Cat Urine Odor...Security Deposit.

[Ginny Watson]

My inherited tenant is vacating this month and has already moved out. She gave me permission to paint and get the carpets cleaned ahead of actual vacating (mistake?). I have always smelled cats but assumed/hoped the smell was in their furniture. The place is empty, the floors look great, new paint looks great but the smell is still there. I have located the biggest problem area which is in a gap between the laminate flooring and the door jam. But, I think the the problem is pervasive throughout the first floor. Don't even know about the carpets on the 2nd floor yet. Preliminary research points to the possibilty that I might have to replace the floor and even the sub floor. I'm concerned about having to keep all or some of the $1400 security deposit and getting sued.

More info. She gave her notice 14 days into my ownership. I raised her rent to include additional pet fees. She only had 2 pets on her lease but had 4 living with her. I'm not sorry to see her go. 2 labs and 2 cats in 1046 sqft 2 level town home was inappropriate. So, my point is, I don't have any track record with her to know what she is likely to do. Don't want to eat the cost of the floor...don't want my new tenants to smell the odor...don't want to get sued. How shall I proceed wisely?

[Mike Campbell]

Ginny;

I make an Itemized record of all repairs and cost's, this includes everything, light bulbs,blinds, paint, cleaning behind stove and fridge what ever the costs to make the property ready to rent again. I guarantee you, depending on the tenant, the invoice will be higher the there deposit, let them challenge it, they will lose every time.

As per the urine smell, I bought a run down 8 unit apartment building, each unit was so bad the 1st thing that burned where your eyes, the 2nd was your lungs from the smell, each and every unit.

Pull the carpet and padding, then go take a shower, its grouse, then wash walls with heavy bleach water, then pour and scrub heavy bleach water in to sub floor until it is soaked. open windows let dry and air out for a few days. Paint floors and walls with oil based kills stain blocker a couple of times, smell gone. it will be harder for urine smell to penetrate that barrier.

As to the future of pets, My DAMAGE deposit is 575, if there is A cat or A small dog I add 475 for a total of 1000, this covers the cost of replacing the carpet. I have it written in the lease as well as the rules and regs attachment that they sign and agree to, if I smell urine they bought me new carpet........  The only people who take me up on this are people who take care of there pets. So far So good.

Good luck

Mike