A landlord has branded a woman allegedly found with 50 cats, 10 dogs and a squirrel in her home ‘the tenant from hell’.

RSPCA officers made the bizarre discovery at a home in Anlaby, East Riding recently, where many of the cats were reportedly found in cages and with untreated medical problems.

It is believed the RSPCA will now charge tenant Kindred Hummer with illegally keeping a squirrel and she may face other charges for keeping the cats in an inappropriate environment.

Hummer’s previous landlord also stated how he believed she had just two dogs in his property but later discovered she was keeping more than 60 in the house and double garage.

He also said he had to spend thousands of pounds gutting the house because of the mess the animals had made.

The landlord, who wishes to remain anonymous, said: “I found out three months after she moved in that she had 50 cats and 15 dogs in my house. I was shocked and stunned.”

Following her eviction in March he said the house needed a lot of work. He said: “It was horrific. I had recently refurbished the house and it had brand new carpets, which were wrecked.

“The white units had turned yellow. The front room had big stains on the ceiling where I believe cat urine had seeped through the ceiling.”

The landlord also claimed the tenant had not paid all her rent. He said: “I had to pay £1,500 in legal fees to get her out of the house and £5,000 more doing up the house, plus all the lost rent.

“I would just warn other landlords to always visit the tenant's previous address before you take them on.”

In an interview with the local press, Hummer claimed: “The landlord knew we had dogs and we kept the cats in the garage. He didn't ask me to leave because of the cats. The stain on the ceiling was from when a water pipe burst.”

 

• Many ‘accidental' landlords who have fallen into letting out their properties during the economic crisis may not have adequately insured their properties, according to Select & Protect.

The firm is warning that many new landlords, who have chosen to rent out their homes rather than attempt to sell, may be unaware that their existing home insurance policy will not cover their property once tenants move in.

The general insurance provider highlighted that the rental market continues to grow, with figures from the Council of Mortgage Lenders showing there were 13 percent more buy to let mortgages taken out in Q2 2010 compared to Q1 this year.

Paul Firkins, sales director at Select & Protect, said: “Although landlords insurance is not legally required in order to let out a property, it is highly recommended.

“Properties certainly aren't cheap and letting them out often works as a long-term investment, so it makes sense to protect that investment with an adequate insurance policy.”

He added: “Having adequate cover really does offer that extra peace of mind for landlords. Not only for protection against standard perils but also because you know that you would look after your home but you can't guarantee that your tenants will.”

Landlords should also be aware that standard residential buildings insurance can be rendered null and void if a property, which was a primary residence when the cover was taken out, is subsequently let to tenants.