units. I just threw them away.”
“Couches, beds, sheets (don’t get me started on those), chests, wardrobes… I had to get rid of it all.”
Renovations for the place were not only costly but time-consuming. “Between organising workmen, bulky-refuse, and liaising with insurance companies to see what I’m entitled to claim… it was quite daunting. And all that excluding having to purchase new appliances and furniture.”
“I wish I could say that this was a one-off. But it wasn’t,” Dave added. “I can honestly say that I expect to revisit a scene similar to this every time tenants reach the end of their stay.”
Lovin Malta recently spoke to Housing Minister Roderick Galdes to discuss the rights afforded to tenants and landlords.
@lovinmaltaofficial #Tenant or #landlord in #Malta? Here are some key things you need to know about your #rights with #Minister #RoderickGaldes 🏠👀 #fyp #fypmalta #LovinMalta ♬ original sound – Lovin Malta
*The landlord’s name was changed to preserve his true identity. Dave spoke with Lovin Malta under condition of anonymity.
Have you ever rented out a property that was left in a poor condition? If so reach out to [email protected]