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?

[JD Martin]

Well, if she knew it was a pet-friendly home before renting it, I'd say you could hold her to it. If you have a good rental market, then it is probably worthwhile to let her walk. @Steve Vaughan is a Wenatchee guy that probably has a good feel for that market.

For tenants that want to early terminate, we offer 2 options: one month rent + deposit, assuming there's no damages, and they walk scot-free, or they stay current on the rent, utilities and lawn care, and we will try to re-rent as quickly as possible once they vacate. We've only had a few tenants early terminate, and all took the one-time and out deal. They only have to come up with one month of rent (they've already paid the deposit) and can just walk without taking care of anything else. The other way depends on how fast we can get cleaners arranged, get it back up on the market, shown and re-rented. In the end I think it probably works out about even either way, but in the first option they have no further responsibility once they pay and sign.