when you think your place is a mess...

When you think your place is a mess, just consider the state of filth that some people create in their homes. From (UK) Daily Telegraph

Britain's dirtiest flat
Last Updated: 12:01am BST 11/09/2008

Landlord Chris Dowling could be the unfortunate owner of Britain's dirtiest flat.


The bathroom sink-cum-ashtray

When he visited an apartment recently vacated by a tenant, the entire living area of the flat was crammed full of discarded polystyrene burger cartons worth £5,000.


Piles of pizza boxes and fast food containers cover the living room floor

When he did manage to clear a path through the rubbish, he was in for a further shock.

In the bathroom a large pile of cigarette stubs appeared to be carefully stacked on the side of the sink.

Stunned by the state of his £100,000 studio flat, Mr Dowling called in professional cleaners and decorators to sort it out.

They shifted the burger carton mountain and takeaway detritus into a large van, packing it to the rafters, before visiting a nearby tip for disposal.

The tenant had accumulated the mess during over about two years. There were more than 1,000 takeaway cartons and containers in the 15ft by 11ft living area of the flat.

Mr Dowling, who runs 46 homes, said: "The tenant had been smoking without opening windows and there were nicotine stains dripping from the walls. It smelt like a giant ashtray.

"There were McDonalds and Kentucky Fried Chicken containers everywhere. I couldn't get through to get to the kitchen and they were stacked all around the bed. You couldn't see any part of the floor in the living area.

"In all my 15 years of running properties I have never come across anything like this before and we see all sorts."

Mr Dowling said he had rented the flat in Slough, Berks, to the single man in December 2005 through an agent. Satisfactory credit checks were completed and the £450-a-month rent was always paid on time by standing order.

More from (UK) Daily Mail

It is estimated the tenant, who is a mechanic, must have munched his way through £5,000 worth of takeaways during his two years in the property in Slough, Berks.

Despite it being just 15ft by 11ft in terms of living space, more than 1,000 cartons were found.

'The tenant had been smoking without opening windows and there were nicotine stains dripping from the walls. It smelt like a giant ashtray,' Mr Dowling said.

'There were McDonalds and Kentucky Fried Chicken containers everywhere. I couldn't get through to get to the kitchen and they were stacked all around the bed. You couldn't see any part of the floor in the living area.

'In all my 15 years of running properties I have never come across anything like this before and we see all sorts.'

Slough Council discovered the mess after sending bailiffs around because the tenant had fallen into arrears on his council tax and informed the landlord.

When he tried to organise an inspection, the tenant changed the locks which put him in breach of contract. He then left, leaving Mr Dowling with the cleaning bill.

Surely over two years, there would have been regular inspections of the property by the agent. The landlord should sue the agent.

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In lieu of walking Kane due to rain, I cleaned the oven.