A Devon landlord has spoken out after tenants left her property with thousands of pounds of damage and rent arrears – despite claiming thousands in state benefits during their stay.

Charlotte Easton from Newton About has told the Devon Live news website that tenants left the property in an appalling condition, owing over £11,000 in rent and taking high-value appliances with them when they were finally evicted.

Easton says the family “ruined my life over the course of nine months” with the damage, rent and the court ordeal of securing their eviction.

Easton let the property through personal contacts. Although she made clear the let was only likely to last six months, the family ended up staying more than a year, paying less than half that time’s rent. 

Despite a court ruling in her favour, she has been told by professionals involved in the case – including a judge and a bailiff – that she is unlikely to recover any of the money owed.

“They’d filled the place with filth and left it completely destroyed. Fifty bags of nappies, cat litter and faeces had to be removed. The carpets were riddled with fleas. 

“I wasn’t going to say anything but I can’t let this happen to someone else. They don’t just take your money and your things – they take your peace of mind, your sense of safety. It’s the most expensive mistake of my life.”

Easton says she has now spent thousands on cleaning, clearance, new flooring and replacing stolen white goods – including a fridge-freezer and a large television taken during the eviction. 

She says the tenants had been receiving thousands of pounds in state benefits during their stay, including housing payments that were never passed on to her.

You can read the harrowing story here: https://www.devonlive.com/news/devon-news/devon-tenants-vanish-owing-11k-10278064?int_source=nba