Slugs, bio-hazard bags and bedbugs: Welcome to your new home

A second year Astrophysics student has posted images of her terrible student house on Facebook, with a warning to other students to be wary when renting houses in Belfast.

The complaint wasn’t just about a few empty beer cans, or a bit of mould in the bathroom, but conditions that can justifiably be described as disgusting.

The student, who wishes to remain anonymous, began her Queen’s education this year and told us: “The landlord blames me and I don’t want to get into any trouble”

The facebook status

Fleas, slugs and bio hazard bags are only a few of the problems she has had to face in her accommodation, none of which she expected when moving from Magherafelt to Belfast.

The average students pays around £200-£300 each a month to live in South Belfast adjacent to QUB.

In a regular house of five students, landlords can receive £1000 or more a month from just one dwelling. Yet more often than not tales of terror have been passed from student to student, ranging from broken toilets to leaky ceilings.

A wall covered with damp and mould

It’s not just freshers that can be victims of atrocious accommodation.

A house I lived in was no stranger to these creepy creature woes.

My mattress was covered in suspicious stains and at night I shared my bed with delightful creatures called “thunder beetles”. My landlord cheerfully informed me they would cause no harm.

The mattress was infested with these bugs

We were also informed that the problem would reoccur every time we put the heating on, and that we would end up carrying the infestation back to our family homes.

They were in our beds, on the sofa, and on the blinds. Anything material in the house, they were on it.

After a lot of debate with the letting agency, we were one of the lucky few cases that got released from our contract.

However, we did lose a months rent and we’re now stuck travelling to university everyday (over ten hours a week of travelling).

Infested blinds

Guidebooks and student advice websites warn not to be fooled by a new coat of paint or a fresh set of curtains.

If you have a horror story about your student house, get in touch, we want to know. Email [email protected].