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'Tenants From Hell' Left Landlord Having To Wear Hazmat Suit To Clean Property

'Tenants From Hell' Left Landlord Having To Wear Hazmat Suit To Clean Property

Tommy Lappin couldn't believe it when he went into the home which was smeared with cat faeces

Rebecca Shepherd

Rebecca Shepherd

'Tenants from hell' trashed a granddad's home and left the walls and floors smeared with cat faeces - but as they're unemployed he claims he'll 'never get back' the £15,000 ($19,500) to repair the damage. You can see the disgusting state of the house here:

Landlord Tommy Lappin waged a 10-month battle to gain entry to the house and was revolted by what he discovered last month.

The 68-year-old thought the three-bedroomed property in Swindon, Wiltshire, would just need a 'quick hoover and carpet clean' before he welcomed new tenants, but was stunned to discover the revolting state of the house.

The carpets, walls and furniture were caked in cat faeces and mounds of rubbish were also dumped by the two female tenants.

Tommy claims he'll be forced to fork out £15,000 to clean and repair the property - on top of another £6,500 ($8,400) he claims the tenants owe him in unpaid rent and bills.

Tommy in his hazmat suit.
Kennedy News and Media
Kennedy News and Media

In footage from when Tommy finally accessed the house in early September, his daughter Sharon Hughes, 49, and his granddaughter Maisie Paget, 19, can be heard gasping in shock.

As Tommy entered the property he was overwhelmed by a vile smell and has since been forced to wear a hazmat suit with breathing apparatus to protect himself while throwing out every piece of furniture.

Tommy, from Marlborough, Wiltshire, said: "They really were tenants from hell, I was absolutely devastated when I saw the house, it was a real state.

"This is my pension I'm spending here, on my house in the time I should be going off and enjoying myself, and I can't because I'm here doing this and cleaning up their mess.

"I would guess the damage would cost me somewhere between £12,000 and £15,000 to replace the furniture and restore it. This was a fully furnished, fully functioning house and we've had to throw away every piece of furniture."

The bathroom.
Kennedy News and Media
Kennedy News and Media

He went on: "I've paid over £1,000 for a skip and had to throw every bit of furniture, carpet and underlay away. The TVs are mine and they were thrown down on the floor in the cat mess.

"I thought I'd have to give it a quick hoover out and maybe a bit of carpet cleaning, not restore the whole house from start to finish. We've even had to rip up the floorboards and replace them."

Since Tommy's tenants moved in at the end of last year, the dad-of-two said he had struggled to gain entry to the property, even after asking to check the fire alarms.

Tommy Lappin.
Kennedy News and Media

Tommy said: "I had some contact from one of the girls' mothers. She was devastated by how her daughter was living but I haven't heard anything since then.

"She said her daughter would pay back any money she owed me. They haven't paid rent or any of the bills. I've paid all their bills for all the time they've been in here virtually. They owed me £6,500 before I walked through the door.

"I don't think I'd get anywhere with legal action. The chances are they'll go to court and say 'I'll pay you £10 a month'. I'd be dead before I got my money back."

Featured Image Credit: Kennedy News and Media

Topics: UK News, News, UK