“I’m the f–cking landlord”: Lawbreaking and neglect rife in ‘mouldy’ and ‘dangerous’ student housing

Students at Warwick searching for housing face a market of neglect, lawbreaking, and exploitation across Coventry and Leamington Spa, an investigation by The Boar has found. 

A survey of students conducted by the paper found many living in substandard and even dangerous conditions. Issues ranging from untreated mould-ridden rooms to broken fire alarms and unresponsive landlords left many students arguing the situation has culminated in a widespread culture of blatant violations of tenants’ rights. 

Our basement flooded, leading to mould and incredibly humid air, but it wasn’t sorted out for six months

Connor*, third-year student

“Our basement flooded, leading to mould and incredibly humid air, but it wasn’t sorted out for six months,” was the account of third-year student Connor*, one of many similar responses from Leamington Spa residents. His name, like all names in this article, has been changed to protect student identities.  

Under Section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, landlords have a legal obligation to keep their properties in a good state of repair. This includes addressing issues like mould and damp, which can have significant health consequences for tenants. Responsibility for issues like these is blurred, however, with landlords able to charge tenants for damage they deem to be a result of tenant negligence.  

Student testimonies suggest that landlords have exploited this legal loophole to avoid responsibility for repairs that are not the fault of tenants or refuse to treat issues such as mould at all. Data from Save the Student’s National Student Accommodation Survey 2024 corroborates the latter concern: over 1/3 of respondents reported issues with damp in their properties. 

Prolonged exposure to mould and damp can carry significant health risks, including respiratory issues, allergies, and other serious illnesses. The tragic death of two-year-old Awaab Ishak in December 2020 from a severe respiratory condition related to his mould-infested Rochdale home prompted legislation known as Awaab’s Law, passed in July 2023. Initially applicable only to social housing landlords but due to be extended to the private sector under the Renters’ Rights Bill, it will mandate investigation into reported hazards within 14 days and repairs to commence within 7 days for those that pose ‘significant health and safety risks’.

Complaints of poor communication and hidden costs were widespread

Until then, however, evidence suggests that landlord responsibilities are defined by rampant delays and inaction. Complaints of poor communication and hidden costs were widespread. Maya*, a second-year, recounted their landlord “taking weeks to [even] reply to messages” from tenants, allegedly leaving them with mould problems. Almost two-thirds of students surveyed by The Boar felt their landlord failed to carry out repairs “properly, in a timely fashion”. 

Cian*, a Canley resident, told The Boar that his landlord “never responded” when they contacted him about necessary repairs to the property, yet later suggested in an email that the inside of his house was “too dirty, violating the tenancy agreement,” despite Cian* having no record of any visits to the property. 

Another student, a Leamington Spa resident, accused their landlord of “reneging on promises”. “We’ve reported a leak in our roof multiple times, the agent keeps raising it to the landlord but seems like nothing will be done,” lamented Jacob*. He added: “Last week, we were told the landlord would be round to fix things we had issues with but there was no sign of them.”

These delays sometimes had serious consequences: second-year student Lucas* claimed his housemates were offered “no guidance or advice” on how to fix their broken fire alarm, which under the law should be considered an emergency by landlords. At least one smoke alarm should be installed on each storey of privately rented accommodation, yet a national survey last year indicated a minimum of 9% of student properties do not have working fire alarms. This suggests potentially hundreds of students across Coventry and Leamington Spa are left endangered by landlord inaction. 

Our washing machine takes six hours to do one load, yet when we complained we ended up having to pay £75 for it to be ‘fixed’. It still takes six hours

Anvita*, second-year Canley resident

Along similar lines, whilst landlords can legally charge tenants for repairs to appliances, the breakage must be a result of misuse, not general wear-and-tear – yet these terms too have been ignored and abused, according to students. Anvita*, a second-year in Canley, testified: “Our washing machine takes six hours to do one load, yet when we complained we ended up having to pay £75 for it to be ‘fixed’. It still takes six hours.” 

Coventry resident Amir* described his landlord as “patronising and unhelpful” regarding heating issues, especially in the cold winter months. He also highlighted the frustrations of ambiguous information around electricity and gas usage, claiming tenants are often penalised for exceeding poorly advertised limits, whilst landlords potentially pocket unused bill payments.

Such deliberately obscure contract terms can endanger the most vulnerable, including disabled students, as the punitive nature of some contracts and uncompromising landlords can leave students averse to turning heating on. “My chronic illness means I’m immunocompromised, so cold temperatures and mould growth are a real risk to my health. I feel like I’ll have to choose between going broke and getting ill in the winter,” explained Sara*.

Complaints of violations of personal and legal boundaries were near-ubiquitous among respondents

Complaints of violations of personal and legal boundaries were near-ubiquitous among respondents. Under the Housing Act 1988, landlords have a legal obligation to give tenants 24 hours’ notice before any property visits. However, The Boar found this law to be frequently and flagrantly violated by student landlords in Coventry and Leamington Spa.

