PORTLAND, ORE — The owner of a rental home in Portland, Oregon says he got stuck cleaning 25 tons of trash left behind by former tenants who ditched the property.

The renters canceled garbage service back in 2011 and turned the rental into a dump.

“The smell was just intoxicating,” said Braheem Hazeem, the homeowner. “There are just no words to describe it.

“I think I lost part of my soul cleaning out this 50,000 pounds of garbage.”

For the last 14 years, Hazeem rented his southeast Portland home to a woman and her son.

Section 8 helped them with rent.

“The first 7-8 years I came by a lot, Hazeem said. “She was fine then. I kind of ignored the place thinking these inspections through Section 8 would be good. Uh, they weren’t, apparently.”

A few months ago, the renters just left.

Hazeem filed eviction papers and in march, made the horrible discovery.

“Anything you can imagine,” he said. “Furniture stacked up, four to five mattresses in the front room, leaning up against the wall.”

He’s spent the last six weeks cleaning it.

“Every container I pulled, milk containers, there was shredded stuff inside where the mice had created their own little house inside and the spiders? Lord help ya,” Hazeem said.

Hazeem’s friend, Dennis Johansen is helping rebuild the home.

The mess is costing Hazeem about $15,000.

But, he’s getting help.

“There are people who care, so that’s what gives me hope,” Hazeem said.

Another friend set up a GoFundMe account.

“It’s good to help people, but you gotta pay attention to what’s going on,” Hazeem said.

It’s a lesson he vows he’ll never forget, after a mistake he hopes no one else will make.

“Don’t trust people who say they’re inspecting and looking at your place,” he said. “Don’t trust. Do your own inspections.”

Source: WTHR