A Dundee student has spoken of his horror at finding the remains of a dead animal under the floorboards of his city flat.
Niall McDonnell, who rents the flat through a local letting agency, said it is the latest in a long line of issues plaguing the property — including damp walls and floors, drooping ceilings and regular power cuts.
He made the gruesome discovery when he was told work would be completed to straighten out uneven floorboards. After lifting back the carpet to look, he spotted the skeleton, thought to be that of a cat, under a loose floorboard.
Niall, who moved into the flat last August, said he started to notice the problems almost immediately.
However, he claims the landlord has refused to take any action to deal with the issues raised.
Niall said: “Everything has come to a head. The issues we have had include a spare room window not locking and it’s not wind or water tight.
“I was walking on the floorboards. I was told the floorboards had been done and I decided to pull back the carpet. There was loose floorboard and I picked it up to find a skeleton of an animal underneath.
“If you were a renting agency and discovered a skeleton in a property it should be a top priority.”
Niall has also started taking medication to deal with health issues he believes are related to damp within the house.
2 Rent Me, the letting agency which manages the Perth Road property on behalf of a private landlord, has offered Niall and his flatmate alternative accommodation, which they declined because of the hassle it would cause during a period of exams and deadlines for university.
2 Rent Me has also already agreed to terminate the management contract at the end of this tenancy with the landlord.
A spokesman for 2 Rent Me, the letting agency of the property, said: “We would like to point out that it is the landlord’s actions not ours that has resulted in the property being as it is.
“Unfortunately with regards to this property the landlord insists on looking after his own maintenance and repairs and uses his own tradesmen. As a letting agent this has been very frustrating for us as it has often taken a lot longer to deal with matters than if we had been instructed to use our own contractors which is more usual practice.
“We find ourselves stuck in the middle of looking after the tenants’ best interests but also representing the landlord and bound by his actions.
“The property is tired and this is reflected in the rental price, however this is no excuse for general maintenance not to be carried out in a timely manner, as and when required by the landlord.
“We sympathise with the tenants and have offered all the support and help we can to resolve this matter.”
