Apartment and Rental Properties - Force Carpet replacement?

I rented a house from a rental company that rents houses for people, so they are like a middle man making money off of rentals.

I signed a lease with the idea that the broken things and areas of concern would be taken care of. carpet condition was the major issue.

We did a walk through and noticed large stains on carpet. She said they would be cleaned upon our return with another load of our things so we went ahead and signed lease.

After living there for a few weeks the stains started reappearing and we noticed a bad smell. Well come to find out the smell was dog urine. The lady that lived there before had 2 dogs that urinated all over the house destrying the carpet and padding underneath. None of this was told to us upon signing lease. Also, that the carpet had been cleaned 3-4 times already.

Long story short, I call landlord about 2 times a week asking "what is going to be done" I keep getting the run around and she claims "I've been swamped with tons of other issues" that are more important for us.

After 2 months of pestering her, They came and cleaned again. but after one day the stains and smell have returned.

The owner doesn't want to spend money on new carpet and landlord acts like there is nothing she can do.

I don't understand why they'd spend money cleaning over and over when replaceing it would cost the same in the long run.

What can I do to make them replace it? Could I brake my lease because of it without being charged for full year and get sec.deposit back? Please help :wall:

Read the lease very carefully to see what provisions exist for breaking the lease.


Every single day there was a smell I would be on the phone complaining. Wouldn't hurt to inquire at the health department about using it as a health issue to break the lease.

Should be some landlord-types around here on the forums to give you more exact guidance shortly.

Every state has their own rules for "health and unhabitability" issues. I would send the owner and the management company (certified, return receipt) a letter stating that the house is unlivable and you're going to the city health department, TODAY.

Then do it.

These people are morons, get out of their as soon as you can. Plan on suing them in small claims court! I've been a landlord since '78 and I WOULD SUE in your situation. Of course I would not have moved in until the issues were resolved to my satisfaction.

"I'm too busy with more important things", is the worst thing to say to any customer, and you are a customer. I'd be on the phone with that pinhead every day.

frank

Thanks for the back-up, frank. :D

We replaced some carpet and cleaned others after cat urine problems this spring. If the carpet can't be cleaned in a couple cleanings - we call cleaning pulling up the carpet, replacing the pad, sealing the floor and cleaning both sides of the carpet - it needs to be replaced. The health department is your next call.

I agree with the others have said. But if for some reason you end up having to sticking it out with smelly carpets, try using Nature's Miracle. It utilizes some natural enzymes to break down the cause of the smell, I've used it in the past with good results. You can usually find it in pet supply stores.

We use the odor neutalizers, but cat urine is very concentrated and cannot always be neutralized if a significant amount has been deposited in the carpet. We apply by putting it in a watering can and sprinkling directly on the carpet - we call it "watering the carpet."

Urine settles downward and outward into carpet, padding and subfloor. While you can clean the carpet, you can not clean beneath. Odor tends to be worse on warm, humid days. The ammonia odor can be breathtaking.

I guess maybe now days there may be a nutralizer to help. My dad was in the carpet cleaning bussiness for 40 years. If there were 2 dogs urinating all over the place. The landlord is wasting their money and your time just cleaning the top fibers of the carpet. There are probably many other places of urine you cant even see on the backing, the pad and on the floor. Its is very difficult to get out unless you REPLACE the pad, have BOTH sides of the carpet steam cleaned and de-ordorized and dried out, plus steam clean and or seal the floor beneath. Thats why landlords usually charge a heafty amout if you have pets, they tend to RUIN carpets !!