Updated over 8 years ago on . Most recent reply
Security Deposit and Normal Wear and Tear
I have a Triplex in South Florida and one of my tenants just moved out. She lived in the unit for two years and had 2 daughters and 3 cats at one point. This post is regarding two of my main issues.
1. There was a really bad cat urine odor in the unit that will simply not go away. I've repainted and and cleaned the unit and the smell is still noticeable. I have tile and I can't help but think that the urine has seeped into the grout and we've mopped the place twice, with bleach, and Fabuloso and the smell is still there.
2. After examining the walls, I've counted 70+ nail holes all over the unit. There were also screws and large anchors that were left in that went through the drywall. The holes had no discernible pattern either. It looked like someone just took a hammer and some nails and just "went to town" I took pictures of all the holes. Every single wall in the unit had a extensive amount of holes. It seems a little much to be considered Normal Wear and Tear. I have to patch and repaint because there are so many.
My question is regarding the security deposit...
1. Can I charge her for professional cleaning due to the cat odor? If I have to re-grout, can I charge her for that?
2. Can I charge her for having to patch and re-paint due to the damage caused by the excessive amount of holes in the wall? If not, how much would be appropriate? I know that I can't charge her for painting because it's to be expected but is there a situation where it's appropriate to charge for patching and re-painting due to excessive hole damage?
Lastly, I purchased the property while it was being occupied. I spoke to the previous landlord and he mentioned that the unit had been completely painted prior to anyone moving in so there were no holes in the wall.