Student flat horror: black mould, rats, and electrical sparks
Tuesday, 20 February 2024
Lights in the lounge and laundry of a Dunedin student flat exploded.
Black mould was under the carpet.
Human excrement was left in the unflushed toilet.
Another student flat in Dunedin was found to be filthy on arrival - and that wasn’t the only surprise.
The parents of a second-year University of Otago student helped him move into his Dunedin flat five weeks’ ago, but found the property in “disgusting condition”.
The trio spent five days trying to make the property habitable, including “lots of bleach, Rug Doctor hire, garden and waste clearance”, the mother, who declined to be named said.
However, the flat was not just dirty - it was also dangerous.
That included the lights in the lounge and laundry exploding when first turned-on, then sparks flying out of the socket.
While the mother was able to contact the rental manager who sent an electrician to rectify the fault, a request for a full electrical inspection of the entire flat was ignored.
“This property is a death trap,” she said.
That inaction led to her to advise her son and his flatmates to not sign the property condition report.
Instead the group, who were embarking on their first experience as renters, were using the photos of the property as leverage to get the rental agency to address the numerous issues.
That included black mould found under the carpet, which was attributed to “excessive cleaning”, what appeared to be poo left in the toilet, and two unexpected visitors: rats.
“We were absolutely mortified.”
The woman said that Otago students and their parents should not accept the sub-standard housing as “being the way it is in Dunedin'.
Her comments come after Stuff highlighted a case of a Christchurch mother highlighted the state of her son’s “absolutely filthy” flat, that he moved into.
That led to Otago University Students’ Association head of student support Dwaine Tait encouraging 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.”
But in the latest case the mother told Stuff that having her son and his flatmates arrive to a flat in “such a disgusting state”, it raised a simple question.
“What incentive is there to look after it and keep it clean and tidy?”
That led to a recurring cycle, with students tarred as being “dirty slobs who have no respect for their rental property”. If the rental agency manager didn't actively manage the situation, the property falls into a further state of disrepair, while rents continued to rise.
“The landlords and agents continue to line their pockets but little to no funds are invested in improving the property.”
The woman was one of a several people who contacted Stuff about the state of their child’s rental accommodation in Dunedin.
Kathryn Seque president of the Otago Property Investors Association did not respond to a request for an interview.
Meanwhile, Ministry of Business, Innovation and Enterprise head of tenancy Katie Gordon said :“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”.
Tenants also needed to keep the premises reasonably clean and tidy during their tenancy.
If issues were unresolved, 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.
More information on landlord and tenant responsibilities around mould and dampness can be found here: Mould and dampness » Tenancy Services.