'I found a horrifying blood-soaked mattress after moving into my new home - it looked like a crime scene'

A young woman has spoken out in horror after moving into a mould-infested home complete with a blood-soaked mattress. Charlotte Preston, 22, said her new three-bedroom terraced house in Norwich, Norfolk, resembled a "crime scene". The student, who pays £483 alongside her two housemates, was left utterly shocked after discovering the mattress in her bedroom was "soaked through with a massive blood stain". She is now battling to get her estate agent to address a lengthy list of urgent repairs and remove the black damp covering her walls - and claims her landlord even told her that "clean is subjective". Ms Preston said: "The whole place looks condemned. We found a mattress soaked through with a massive blood stain, and the front door needed repairs. "I work with people who suffer from addiction so I am well-versed in the risks bloodborne diseases carry. It looked like a crime scene. The house smelt really strange too. There was grease all over the top of the oven and inside." Ms Preston said she had no option but to fork out for last-minute accommodation on her move-in date last September. She said her estate agents, Abbotts, told her she could collect the keys at midday on September 1 but was left waiting a further four hours. However, she claims they refused to hand them over until 4.20pm, forcing her removal men to stand around and wait. Upon entering the "filthy" property, she was greeted by black mould. Ms Preston, who visited the Abbotts branch in Norwich in person, said: "I was told they didn't have time for a cleaner to come in as the previous tenancy had ended the day before. "They said they would arrange for a cleaner to come. It took seven days until I could move in. I still have the mould problem now. "The garden was left overgrown, the toilet wouldn't flush - I had to wait 15 minutes for it to refill and use a kettle to top up the water. "After I discovered the mattress, I knew I couldn't sleep there. Abbotts offered to put me up in alternative accomodation but my landlord refused. "If it wasn't for the UEA, where I am studying, I would have been out on the streets. I wish I had never signed my contract." Ms Preston says her university provided her with three nights of free accommodation but was then forced to pay £85 for additional nights until the matter was sorted. Abbotts offered Ms Preston and the two other tenants £150 in compensation. However, Ms Preston is seeking £480 for herself and her two housemates, which would cover the week she claims they were unable to live there. She added: "It seems as if Abbotts have no empathy for students like myself. Students deserve better in terms of how they're treated by estate agents especially with the Renters Rights' Act." A spokesman for Abbotts said: "As the managing agent, we act on behalf of the landlord and must operate accordingly. However, we are dedicated to support all parties involved and appreciate the tenant perspective. "We have worked hard to find an appropriate solution between all parties. Based on our review, we are satisfied that appropriate steps have been taken."