Tenant claims rental property is adversely affecting health

[Susan Grinde]

I have a pet-friendly home that currently has a tenant that has been residing in it for a month and a half (she does not have any pets) and is complaining that her allergies and asthma are being affected. Because of this, she wants to break her one-year lease.

A little background... The previous tenants had a dog and a cat in the house, but upon their vacating the premises, the home was thoroughly cleaned by myself and then a cleaning service, most walls were repainted, wood floors were re-sealed with polyurethane, vents were vacuumed and furnace filter was changed. Nothing was noted on the move-in report or even communicated to me about there being a problem.

I will always work with tenants that need to break their leases as long as I am able to verify they are being honest with me as to why they need to leave early. It is difficult for me, however, to understand her claims that her health is being adversely affected by living in a home that I know was clean and ready for a new tenant and I never was informed otherwise.

I don't want to keep her as a tenant if she proves to be a difficult tenant. I will allow her to break the lease, but is there something I should do to keep her accountable to the lease until I find a new tenant?