‘Absolutely filthy’ state of son’s student flat shocks mum

Saturday, 17 February 2024

• A student flat in Dunedin was found to have severe mould which caused a skirting board to collapse.

• The condition of the student flat has prompted a warning from a concerned mother for university students to do their due diligence before signing a rental agreement.

• Edinburgh Realty Ltd, who manages the property, did not respond to requests for comment.

A parent of a student flatting in Dunedin is warning others to do their due diligence before signing a rental agreement.

The Christchurch mother said she was “appalled” when she dropped-off her son at his new flat a fortnight ago.

“It was absolutely filthy.”

That included mould covering the upstairs bathroom of the Northeast Valley flat; the wet and mould had caused a skirting board to collapse with dampness.

That was a concern for the student’s mother as her son, who was paying $175 for his bedroom, had asthma.

It was clear to her that the flat, which she said was covered in dead flies, had food on the kitchen floor and the oven was covered in grease that hadn’t been cleaned when the last tenants left.

What made the situation worse was that her son and his male flatmates had signed a flat inspection document declaring that “every single room was in good condition”.

So disgusted by the state of the flat, coupled with being unable to reconnect the power, her son ended-up staying with her outside of Dunedin.

“I didn't want my son staying in a dirty and mouldy flat.”

It also led her to call Tenancy Services, on behalf of all the other flatmates and their parents, which confirmed that it was unlawful for a landlord to provide a property that was unhealthy.

The company, nor the landlord, replied for a request for comment.

With thousands of students returning to Dunedin before the start of Orientation Week, Tenancy Services urged them and their parents to make notes and take photos during inspections, or risk losing their bond money at the end of the year.

“It is your right to refuse to accept an untrue inspection report,” she said.

While she understood student accommodation was likely to look different to other rentals, with scuff marks and chipped paint, the mould and dirt was unacceptable.

Meanwhile, the flatmates moved into the flat over the weekend, after an extensive clean by parents and flatmates.

Repairs had also been completed in the bathroom, due to the shower not being sealed underneath properly, causing damp issues, with the floorboard and skirting having been replaced.

Otago University Students’ Association head of student support Dwaine Tait encouraged any students unsure about a tenancy contract to bring it to the student support centre for staff to review before signing.

“In our experience, students often feel they need to sign contracts/agreements on the day they are presented with them, and this is not true.

“This will ensure no issues further down the line, we are here to help with any tenancy queries.”

Ministry of Business, Innovation and Enterprise (MBIE) head of tenancy Katie Gordon said mould and dampness could be caused by a range of factors.

“Landlords need to provide the property in a reasonably clean and tidy state at the beginning of the tenancy, and maintain the property in a reasonable state of repair,” Gordon said.

Tenants also needed to keep the premises reasonably clean and tidy during their tenancy.

If there was a need for repair or maintenance that was causing dampness, such as a leaking roof, then the landlord should fix the problem.

“If the tenant is doing all the right things, and the house is still damp and mouldy, we would encourage tenants to talk to their landlord,” Gordon said.

If the issue was still not resolved, tenants could issue the landlord with a 14-day notice to remedy the issue. If the issue is still not fixed, tenants could apply to the Tenancy Tribunal for a work order that required the repair to be done.