I am likely going to pay it, but any recommendations on how to prevent it in the future would be great!

@Michael Clay  Personally I've found that regardless of wanting to do this (getting OF and then re-selling with OF), the sellers attorney will put in language to prevent it. 

What background history can prevent you from obtaining your license?

Not sure how you clean something for a smell... but can imagine that they might also do things where the unit was just dirty... like clean the coils, etc that may not be applicable to a smell... so you might be able to argue that some of his maintenance was preventative, and not tenant induced.  

I wonder what the legality around it would be, or if there is anything in the executive orders preventing it.

However, if your credit is preventing you from getting a bank loan now, will it be where it needs to be 12 months from now when you need to refi out of that high interest hard money loan when it comes due? 

However, if we try, we will always find worst situations than ours :)I do expect and budget for some bad things to happen, I was only wondering if we can prevent them somehow.

I 'need' one to prevent having 'constructive receipt' of the funds I won't be receiving. 

From my understanding of history Liberalism has its roots in the individuals rights to self determination, thus why  Locke, Madison, Mill, James, Wilson, ect, abhorred institutions like slavery, unbridled nationalism, tariffs, ect.

It proves, to both your clientele and local authorities, that you are serious about preventing crime.