Closed petition Give tenants the right to end short term tenancies if pests present

Closed on 8 November 2022

Implement new legislation to protect tenants from landlords if pests are present in the property during the first days of tenancy. There should be a clear and simple mechanism for tenants to break their contract in case of infestation as there is no real guarantee that it will be addressed.

Tenants in rented properties can feel powerless when it comes to dealing with pests as responsibilities are not well defined. Agencies and landlords can prolong properly addressing the issue, leaving tenants stuck in the infested property for months.

A common scenario is that at viewing infestation is either failed to be mentioned or denied. The issue is only found out once full access is provided to the property, but by then, the contract is binding unless tenants try to unwind the contract.