Advice needed on tenant end of lease

[rudeguy]

Its 1250 sq feet. The point is that he is supposed to clean it. Why should I have to spend my $$ when I allowed a cat to move with the promise that he would clean the carpets. Its a matter of principle that it is his agreed on responsibility and not mine.

and here you are freaking out and nothing has even happened yet. It really shows your character.

The guy was paid on time and never gave you any issues for 3 years? And you are freaking out that he might not clean carpets that might be fine and are 8 years old?

You should show this thread to anyone thinking about renting from you. Its a matter of principle.

 

[NetWareHead]

wear and tear

I think alot of people are saying wear and tear and that was never a point in my OP or why I want him to clean the rugs. I understand that wear and tear occurs and thats not my point in asking him to clean the rugs. it is not a factor here at all. If the carpet is stained, he has to clean it. If it is worn outside of a normal wear and tear scenario, he has to replace it but that is not the idea of this thread. I only want the cat smell/allergens out of the carpet.

 

[NetWareHead]

and here you are freaking out and nothing has even happened yet. It really shows your character.

The guy was paid on time and never gave you any issues for 3 years? And you are freaking out that he might not clean carpets that might be fine and are 8 years old?

You should show this thread to anyone thinking about renting from you. Its a matter of principle.

I'm not freaking out. I realize a shortcoming of my lease wording and I'm asking you all here how does my position look. If he doesn't clean them, what recourse do I have? In a week he ends his tenancy and I may be challenged on this point. If you read my OP, thats what I'm asking for: advice.

The carpets are not fine, they need to be cleaned. I made a concession to him to allow a cat in there and he agreed in turn to clean the rugs. I don't want the next tenant allergic to cats to turn down my place as has happened before. A little bit of reading comprehension and less assuming would help out greatly!

 

[Via]

I still don't understand how this is in the slightest bit controversial.

You have very specific thoughts about the process and yet the description in the lease is extremely vague. He's been a great tenant for three years.

I'm sorry to say - it sounds like the main issue here is that you don't want to refund his deposit and you're looking for any way to keep it. That doesn't really make you any different than any of the landlords I've rented from. They know full well that most tenants aren't going to small claims court over a deposit.

 

[ponyo]

5 years is life expectancy of carpet for rental. Yours is 8 years old. Tenant shouldn't even have to vacuum the carpet since it's past 5 years.

OP is why you should be careful who you rent from.

 

[ponyo]

I'm not freaking out. I realize a shortcoming of my lease wording and I'm asking you all here how does my position look. If he doesn't clean them, what recourse do I have? In a week he ends his tenancy and I may be challenged on this point. If you read my OP, thats what I'm asking for: advice.

The carpets are not fine, they need to be cleaned. I made a concession to him to allow a cat in there and he agreed in turn to clean the rugs. I don't want the next tenant allergic to cats to turn down my place as has happened before. A little bit of reading comprehension and less assuming would help out greatly!

Our advice is you're wrong. Everyone has already told you yet you still want to ripoff your good tenant.

 

[Humpy]

I posted a previous example comparing it to sweeping vs mopping a floor. You can vacuum a rug but it can still be dirty/stained. You can clean a rug and clean out everything that vacuuming misses.

You are stumbling around and can't answer. Good luck if you have to argue your position for real.

You can clean a floor with a broom. In contracts it is usually specified as "broom clean". Cleaning methods can also be specified as "vacuum cleaned" or "hot-water extraction" or "foam extraction", "rotary shampoo", or "sucked clean by a team of hookers". All of them are methods of cleaning with various degree of results.

Yes, one can vacuum a carpet and not get everything. Same with every other method, for certain, there will always be something missed. You didn't specify in the contract what type of cleaning was required. You have no argument here. A person of integrity would not press the issue with his tenant.

 

[NetWareHead]

5 years is life expectancy of carpet for rental. Yours is 8 years old. Tenant shouldn't even have to vacuum the carpet since it's past 5 years.

