A cancer-stricken landlord in Scotland has described his horror after discovering his rental property had been left in a 'disgusting' state, covered in animal faeces and used sanitary towels. David Griffiths, from Ardrossan, said the flat in Ayr had become a health hazard after tenants vanished, leaving behind a trail of filth.
Griffiths shared a shocking video on Twitter, which garnered 160,000 views, showing rubbish bags strewn across the floor and what appeared to be dog and cat faeces smeared throughout the property. 'You could smell the flat before you even got to the front door,' he said. 'It's like the place has just been treated as a toilet.'
The landlord, who is undergoing treatment for a long-standing battle with cancer, said he will need special clearance from environmental chiefs before cleaning up the mess. He estimates the repairs and deep cleaning will cost thousands, as carpets must be ripped out and the entire flat sanitised room by room.
Two people are believed to have lived in the property for a year, with one woman on the tenancy agreement. They had fallen into arrears over the summer and agreed to meet Griffiths in January to terminate the lease, but instead vanished, leaving the lights on and the flat in a toxic state.
Griffiths criticised the Scottish Government, claiming legislation makes it 'impossible to evict tenants who refuse to pay rent' and leaves landlords powerless. A Scottish Government spokeswoman responded, stating that tenants should take reasonable care of properties and that emergency legislation balances protections for tenants with safeguards for landlords, including allowing evictions for substantial rent arrears.
