The flat I rented in Brierley Hill was damp, featuring historical stains on the walls, developing patches in the suspended ceiling and mildew (which I treated several times). I mentioned to them that rats appeared in the kitchen and had found their way into the food cupboards so that gnawed items had to be binned; no response. After I vacated the property I had a mobile-phone call from Gerry Reeve, who told me that 'a bit of paint' - location unspecified - would require £70 to be retained from my deposit. £70? - yes, regrettably that was the renovation-cost. My sons and my brother cleaned the flat and took photos and a walk-through vid of the flat as they left it. I invited Lex Allan to point out where there was £70-worth of damage. No comment. I sent a link to the photo archive. No comment. As far as I can judge £70 was a perk of the job and was in line with a general impression that by definition, renting such a dismal property conferred second-class status.