The TSR Community Awards 2025 are now live >>

flatmate from hell

I am a first year living in halls at the moment, specifically at USW. I live (at the moment) with 4 other individuals, but for context when i started Flat 2 was empty.
During the first two weeks, we all basically kept the kitchen spotless and kept on top of everything, bins, mess etc. This was easy to manage as we all were on a flat groupchat where we could ask about doing bins, any mess etc. Flat 2 moved in at the end of September, we all had no problem with him and actively made an effort to try and talk to him.
I can understand wanting to keep to yourself completely at university, but any time me or my flatmates tried to talk to him he was nothing but rude to us.
At the start, it was small things like leaving plates out, leaving food mess etc which i don't really care about because i'm of the impression that kitchens don't have to be spotless considering we live here and use it. I didn't really mind cleaning some of it up but it got to the point that he was basically expecting us to clean up after him.
Since then we have left notes everywhere, not singling out Flat 2, but just to say to contact one of to be added to the groupchat, as now he is the one causing the majority of the problems in the kitchen. Since October we have been leaving them, and he has taken multiple of the notes down and put them in the bin.
I have frequently not been at accom and not been in my kitchen since mid-october as i've had a **** ton of medical problems kick in which is. wonderful, and the rest of my flatmates (Bar Flat 2 - international student) went home for 1-2 weeks over the half term period. I was away for about two-is weeks as i had to deal with hospital too.
When i returned back to my accomodation last week there was a really foul smell coming from somewhere, but i assumed it might've been something like the damp in the hallway (it has been raining a lot in wales shocker), but unfortunately it was coming from the kitchen. My other flatmate and his parents were in there attempting to clean it as we had flat inspections the next day. Flat 2 had left food out on the sides which now had maggots in it, washing up in the sink, which was covered in flies. The bins were full of maggots, and he had left gone off milk and eggs in the fridge, which had stunk out the room. In Wales we have food waste bins, and upon opening that it was covered in mould and clearly had not been emptied since we had left.
We reported Flat 2 for this to accomodation services, and none of us have been using the kitchen since considering the fly infestation in there.
Accomodation services replied on the Wednesday and have let us know they will 'talk to him'. My other flatmate who reported him seperately did not get a reponse. We attempted to reach out to Flat 2 by leaving a letter on his door basically saying 'please contact us', five minutes later we checked on it and he had taken it off. We have had no message or anything off him.
I left halls on Wednesday and got back this evening to the fly infestation now reaching the hall itself. Upon entering the kitchen it's even worse - food has been left out again from Flat 2, and to make matters even better he has used my plate to cover the bowl, to which there is maggots in now. There is some kind of broth or sauce that has been poured onto the bowl and plates i left on the drying rack, which has now moulded, and there are flies all over them. I have to throw them out. He has left even more stuff out. The flies are so bad in the kitchen itself that they will land on you once they enter.

I'm just at a loss of what to do. We have taken more than enough photographs of the mould and the mess and the bugs and sent them to accomodation and they just won't do anything. I don't even know if i can escalate this further

Reply 1

Scotland Yard

Universities Forum Helper

This sounds absolutely awful. Does your uni have an accommodation office you can go in person to plead your case? Going in person to places seems to sort things out faster in many cases, and this is absolutely not OK and needs to be resolved yesterday. Failing that, I'd suggest trying the student union for advice, or maybe even the local council for advice...

