Vaughan Hammond Hythe: Negligence Exposed

Highlighting the negligence of Vaughan Hammond Hythe 

Here, you will find a series of videos showcasing severe maintenance issues including damp, exposed live wires, fire hazards, mold, structural damage, and poor insulation.

These videos document conditions that have been inspected by Vaughan Hammond over several years. Despite their legal obligation to record such issues and enforce maintenance by the landlord, these critical problems were continuously overlooked or ignored.

This neglect not only breaches legal responsibilities but also poses significant risks to tenants’ safety and well-being. The evidence presented here calls for immediate attention and action.

1. Introduction

This report provides a detailed account of the significant issues and neglect experienced during my tenancy managed by Vaughan Hammond, Hythe. Over the course of five and a half years, I have endured severe living conditions resulting from the landlord’s failure to address essential maintenance and repair obligations.

Despite repeatedly raising concerns about the property’s condition, including structural damage, damp, mould, and safety hazards, little to no action was taken to remedy these issues.

The purpose of this report is to document the following:

• The extensive problems within the property, categorised by location.
• The financial and physical contributions I made to maintain and improve the property, which the landlord and letting agency failed to address.
• The breaches of legal obligations under relevant housing laws and regulations.
• The impact of the unsafe conditions on my health, well-being, and finances.

This report is supported by a comprehensive collection of evidence, including video footage, photographs, professional survey findings, and witness testimony. It also outlines the legal breaches by the landlord and agency, as well as the significant savings they made at my expense by avoiding necessary maintenance.

Furthermore, this report highlights the retaliatory eviction that occurred after I raised concerns about the property’s condition and sought resolution.

2. Kitchen Issues

The kitchen has several major issues, rendering it unfit for human habitation and entirely unusable as a functional kitchen. Vaughan Hammond, Hythe has been aware of these problems for the past 5.5 years, during which time the condition has continued to deteriorate due to the landlord’s persistent lack of maintenance.

Over this period, the only maintenance carried out in the kitchen has been the annual gas safety check for the boiler, the replacement of a gas hob after it became non-functional, and the installation of a dishwasher. No further efforts have been made to address the room’s significant shortcomings.

2a. Condition of Cabinets

• The kitchen cabinets are approximately 45 years old, severely rotted, and infested with mold, making them entirely unusable.
• Food stored in the cabinets, such as bread, pasta, fruit, and vegetables, becomes mouldy within a day due to the damp, unsanitary conditions.
• The cabinets emit a constant stench and cause green mold to form across the kitchen worktops, requiring daily cleaning.
• Inside the cabinets, there is a buildup of dust and remnants of old utensils, bowls, and other items left unused for decades, further contributing to the unhygienic environment.

2b. Removal of Hazardous Cabinets

• After enduring these conditions for two years, the tenant removed the top cabinets because they were a health hazard.
• The broken cabinets were placed in the garden and left there for months before the landlord finally disposed of them, despite being fully aware of the situation.
• These cabinets were unsightly and hazardous, and their prolonged presence in the garden was entirely the landlord’s responsibility.
• Remaining cabinets in the kitchen are still unfit for human use and should be removed immediately.

2c. Rats and Structural Issues

• Holes in the external walls behind the kitchen cabinets created multiple problems, including drafts and loss of heat.
• On one occasion, while sitting in the front room, the tenant saw a large rat walk through the kitchen, entering through these holes.
• No pest control measures were provided by the landlord, forcing the tenant to purchase and apply pest control solutions and seal the holes himself.

2d. Summary of Neglect

• The combination of unsanitary cabinets, persistent mold, and the presence of rats makes the kitchen unpleasant, unhygienic, and unfit for use.
• The landlord has failed to address these serious health and safety issues, despite being made aware of them during property visits. No attempts have been made to remedy the situation, leaving the tenant to deal with these problems at his own expense and effort.
• This level of unfit living condition and disregard for the tenant’s health and safety is entirely unacceptable and constitutes a breach of legal obligations.

3. Large Room Issues

The large main room in the flat had to have all the lime render removed due to severe damp problems, which extended up to waist height and even caused mushrooms to grow through the walls. This work was carried out with the landlord’s agreement, and the agency was fully aware of it. During the process, the electrical wiring was exposed but never repaired, despite multiple reported issues.

Over 5 ½ years, Vaughan Hammond has been aware of the ongoing degradation of this room but has taken no action to ensure the landlord maintains it properly. As a result, the room is now in an uninhabitable condition.

