If you live – or have ever lived – in London, chances are you’ll have a housing horror story. Whether it’s mould, mice, or machete-wielding landlords, our overpriced capital has them all; with living standards hurtling further each day. Even London’s university students, stifled by the sky-high rents and inflated tuition fees, are being forced to strike until the crisis gets more manageable. 

Thankfully, social media has been offering a much-needed sense of solidarity. A new Generation Rent campaign, led by the hashtags #VentYourRent and #RantYourRent, began trending on Tuesday evening: with many Londoners sharing their worst experiences on both Twitter and Tumblr. 

The campaign comes just days before London’s mayoral election on May 5 – and according to organisers, it’s a “vital” move to ensure voices get heard. 

“The candidates for Mayor describe London as the greatest city on Earth, but as long as growing numbers of people are paying huge sums to live in squalor, they'll have a lot of work to do to make that a reality,” reveals Generation Rent’s Dan Wilson Craw. “The hashtag #ventyourrent is unearthing the scale of common problems like damp and mice, all the way up to the most shocking experiences like poisoning, ceilings falling in and bullying landlords and letting agents.”

See a selection of the worst stories below, or share your stories on the #VentYourRent Tumblr here: