The problem of landlords trying to rent boarding houses on fixed-term leases is widespread, with three tenants telling Critic that they realised they were living in a boarding house after reading our boarding house article last week.
One tenant told us that she lived in a boarding house in 2018 and was admitted to hospital at the end of the year. She left the tenancy, but her landlord made her continue to pay rent until she found a new tenant despite the tenancy being a boarding house. Then, because of some crumbs on the carpet, her landlord withheld the entire bond. “I didn't contest it because I was so stressed by it and just wanted it to be over,” the tenant said.
On a more positive note, another tenant has discovered that she is currently living in a boarding house and can move out whenever she wants. She plans to move to another flat soon, because her current landlord has been leaving problems such as rotten floorboards unresolved.