3a. Initial Condition

• Upon moving in, the room had an approximately 30-year-old carpet that was deeply ingrained with dirt and in poor condition.
• Attempts to clean the carpet with a carpet washer slightly improved its condition but did not resolve the issues. Due to the dampness in the house, the carpet began growing mold and took days to dry after cleaning.
• The landlord eventually agreed to replace the carpet with laminate wood flooring and spent £500 on the flooring material for this room and the kitchen.
• Tenant’s Contribution: The tenant had to purchase the necessary tools, underlay, and supplies to strip out the old carpet, clean the subfloor, and lay the laminate.
• However, without skirting boards, a clean finish along the edges of the room could not be achieved.

3b. Severe Damp and Rot

• The skirting boards throughout the room were completely rotten with dry rot, and mushrooms would grow to 10 cm high within a day.
• Doorways were rotting up to 1 metre high, and the walls were damp to the same height with paint peeling off.
• The landlord provided a tin of damp-proof paint, which was inadequate and unsuitable for the extent of the damp problem.

3c. Impact on Health

• The tenant spent significant time in this room during COVID lockdowns, leading to lethargy and extended periods in bed. While initially attributed to post-COVID effects, the persistent damp and mould in the room likely had a serious impact on his health.
• Dry rot and mold exposure are known to cause health issues, and breaking up the rotted skirting boards may have released hazardous spores into the air, further exacerbating the situation.

3d. Tenant Undertaking Structural Work

• With the Landlord’s agreement, the tenant removed the rotted skirting boards and threw them in the garden, where they remained for months, creating a hazard and unsightly mess.
• Without skirting boards, the extent of the damp became more evident. Lime mortar was found to be disintegrating, with some areas being held together only by wallpaper.
• The tenant informed the landlord of the lime mortar’s poor condition and, with her agreement, began removing it.
• The lime mortar between the bricks was like dust, indicating severe structural damage caused by damp. The tenant suggested installing damp-proof rods as a solution.

3e. Tenant’s Investment in Repairs

• The landlord purchased 20 damp-proof rods, enough to treat approximately 2 meters of wall. The tenant had to purchase an additional 10 packs at £24 per pack to treat 20 meters of wall.
• Over several months, this work dried out the walls significantly and reduced humidity in the room.
• The tenant also applied a premium brick sealer, purchased at his own expense, to stabilise the remaining mortar and prevent further deterioration.
• Despite willingly undertaking these repairs due to a lack of understanding of his tenant rights, this work should have been the landlord’s responsibility as it involved structural maintenance and addressing severe damp problems.

3f. Landlord and Agent’s Knowledge

• The landlord and agent Vaughan Hammond of Hythe were fully aware of the work being done, having documented and photographed it over several visits.
• Instead of taking responsibility, vaughan Hammond and the landlord checked on the tenant progress, effectively delegating their legal duties to the tenant.
• The agent failed to enforce the landlord’s obligation to handle structural maintenance, damp issues, and the proper disposal of building materials.

Summary of Neglect

The persistent damp, rot, and structural deterioration in the large room created an unsafe and unsanitary living environment. The tenant, out of helpfulness and naivety, undertook significant work that should have been the landlord’s legal responsibility.

This not only breached tenant-landlord obligations but also endangered the tenant’s health and well-being. The failure to address these issues promptly and professionally constitutes serious negligence.

4. Storage Room Issues

The storage room was severely damaged by flooding caused by the upstairs neighbour’s overflowing shower. The water soaked the wall and cupboard, causing the lime render to peel off completely. Despite the issue taking eight weeks to fix, Vaughan Hammond and the landlord failed to provide a dehumidifier to properly dry out the wall.

As a result, everything stored in the cupboard—including valuable motorcycle equipment like leathers and helmets, skates, clothes, and more—was ruined, leading to a loss of hundreds of pounds. To this day, almost two years later, the wall remains damp, and I have never been compensated for the damages.

4a. Initial Condition

• The storage room was in poor condition at the start of the tenancy:
  • Wallpaper had been taped to the shelves, indicating neglect.
  •  The room was filled with junk and old items, which the tenant had to clear out himself.
  • The carpet was rotten and needed to be removed.
  • Even initially, items placed below one metre in the room would grow mould, rendering the lower part of the storage room unusable.

