A landlord from Camberley, Surrey is facing a massive cleanup and financial loss after her tenant left her property in a devastating condition, while owing tens of thousands in rent.
Nevena Khediri began to rent out her five-bedroom family home after her marriage ended and she needed to boost her income. The move turned into what she describes as a prolonged nightmare.
The tenant initially moved in during September 2023, and everything seemed fine at first. However, problems surfaced the following March, and by October 2024, rent payments stopped completely. Despite Ms Khediri’s attempts to communicate, the tenant went silent.
The eviction process proved extraordinarily difficult, with Ms Khediri having to face multiple court appearances and eventually needing to hire bailiffs. The time took even longer when the tenant qualified for the government’s Breathing Space programme, which protects people in debt for up to sixty days to give them the opportunity of organising their finances. During this two-month period, Ms Khediri was unable to contact the tenant.
Although the tenant was ordered to leave the property in January 2025, it took another month before they eventually moved out. The total amount owed then exceeded £40,000 in unpaid rent alone, not counting legal expenses.
When Ms Khediri finally regained access to the home where she’d previously lived for fifteen years, the sight was shocking. Mountains of rubbish filled every room, kitchens worktops were buried under rotting food, drawers had been pulled open to accommodate more rubbish, and cobwebs coated appliances. The mountain of rubbish even spilled into the garden.
The emotional and financial toll has been substantial. Ms Khediri was relieved to finally access her property but deeply saddened by its condition.
To reduce costs after the financial hit, Ms Khediri has asked friends to help clean the property rather than hiring professionals.
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said: “We’re strengthening landlords’ rights alongside taking the biggest leap forward in renters’ rights in a generation. Our reforms allow landlords to make a possession claim to the court immediately in cases of anti-social behaviour, making it quicker to evict tenants damaging properties and disrupting neighbourhoods.
“Landlords will also be able to evict a tenant if they have more than three months’ arrears at the time of a court hearing.”