OP is why you should be careful who you rent from.

Lol what? 5 years? The carpet stays as long as possible and every new tenant is responsible for keeping it clean until normal wear and tear dictates it needs to be replaced. Where is this 5 years coming from? If you rented from me and you left me with a dirt carpet after your vacated, I'd deduct a cleaning fee from your security deposit. What do you think should happen if you vacated without at least vacuuming the rug?

 

[rudeguy]

Lol what? 5 years? The carpet stays as long as possible and every new tenant is responsible for keeping it clean until normal wear and tear dictates it needs to be replaced. Where is this 5 years coming from? If you rented from me and you left me with a dirt carpet after your vacated, I'd deduct a cleaning fee from your security deposit. What do you think should happen if you vacated without at least vacuuming the rug?

How long do you think carpet should last?

 

[Apple Of Sodom]

I have rental units.

It is YOUR fault you installed "nice" residential grade carpet in your place. Consider this a lesson learned.

Also, you didn't tell him to have it professionally cleaned. It will not be worth your time and money to get it back. On the flip side, if you withhold the money from the deposit it probably won't be worth his time to fight it. But that would be a complete dick move. 3 years, no issues? Good tenant.

My suggestion is to go in with an open mind. If the place looks and smells clean, give him the deposit. If it is obvious the place was not cleaned then withhold money and give him a chance.

Bottom line is you put RESIDENTIAL grade carpet in a RENTAL UNIT with PETS. That is your fucking fault.

 

[Evadman]

The tenant is only liable for damages, not normal wear on the carpet. If you want a professional cleaning, you do it yourself. You sound ridiculous springing this punishment on a perfect tenant after three years.

Very much this. All you actually care about is that the cat smell or hair or whatever is gone. If it is gone, what's the problem? In addition, 8 years on carpet and even bothering is a waste of time. No chance in hell you would ever win a suit on it. The fact that you are trying to be petty about a good paying tenant for 36 months means you are a horrible landlord.

I'm glad you posted this thread; it serves as proof for the court and for any future tenants that you may have that they should not rent from you.

 

[NetWareHead]

How long do you think carpet should last?

Each situation is different. As long as possible before normal wear and tear adversely affect the appearance, which is also subject to individual tolerance/preference. There is no set number of years.

Anyway, and again, this thread is not about carpet life or wear and tear.

 

[NetWareHead]

Bottom line is you put RESIDENTIAL grade carpet in a RENTAL UNIT with PETS. That is your fucking fault.

How does that factor at all? No matter what price, style of carpet I chose, it still needs to be cleaned.

I was merely expressing how glad I was that the carpet still looks good and doesn't look worn and torn; pets or no pets. And I attributed that to the fact that when I lived there, I installed good carpet and not rental grade. Again, this thread is not about wear and tear.

 

[Apple Of Sodom]

Anyway, and again, this thread is not about carpet life or wear and tear.

Yes, it is. We are telling you that you put residential carpet in a rental unit and that 8 years is a long time for it to last. We are telling you that you are being petty and that as long as the carpet appears clean your tenant is in the right. In the future you need to install different carpet as well as list the specific way in which you want the carpet cleaned.

 

[rudeguy]

Each situation is different. As long as possible before normal wear and tear adversely affect the appearance, which is also subject to individual tolerance/preference. There is no set number of years.

Anyway, and again, this thread is not about carpet life or wear and tear.

Now it is.

The NAHB says 8-10 years and in a rental setting, that figure would be sped up. Your carpet is old and needs to be replaced before the next tenant moves in.

http://www.nahb.org/fileUpload_details.aspx?contentID=99359

 

[Puppies04]

Speak to the tennant in a non-douchebag way and explain your thought process on what constitutes clean since you allowed an animal to live there. See if that matches up with what they were thinking of doing. Perhaps offer them some numbers of professional cleaners or rug doctor rental places locally.