4b. Leak from Neighbour’s Shower

• Approximately two years into the tenancy, a significant leak occurred from the upstairs neighbour’s shower, saturating every wall of the storage room.
• The leak was caused by the tenants upstairs using the shower incorrectly, with water spilling over the sides.
• Despite repeated requests, it took approximately three weeks for the leak to be repaired.
• During this time, the storage room was left for the tenant to deal with, despite:
  • Completely saturated walls.
  • A persistent stink of mold.
  • The presence of exposed electrics in the cupboard, creating a severe safety hazard.

4c. Tenant’s Efforts to Address the Damage

• To manage the situation, the tenant:
  • Attempted to dry the walls using a house-supplied 180W dehumidifier, which was vastly underpowered for the extent of the damage. A proper 1000W dehumidifier should have been provided.
  • Removed the lime mortar, which was already coming away from the walls, to speed up the drying process.
  • Installed damp-proof rods at his own expense to mitigate the persistent dampness at the bottom of the walls.

4d. Long-Term Damage and Impact

• Even after months of effort to dry the walls, the room remained damp and unusable.
• When the tenant stored equipment in the room, including a motorcycle helmet, boots, jacket, inline skates, and a rucksack, all items were destroyed by mould within weeks. These were completely covered in green mould and had to be thrown away.
• The landlord made no attempts to address the underlying damp issue, leaving the room in its current uninhabitable state.

Summary of Neglect

• The storage room remains unusable due to severe damp and mould, with no efforts by the landlord to remediate the problem, even after the leak was reported and repaired.
• The exposed electrics, persistent mold, and lack of adequate drying equipment constituted a safety and health hazard that was entirely ignored.
• This negligence has resulted in significant inconvenience, health risks, and financial losses for the tenant, who was forced to discard personal belongings due to the unaddressed mould issues.

5. Garden Issues

The garden was left in a terrible state, requiring significant effort and expense to make it safe and usable. The tenant spent weeks landscaping the garden, investing hundreds of pounds to build new features, repair a dangerously unstable wall on the verge of collapse, and generally improve an area that had been completely neglected. Despite these efforts, asbestos remains present in the garden, posing ongoing health and safety risks that Vaughan Hammond and the landlord have been aware of yet failed to address.

While some improvements, such as building decking, were the tenant’s choice, the essential maintenance and repairs needed to ensure the garden and drainage systems were safe and functional were never funded or supported. These videos showcase the extent of the issues, providing clear evidence of the agency’s and landlord’s complete disregard for their responsibilities.

5a. Initial Condition

• The garden was in a severe mess upon moving in:
  • The patio area was cluttered with over 100 ceramic plant pots, many partially filled with trees.
  • The garden was overgrown and largely unusable for human use or safe for the tenant’s dog.
  • Approximately two-thirds of the upper garden was entirely covered  in overgrown trees and ivy, which was climbing the walls and causing structural damage.

5b. Tenant’s Efforts to Address the Issues

• The tenant undertook significant work to make the garden usable:
  • Sorted and gave away the ceramic pots, disposed of old trees, and cleared large amounts of rubbish.
  • Cleared all overgrown greenery, shrubs, and ivy that had not been maintained for years.
  • Removed large quantities of soil and stones, sifting the soil to separate the stones.
  • Gave away the excess soil on Facebook and reused the stones to create a path in the garden.

5c. Hidden Hazards

• Asbestos Tiles:
  • During the clearing of a small overgrown path behind the retaining wall, the tenent discovered asbestos tiles.
  • The asbestos likely came from a garage near the wall, reportedly after someone had fallen through it and the garage had been replaced.
  • Despite notifying the landlord and Vaughan Hammond, the asbestos hazard was ignored and left unresolved. Four years later, the tiles remain, posing a serious health risk that should have been addressed by the landlord or garage owner.

5d. Structural Issues

• Garden Walls:
  • The retaining walls were in poor condition, with minimal mortar between the bricks, causing the walls to bow into the neighbour’s property due to the weight of the elevated garden.
  • To prevent collapse and potential danger to his dog and himself, the tenant re-pointed the walls using lime mortar, strengthening the structure.
  • This work, which took weeks to complete, was a structural maintenance issue and the landlord’s legal responsibility.

5e. Negligence of the Landlord

• The landlord failed to address the significant issues in the garden, including:
  • The unsafe and overgrown condition of the garden at the start of the tenancy.
  • The unresolved presence of asbestos, a serious health hazard, despite being informed multiple times.
  • Structural weaknesses in the retaining wall, which were left to the tenant to fix at his own expense and labour.