Students highlighted feelings of disempowerment in asserting their legal entitlements: only a quarter surveyed considered themselves to be well-informed on their rights as a tenant. 59% of respondents also attested to receiving insufficient or no warning before landlord visits to their houses. 

When third-year student Leah* challenged her landlord for walking in unannounced, he responded: “I’m the f–king landlord”. “Our landlord would enter the property without warning and shout and swear at us,” she told The Boar. The abuse not only left Leah* and her housemates feeling intimidated but also prompted noise complaints from neighbours. All the while, Leah* reported enduring a tenancy of “rats, ant infestations, gas leaks, [and] countless mould issues” due to landlord neglect.

Alfie* alleged that his landlord “frequently” failed to warn his housemates about house viewings despite legal obligations: “When we’re out and he does a viewing, he unlocks and enters our rooms – presumably to show them to the house viewers, but it’s a pretty uncomfortable invasion of privacy, especially given he never warns us in advance. I can’t really leave anything out in my room ever.” He added: “A storm completely wrecked our fence, and he just hasn’t done anything to repair it.” 

There’s not really any effort at all to ensure people understand the timeframe for securing accommodation. If anything, it’s actively misinforming

Alfie*, second-year student

Some students apportioned blame to the University’s lack of guidance for first-years in finding housing. Students are expected to find somewhere to live very soon after moving to university, signing contracts with people they’ve known for just a few months with little guidance in navigating the competitive student housing market.  

“There’s not really any effort at all to ensure people understand the timeframe for securing accommodation,” said Alfie*. “If anything, it’s actively misinforming – they shouldn’t try to calm freshers down saying it’s all fine if you still haven’t found a house in January, because it isn’t – you’ll be stuck in an absurdly expensive property a dozen miles away”. 

He went on to highlight the perceived practice of price-gouging amongst student landlords; as house-hunting season progresses and options dwindle, students feel forced to sign for contracts with much higher rents or punitive conditions. “My house has Grade E insulation, no carpets, is 30 minutes away by bus, and has a single toilet. Despite this, our rent is far above most of my friends, and this is entirely because we’d reached January without a property and had to settle for this absurd price. It’s nakedly exploitative.” 

“Stupidly expensive” and a “rip-off” were among terms similarly aimed at the University’s on-campus accommodation options

“Stupidly expensive” and a “rip-off” were among terms similarly aimed at the University’s on-campus accommodation options. Save the Student estimates the average monthly rent for Warwick students to stand at £569, whilst on-campus options often exceed £700. The result is students feel pushed towards private off-campus renting. One pointed to the demolition of the University’s formerly cheapest accommodation, Whitefields, as a symptom of the University’s disregard for the affordability and safety of student housing.  

A spokesperson for Warwick Accommodation told The Boar they offered a range of support services for students, including the My Warwick newsletter and app, dedicated webpages, doorhangers in campus rooms, digital screens, and emails. They also noted joint housing events held in partnership with the Students’ Union (SU).

They continued: “In collaboration with the student experience team, Warwick Accommodation enhances housing information and supports students in securing suitable off-campus accommodation. Warwick Accommodation and the SU work in conjunction to support students to understand their housing options and we would always encourage students to reach out to us for housing advice.” 

The spokesperson also pushed back against the suggestion that accommodation options were universally expensive: “Warwick offers a ladder of rents starting at £121 p/w (inclusive of utilities, insurance, and internet), so students have a variety of options. Additionally, there is a wealth of private student housing near the University, including purpose-built accommodations, ensuring options to suit different preferences.” 

The issues uncovered by The Boar are not new, pointing instead to a longstanding culture of neglect and power abuse by landlords over student tenants

In a statement issued to The Boar, Warwick SU sought to highlight support available to students: “The SU Advice Centre is a free and confidential service that offers advice and guidance to all of our student members. Our friendly advisors are not employed by the University, which means they can give you independent advice.” 

It continued: “The area we offer most advice on is Housing – we can advise and represent you through any of your student housing issues, helping you to understand your rights as renters, and contacting landlords on your behalf. The sooner you get in touch, the more we can help so please submit an enquiry form for our support.” 

The Boar also approached the National Residential Landlords’ Association (NRLA) for comment. 

The issues uncovered by The Boar are not new, pointing instead to a longstanding culture of neglect and power abuse by landlords over student tenants. The expected passage of the Renters’ Rights Bill this year underscores the urgent need for better protections – yet with existing laws evidently of little concern to many landlords around Warwick, students may feel sceptical as to how effective further regulation would even be. Responsibility surely falls on the University to step up to protect students.

*Names in this article have been changed to protect identities.