Student accommodation anger during Coronavirus move-in: ‘Grease covered the walls in the kitchen’

By Adam Rear

University housing horror stories happen every year, but with COVID-19 gripping the nation, why are students walking into their new homes to find bin bags and used condoms?

Second year De Montfort University student Carmen saw the images sent by the letting agency of the clean and tidy property, only to find that reality was the opposite.

“Straight away I was annoyed at the letting agency. My partner and I had to sign to say that the inventory was correct before we could get the keys,” she said.

“When we walked through the door for the first time, immediately I noticed that only two out of the three lights worked in the dining room.

“Slightly further into the room I saw plug sockets hanging out of the wall with bare wire showing. It was so disappointing to me that these hadn’t been shown in the inventory.”

These sorts of problems can be common in older houses, so she was understanding about these minor issues.

As she continued to search the house, things went from bad to worse for Carmen, 20, as it became more apparent that cleanliness was a major issue.

“Considering how dangerous the Coronavirus has been, we assumed that the cleaners would have cleaned the property thoroughly.

“The previous tenants moved out the day before we came so I was already worried that the virus might still be on surfaces,” she continued.

“I really didn’t expect to find that tiles had fallen off of the fireplace, grease covered the walls in the kitchen, several bin bags were left in the garden, and worst of all a used condom was on the floor in the garden.”

Many students feel very anxious about moving into their homes for the first time, but with the Coronavirus being so contagious and life-threatening, this makes it even more difficult for students to feel safe and secure moving away from home.

“I can’t describe how embarrassing it was to be showing my parents around for the first time only to find out that it was such a state,” Carmen says.

“My partner and I have been living here for over a month now and after telling them about all of the issues, the only thing they have done is taken the bin bags away. Disgusting.”