5f. Summary

• While clearing and maintaining the garden as an isolated task might have been manageable, it became overwhelming when added to the multitude of other issues on the property.
• The landlord’s expectation for the tenant to bear the cost, time, and labour of these tasks, including hazardous and structural repairs, reflects a consistent pattern of neglect and a failure to meet legal obligations for property maintenance.
• The landlord’s inaction demonstrates an ongoing disregard for tenant safety and well-being, leaving serious hazards unaddressed for years.

The bathroom in this property is a glaring example of complete disregard for essential maintenance. Over the past 5 ½ years, no effort has been made to address critical issues, leaving the tenant to bear the financial and physical burden of repairs and replacements. 

The existing flooring consisted of cracked tiles, which, combined with water overflowing from the inadequate two small shower shields, led to unsafe and unsanitary conditions. The tenant was forced to purchase and install new lino flooring themselves, but even this does not fully cover the floor. The remainder is left with cheap, poorly-fitted laminate flooring that is warped and approximately 30 years old.

The video highlights the extent of the damp issues within the property, showing a dehumidifier that must run continuously to combat the excessively high humidity levels. The severity of the damp means only one room in the house is currently habitable, leaving the other 80% of the property uninhabitable. The hallway also suffers from significant damp problems, with plaster applied incorrectly over lime rendering, a practice that should never have been done.

Mould covers the bathroom ceiling due to poor ventilation and water damage, the taps are heavily rusted, and the sink has detached from the wall. Even the bathroom door had to be replaced by the tenant because it no longer fit the new flooring and lacked a working lock. Despite being fully aware of these worsening conditions, Vaughan Hammond and the landlord have failed to take any action or fund the necessary repairs.

This complete neglect not only demonstrates a disregard for their responsibilities but also underscores the uninhabitable state of the property.

6a. Mould and Damp

1. Black mould on the ceiling caused by poor ventilation and lack of maintenance.
2. Mushrooms growing from the floorboards due to water leakage from the shower.

6b. Plumbing and Fixtures

• Leaking shower screen that is too small, allowing water to spill over the side.
• No sealant around the sink, leaving gaps vulnerable to water damage.
• Rusting taps on the bath, indicating neglect and age.
• Blocked showerhead from limescale which I had to replace
• Old plastic floor tiles with large gaps, contributing to dampness and mould and growth.

6c. Personal investment required to replace the flooring:

• Purchased flooring, glue, knives, and sealant to address the problem myself.

6d. Door

• Had to purchase a new door yourself due to it not fitting the laminate and poor insulation. Lack of maintenance by the landlord.

6e. Unreasonable Expectations

The expectation for the tenant to address these significant issues in exchange for a small monthly rent reduction is wholly unreasonable. The reduction in rent merely reflected the poor condition of the property at the time of the agreement and was not presented as compensation for taking on the landlord’s legal responsibility to maintain the property.

The scale of the work required, coupled with the ongoing neglect of fundamental maintenance duties, far exceeds any reasonable expectation placed upon a tenant. It remains the landlord’s legal duty to ensure the property is safe, habitable, and properly maintained, regardless of any rent adjustment.

2f. Relevant Laws Broken

1. Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, Section 11

• Obligation: The landlord must keep in repair and proper working order the installations in the dwelling-house for:
  • The supply of water, sanitation (including basins, sinks, baths, and toilets), and drainage.
  • Heating and hot water supply (if relevant to the bathroom conditions).
• ● Relevance: The landlord has failed to address issues such as:
  • Mould and damp caused by poor ventilation and water leakage.
  • Leaking shower screens, gaps in flooring, and defective fixtures (e.g.,rusting taps, missing sealant).
  • These directly impact sanitation and water systems, which the landlord is legally responsible for maintaining.
• Reference: Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, Section 11

Over the past 5 ½ years, the drainage systems on the property have never been properly maintained. They are frequently blocked, leak down the side of the building, and fail to adequately divert water away from the property. These drainage issues have led to repeated flooding and worsened damp problems throughout the building, which continue to impact the tenant’s living conditions.

7a. Blocked Drains

• The large concrete patio at the rear of the property has three drains, at least two of which are frequently blocked.
• The drains lack protective grills, allowing moss and debris, especially during the winter, to accumulate and cause blockages.
• The tenant has unblocked these drains multiple times and informed both the landlord and the agency, Vaughan Hammond of Hythe, but no action has been taken to address the issue.

7b. Water Penetration and Damp

• Rainwater and garden runoff penetrate the large concrete slab, seeping into the ground and exacerbating the damp problems within the property.
• The tenant proposed and implemented a solution to reduce water penetration by applying an epoxy resin coating to the patio. This waterproof layer channels water into the drains and has significantly improved the patio’s condition.
• The tenant personally funded the epoxy resin materials, brushes, and rollers but was not reimbursed for these expenses.