If they decide you are being a douche then it is just going to end up in court and you have no way to know if you would win due to your crappy wording in the lease agreement.

TL: DR Go talk to them instead of arguing on AT:OT about it.

 

[cbrsurfr]

Lol what? 5 years? The carpet stays as long as possible and every new tenant is responsible for keeping it clean until normal wear and tear dictates it needs to be replaced. Where is this 5 years coming from? If you rented from me and you left me with a dirt carpet after your vacated, I'd deduct a cleaning fee from your security deposit. What do you think should happen if you vacated without at least vacuuming the rug?

5 years is the general standard depreciation period for carpeting in a rental property. That assumes you actually pay tax and report your rental income.

 

[slag]

I have a steam cleaner. How would I give a receipt for cleaning with that?

Exactly. I own my own carpet cleaner and would expect someone with pets do to do the same. And yes, it does a fantastic job on pet smells and dirt in general.

 

[rudeguy]

cheap skate landlord:0, ATOT:1

 

[slag]

Unless it's something like a Rug Doctor, that wouldn't really qualify as carpet cleaning. The crappy "home carpet steamers" suck...

I've cleaned carpets professionally before when I was in college (I worked for a local carpet cleaning business on the side), and back then the home units sucked, but there are many home cleaners today that do a great job and have a lot of suction. My carpets are barely damp when I'm done and there is a lot of grime in the dirty water tank. It does a truly admirable job and the carpet looks and feels cleaner when done.

 

[Schfifty Five]

I'm not freaking out. I realize a shortcoming of my lease wording and I'm asking you all here how does my position look. If he doesn't clean them, what recourse do I have? In a week he ends his tenancy and I may be challenged on this point. If you read my OP, thats what I'm asking for: advice.

The carpets are not fine, they need to be cleaned. I made a concession to him to allow a cat in there and he agreed in turn to clean the rugs. I don't want the next tenant allergic to cats to turn down my place as has happened before. A little bit of reading comprehension and less assuming would help out greatly!

Yes you are and you're the one making assumptions.

Stop freaking out, if he ends up not cleaning it the way you feel it should be, then spend $200 on some professional carpet cleaning to ENSURE that they are clean and be done with it. Don't rely on someone else and hope they do it how you want it. Even my apt complex will offer a complimentary carpet cleaning once a year.

Again, you're probably going to rent it out to someone else after this tenant leaves right? If so, then do a proper job of getting it ready for the next tenant.

 

[Schfifty Five]

cheap skate landlord:0, ATOT:1

:thumbsup:

 

[Schfifty Five]

Speak to the tennant in a non-douchebag way and explain your thought process on what constitutes clean since you allowed an animal to live there. See if that matches up with what they were thinking of doing. Perhaps offer them some numbers of professional cleaners or rug doctor rental places locally.

If they decide you are being a douche then it is just going to end up in court and you have no way to know if you would win due to your crappy wording in the lease agreement.

TL: DR Go talk to them instead of arguing on AT:OT about it.

Seriously OP. I hope to God you don't talk to people in person the way you write/post on here. You are one of those types who asks for advice but really will only accept it if it agrees with your original thoughts. Any other piece of advice, sound or not, you will disagree with and argue with tooth and nail.

 

[twinrider1]

It doesn't constitute cleaning in my book. For example, you can sweep a floor or grab a mop and actually wash it.

Your book; your wants, needs, and desires do not matter. All that matters is the written lease.
You seem to be having trouble separating the two.

 

[NetWareHead]

Exactly. I own my own carpet cleaner and would expect someone with pets do to do the same. And yes, it does a fantastic job on pet smells and dirt in general.

If he argues and says he has a rug steam cleaner, hence no receipt, then I will concede and consider the cleaning clause of the lease fulfilled. Provided the rugs are clean, no smells and I can see some recent evidence of cleaning. I realize that my lease wording could be used against me to do some sort of bullshit improper cleaning, but as long as I get my rugs properly cleaned I'm happy, even without a receipt.