BiggerPockets

Depends on the condition of the carpet when you moved in, but if you were my tenant, by the sound of it you'd be buying new carpet. I just slammed a tenant that moved in on one year old carpet that had one minor, documented stain when they moved in. When they moved out, there were over two dozen cigarette burns, and numerous dark stains. It was inexpensive carpet, but it is all documented, and he lost his deposit, plus is in the process of getting a judgment against him for the balance.

A TRUE professional carpet cleaner MAY be able to salvage it for you, depends on the basic quality and age of the carpet. Better to try yourself to hire someone, as your LL will likely use (if anything) a cheap " rug doctor" that will never do the job, then you buy carpet AND pay for the cleaning.

Were pets even authorized on the lease? Even if so, what were you thinking?

Good Luck...

When you have pets, there are expenses that go along with the pets, that non-pet people don't have to pay. You want a dog? You have to pay for the dog's expenses.

If you were my tenant, you'd be paying for new carpet.

The trouble is that dog urine soaks down through the carpet, into the pad, and into the floor. So the only way to get rid of the spots and the smell is to remove the carpet and pad, seal any spots in the wood of the flooring, and replace with new carpet and new pad. It doesn't work to just clean the carpet.

The other problem, is that no other tenant will agree to move into an apartment that smells like dog pee. So it isn't like the landlord can set a few glade air fresheners and rent the apartment like it is. You moved into a rentabe aprtment and the apartment is no longer in rentable condition.

I suspect that you had permission to have the adult dog and then snuck the puppy in. I don;t know even a single landlrod who permits new, un house trained puppies.

At any rate, it was you and your dogs who ruined the caprpet, so you get to pay to fix the damage.

If your puppy did any other damage, such as chewing the baseboards or cabinets, you can expect to pay for that, too.

The next time you want a puppy, study up on crate training before you bring the puppy home.

Since your husband got the puppy over your objection, take the fee for the carpet out of his allowance.

At this point I would have to agree with most of the posts here. You may want to look into getting the carpet replaced yourself just to get an idea of how much it would cost to replace it. Then you should have a good idea of what your LL will be charging you to replace it.

How good is your relationship with your landlord? Can you just ask him what he would prefer you to do? It sounds to me like just replacing the carpets would be the best bet - personally I've not had much luck with carpet cleaners for anything beyond a few small stains.

If one of my tenants replaced carpeting without permission, there would be a very good chance that they would be buying new carpet twice. I have specific carpet that I use and it's not the 50 cent a foot stuff that a tenant is likely to think they could get away with cheap.

Marie N.

Sorry, but I have yet to find the magic tenant-proof carpet. I am currently replacing carpeting with tile, hardwood, and this extra-hard vinyl strip floating flooring (I think it' called allure).

Good carpet lasts a long time--- if tenants don't burn it, spill red koolaid on it, or rebuilt their Harley on it. I had one house with good quality carpet and a series of excellent tenants and I replaced that carpet when it was 16 years old and was still presentable. (the house came with it. I would never pay that much for carpet for a rental)

Cheap carpet gets wear patterns and starts to look bad in just a couple of years. However, often the tenants will have damaged it before it gets to be 3 years old.

Berber is not suitable for tenants. It has to have proper care or it unravels.

My carpet cleaner recomended a short pile cheapo that he swears he can get any stain out of so I am trying that in one house. I can't say that it is handsome, but tenants don't seem to expect any better quality.

Pets and carpets are fine. It's the tenants who don't take care of the pet, that are the problem.

You obviously didn't watch the pet, and let it piss on the carpets. I agree with PN. That piss goes right thru to the floor. Cleaning, shampooing or steam cleaning, is NOT going to take all the smell out.

Vote for you PN. I would almost guarantee the LL never knew about the puppy.

When you moved in, I'm assuming you agreed that the carpet was in good condition. It had to be, YOU moved in. If the carpet is that bad now, I would replace it, but talk to your LL first and get his take.

This thread should have been titled "Tenants didn't take care of puppy and are trying to get out of paying for new carpet, what should I do?"

Not trying to be nasty, but c'mon. I would see if the LL would let you use the $300 deposit toward the new carpet. At least if your up-front and honest you might get a better reaction.

Just my .02$

I'm not sure if we should pay for a professional to come out and deep clean, if you want to get any of your deposit back I would have them Steam Cleaned and Pet treated, I have seen carpets saved. Not only can a landord take the Pet deposit they can take all or part of your other Deposits. I do not lease to clients with Puppies for this reason.

I am a landlord AND professional carpet cleaner (10years). As a CC, I've seen it all, believe me! I've seen people (young people and low income types are the worst) live in a place for only 6 months and totally trash the carpet. No respect for property. They try to do it themselves with those rug doctors and screw up the carpet. Those things leave a ton of soap residue in the carpet which attracts dirt like a magnet. Too bad they don't have do-it-yourself brain surgery kits!

Then I've seen good tenants with a pet with no stains at all. And a lot in between.

I can understand a puppy stain, maybe two, but stains all over the place? TAKE THE MUTT OUTSIDE TO PISS! HELLO!

As for carpet cleaning. You want to hire a cleaner with a "truckmounted" extraction unit. If the stains are small and not enuf liquid to soak the pad (good possibility with puppies) there are several professional products which will get pets stains out. Unless it is a CAC (cheap ass carpet). If stains reappears, just have to have the cleaner come back and hit the spots again us.

As for what type of carpets to get. Get a medium grade, NYLON, low cut pile. Stay away from berber, and crying jimminy! DON'T GET WHITE!

TC