Q. I signed a rental agreement, before realising I couldn’t continue my degree course, but I had to keep paying the rent during the whole year.
My room was being occupied by a friend of one flatmate, though they denied it for some time. I tried to find a tenant to take over my share and pay for it — people came to look but nobody would take the room because one of the flatmates had started smoking weed and the place stank.
I tried the landlord but he wasn’t concerned so long as the rent was paid. I tried the letting agents and they weren’t interested either. I tried the other tenants, who I didn’t know well, and they weren’t willing to pay me anything. Is there any recourse? It was tough, having to work to earn enough to pay the rent on a flat I couldn’t live in. What would you recommend?
Samuel*, 23
A. This sounds incredibly stressful, and unfortunately one of those instances where it seems you’ve tried everything you can with no resolution. The other tenants have been the real problem in this, showing absolutely no compassion for your financial situation — and letting someone stay rent-free is crazy.