7c. Cracked Drains

• The tenant believes the drains are cracked and allowing water to seep into the ground, further contributing to dampness in the property.
• This concern was raised with both the landlord and the agent, but no investigation or repairs have been undertaken to address the issue.

7d. Leaking Pipe

• A pipe from the roof of the five-story building carries runoff water and waste from boilers and sinks of other properties into the patio area.
• The pipe developed a leak, which caused visible water damage to the external wall and seeping damp internally.
• The tenant repeatedly reported the issue to the landlord and agent. After several weeks, repair workers were sent but did not have the proper materials to fix the issue.
• Despite returning after two weeks, they missed the obvious hole in the pipe, and the leak persisted for another eight weeks before it was properly addressed.
• This delayed response is another example of the landlord’s negligence and lack of urgency in resolving basic maintenance issues.

7e. External Wall Maintenance

• The exterior walls of the rear property were in poor condition, with an old, off-yellow paint that had not been maintained for years.
• The tenant personally painted the walls with Dulux Weather Shield paint to improve the appearance and reduce water penetration, funding the paint, brushes, filler, and ladders himself.
• This effort brightened the property’s appearance and mitigated some of the damp issues, but it should have been the landlord’s responsibility to undertake and fund this maintenance.

7f. Summary of Neglect

• The persistent neglect of basic maintenance tasks, such as addressing blocked and cracked drains, repairing leaking pipes, and maintaining the external walls, has shifted the burden of responsibility onto the tenant.
• The tenant’s proactive efforts to mitigate these issues at his own expense and labor should never have been necessary, as these tasks fall squarely under the landlord’s legal obligations.
• The agency failed to uphold tenant rights by allowing these responsibilities to remain unaddressed and not enforcing proper landlord action. This reflects a broader pattern of negligence and disregard for property upkeep and tenant welfare.

8. Doors & Hallway Issues

8a. Hallway Condition

• The hallway leading from the front door is covered with old, cheap, and severely damaged laminate flooring in desperate need of replacement.
• While enough laminate flooring was supplied for the front room and kitchen, none was provided for the hallway. The flooring ends partway into the hallway, creating an unsightly and unfinished appearance.
• This adds to the overall poor living conditions experienced over the past 5 ½ years.

8b. Front Door

• The front door contains several thin panes of glass with no covering, allowing significant heat loss in winter.
• Large gaps around and under the door further exacerbate drafts, adding substantially to heating costs, particularly during the energy crisis.
• The poor insulation around the front door makes it inefficient and uncomfortable during cold weather.

8c. Rear Door

• The rear door is similarly poorly insulated, featuring a large cat flap covered with parcel tape as the only barrier to the outside.
• Large gaps around the door and its glass panes also allow considerable heat loss, contributing to high heating bills.

8d. Window & Door Insulation

• Thin, single-glazed windows in the property, particularly the bay window, result in substantial heat loss.
• Rotten window seals and frames, particularly at the rear of the property, further contribute to poor insulation.
• Heat dissipates from the property within 15 minutes of turning off the boiler, making it difficult and costly to maintain a comfortable temperature.

8e. Security Concerns

• The property’s security is inadequate:
  • Rotten window frames at the rear of the house and single-pane glass make it vulnerable to break-ins.
  • While no break-ins have occurred, the poor condition of the doors and windows presents a significant security risk.

8f. Blinds

• Two windows were initially covered with cheap blue blinds (in the kitchen and bathroom) that were valued at around £15.
• These blinds were rotten and covered in black mould, making them unusable. No replacement was provided by the landlord.
• The tenant had to purchase and install all the blinds in the property himself. However, the newly purchased blinds have also been affected by black mould due to the damp conditions, adding to unnecessary expenses for the tenant.

8g. Summary of Neglect

• The poorly insulated doors and windows, along with gaps and thin glass, have led to significant heat loss and high heating bills, especially during the energy crisis. These issues have been reported multiple times but ignored by the landlord and agency.
• The hallway remains in a poor and unfinished condition due to the lack of sufficient flooring materials provided by the landlord.
• The blinds and other window coverings, essential for privacy and heat retention, were left to the tenant to fund and replace, with no reimbursement or maintenance offered.
• The ongoing neglect of insulation, security, and basic maintenance highlights a consistent disregard for tenant well-being and legal responsibilities.