A landlord was compelled to turn to his solicitors after his tenant who owed him £29,000 in rent had damaged the Manchester property.
Landlord David Wright rented his four-bedroom property in Warrington to a mother and her two teenage sons.
He resorted to involving solicitors in order to gain access to the house, only to find it filled with mouldy food and rubbish with broken fixtures and fittings.
The damage meant Mr Wright had to spend £2,000 on clearing the property of rubbish and waste.
The first hearing was adjourned after the tenant made false allegations.
The second hearing saw a possession order granted.