Reply 2

BCU Student Rep

Official Rep

Original post

by awed-arbor

I am a first year living in halls at the moment, specifically at USW. I live (at the moment) with 4 other individuals, but for context when i started Flat 2 was empty.
During the first two weeks, we all basically kept the kitchen spotless and kept on top of everything, bins, mess etc. This was easy to manage as we all were on a flat groupchat where we could ask about doing bins, any mess etc. Flat 2 moved in at the end of September, we all had no problem with him and actively made an effort to try and talk to him.
I can understand wanting to keep to yourself completely at university, but any time me or my flatmates tried to talk to him he was nothing but rude to us.
At the start, it was small things like leaving plates out, leaving food mess etc which i don't really care about because i'm of the impression that kitchens don't have to be spotless considering we live here and use it. I didn't really mind cleaning some of it up but it got to the point that he was basically expecting us to clean up after him.
Since then we have left notes everywhere, not singling out Flat 2, but just to say to contact one of to be added to the groupchat, as now he is the one causing the majority of the problems in the kitchen. Since October we have been leaving them, and he has taken multiple of the notes down and put them in the bin.
I have frequently not been at accom and not been in my kitchen since mid-october as i've had a **** ton of medical problems kick in which is. wonderful, and the rest of my flatmates (Bar Flat 2 - international student) went home for 1-2 weeks over the half term period. I was away for about two-is weeks as i had to deal with hospital too.
When i returned back to my accomodation last week there was a really foul smell coming from somewhere, but i assumed it might've been something like the damp in the hallway (it has been raining a lot in wales shocker), but unfortunately it was coming from the kitchen. My other flatmate and his parents were in there attempting to clean it as we had flat inspections the next day. Flat 2 had left food out on the sides which now had maggots in it, washing up in the sink, which was covered in flies. The bins were full of maggots, and he had left gone off milk and eggs in the fridge, which had stunk out the room. In Wales we have food waste bins, and upon opening that it was covered in mould and clearly had not been emptied since we had left.
We reported Flat 2 for this to accomodation services, and none of us have been using the kitchen since considering the fly infestation in there.
Accomodation services replied on the Wednesday and have let us know they will 'talk to him'. My other flatmate who reported him seperately did not get a reponse. We attempted to reach out to Flat 2 by leaving a letter on his door basically saying 'please contact us', five minutes later we checked on it and he had taken it off. We have had no message or anything off him.
I left halls on Wednesday and got back this evening to the fly infestation now reaching the hall itself. Upon entering the kitchen it's even worse - food has been left out again from Flat 2, and to make matters even better he has used my plate to cover the bowl, to which there is maggots in now. There is some kind of broth or sauce that has been poured onto the bowl and plates i left on the drying rack, which has now moulded, and there are flies all over them. I have to throw them out. He has left even more stuff out. The flies are so bad in the kitchen itself that they will land on you once they enter.
I'm just at a loss of what to do. We have taken more than enough photographs of the mould and the mess and the bugs and sent them to accomodation and they just won't do anything. I don't even know if i can escalate this further

Hey @awed-arbor , firstly, I am so sorry you are dealing with this. No student should have to live in those conditions. It is not only unpleasant but a health and hygiene risk, and honestly, it sounds like you have been more than patient and responsible. You have done everything right so far in terms of documenting the mess, reporting it and trying to communicate directly and respectfully.

Here is what I suggest you do next:

Escalate beyond accommodation services

Since accommodation has not acted effectively, contact your university's Student Support or Welfare Team and perhaps copy in the Accommodation Manager. If you are in university managed halls, also include the Head of Accommodation Services, their contacts should be on the USW website. When you email, attach your photos and a timeline of events. Cleary state that this is now a health and safety concern due to infestation and mould.

Request temporary kitchen access or relocation

Explain that the kitchen is unusable and ask if you and your flatmates can be moved temporarily, or if cleaners can be sent immediately to deep-clean and disinfect. The university has a duty of care to ensure your living environment is safe.

Keep documenting everything

Continue taking photos, keeping copies of emails and noting dates. This protects you if the situation escalates or if your accommodation provider questions your use of the kitchen during inspections

Set boundaries with Flat 2 - safely

Do not confront them directly especially if he's been dismissive or aggressive. Let staff handle communication. If you ever feel unsafe, contact campus security.

Look after your wellbeing

You have already had health issues recently, so try to avoid the kitchen until it's properly cleaned. Ask a friend if you can use their kitchen for now and reach out to student wellbeing services if the stress of this is getting overwhelming.

You have done absolutely everything right, and it is clear that you are not overreacting. Keep pushing for accountability and do not hesitate to escalate further if you are being ignored. I wish you all the best 🙂

Ru
BCU Student rep.