Hmmm...did an inspection at one of my rentals today...

[Jack B.]

I'm not sure what to think. I went to visit due to an inspection I scheduled, and was then notified that the chimney was leaking into the garage a little bit. She claimed that she was going to contact me about it THAT day (yeah right, but you only mentioned it after I email you for an inspection a couple of days).

So I get there. It looked and smelled like one of her two cats (allowed on lease, pet fee of $300 was paid) had pissed in a couple areas; there was a smell of cat piss in a couple areas, but not permeating the house necessarily. The kitchen looked overall fine. Stove rings were a bit dirty and rusted, not like that before. The bathrooms, well the girls bathrooms were decent I guess, but a bit messy. Not really the worry some part of my visit. I will say the wood laminate flooring looks like a freaking CHAMP! That stuff looks the same as the day I had moved in there. 

That dove tails into my next point. Besides the cat piss stain that was recent (within an hour) by the front door, on the carpet, the girls bedrooms, one of them anyways, had several stains on the carpet. NONE of these stains were there before. The stains LOOK like they MIGHT come out with carpet cleaning. I'm not sure what they are. 

Besides the cat piss and 3-6 stains on the carpet throughout the carpeted areas of the house, the house is just cluttered. It's not a small place, but man, it's cluttered and just disorganized. 

I'm not sure how to take it up with the tenant. We were considering moving back there, and actually planning on it, so I put them on a month-to-month lease when they renewed. I could just give them the required 20 days notice or more, when I want to move back in, but should I address the stains and such with her now, or just ding her deposit when the time comes? I have a signed inventory sheet from when they moved in, AND pictures of the place spotless and clean when they received it. I also took pictures of the condition of the house while I was there. What would you do?

[Marcia Maynard]

Our preference is to charge for damages as they occur or as we discover them. If you wait until they vacate the unit, the security deposit is rarely enough.

About the cat. Urinating anywhere than outside or in a litter box is not a good thing. The urine will soak through carpeting and into the wood underneath and cause stains and odors. As a part of your agreement to allow the cat, did you require spay/neuter of the animal? If not, seriously consider it, as this will cut down on the cat behavior of "marking" their territory.

Find out what the carpet stains are and attempt to remove them. Even if you can't get the stains out, it will raise the tenant's awareness that this is important to take care of. If the home is cluttered, you can guarantee there are other stains lurking and perhaps damages you can not readily see.

In cluttered homes, do address egress issues from a safety standpoint. Since you are month-to-month you can add an addendum to the rental agreement as well. Here are several examples from our rental agreement and property rules addendum.

"MAINTENANCE OF PREMISES.Landlord will maintain all electrical, plumbing, heating, and other facilities and appliances supplied by Landlord in reasonably good working order.Landlord will perform periodic inspections of the premises, no less than once a year, for the purpose of property maintenance and repair.Landlord will notify Tenant in advance of the inspection. Tenant agrees to allow Landlord timely access to premises to do maintenance and repair.Tenant will notify Landlord in a timely manner of any damages or problems as they arise, including damages caused by Tenant, malfunction of appliances or fixtures, and water/moisture leaks and spots.Tenant will care for the premises, keeping them clean and clear of debris."

"CARPET CARE.Tenant agrees to maintain carpet with regular vacuuming.If liquid is spilled on the carpet, Tenant agrees to immediately blot the spot with a clean cloth and to consult with Landlord for further cleaning instructions.Tenant agrees not to use carpet cleaning machines that add water to the carpet, as most consumer equipment can not adequately remove water that goes into the carpet and more damage is likely to result."

"HOUSEKEEPING. On an ongoing basis, Tenant agrees to keep the home in a clean, neat, and sanitary condition."

"PATHWAYS TO EXITS.Tenant agrees to keep all pathways to exits clear and will not block doors and windows. This is essential for egress (exit from the building) in the case of an emergency.Tenant agrees to keep their residence clear of excessive belongings and clutter, as an excessive pile up of things creates a fire and safety hazard."

[You can download our Property Rules from the BP file place if you wish..... go to the tab Tools/File Place/Other Documents]