Pet stains on the carpet

[NIK]

Hello all,
just wondering - I allowed a tenant to have pets (1 handbag dog, 2 cats) --- I know , asking for trouble, but I thought my Special TA conditions (
14. Any damage caused by the tenants pets will be put right/paid for by tenants. Tenants allow the landlord to take a photo of each pet at the start of the tenancy/when tenant advises he/she acquired a pet.
15. Carpets are to be professionally cleaned upon vacating premises. Please note we do not allow the Rug Doctor/per room carpet cleaning)--- 3 weeks prior to the tenant moving out I did an inspection ---- there were 2 stains, I gave the tenant a 'talk' and directed the tenant to contact commercial carpet cleaning company asap as several treatement might be required.
Then just days prior to tenant leaving my property I was called to give evidence in TT (turned out to be ex-landlord of that tenant), tenant did not like seeing me there and giving evidence....to cut long story short, when tenant left, took number of items (curtains, keys, shelf, etc) and also left behind 6 stains, 4 were not there just 3 weeks earlier. There was a copy of a receipt from carpet cleaning company advising to allow 10 days for stains to fade....now 20 days on the stains are as bad as on day 1.............they are pet (urine as it still smelly) stains, the carpet was only 15 months old.............
so what am I allowed to deduct from bond/seek in TT??? I spoke to a carpet layer he said if it is pet urine the underlay will have to be replaced too.....I thought my clauses will allow me to have the carpet replaced but Tenancy Services said no, go to TT so wondering what you guys think....
and no I do not allow pets anymore (lesson learned!!!!), yes I have landlords insurance, but they said I shouldn't have accepted pets as damage caused by them is excluded....

[TheLiberalLeft]

Try some anti-pet-odour spray from the pet shop. It sometimes helps. Or just baking soda mixed with water rubbed in. It won't touch a stain, but it might relieve the smell. Bummer, dude. Lesson learnt a?

[graemeh]

The best product I have ever seen is called Fizzion, I buy it from a seller on ebay. You mix it with water and spray it on the stain. It is magic stuff.

[Cassandra]

I've used these products before- on red wine stains too- with good results . A local company with online order and delivery that is swift and easy

http://www.odarid.co.nz

[TheLiberalLeft]

Sounds great. Hilarious website though. What a shocker.

[WGN ex-property manager]

I would take my chances in TT and go for full replacement of the carpet
(minus a fair deduction for the depreciation of the carpet from the "as new" condition before the tenancy commenced).

[Hec]

In the future.... think of allowing pets as a profit generation.
eg. big dogs $20 pw each cats $10pw each. you do not have to detail as such in the rent, just, house for rent $xxx pw 2 dogs ok.
have tried it, it works. In the USA many rentals are pet friendly for this reason.
Hec

[NIK]

Hec, that would work with long term tenancies, this one was in and out in less than 6 months....

[Glenn]

We have just taken over a large high quality house where the outgoing tenant had a dog, cat, and son's girlfriend living there.
The house stunk of dog urine.
The carpet shampoo men said they counted 70 separate stains.
It still stunk after it was cleaned.
We poured two ltrs of Nil Odour onto the various stains then got the whole house re shampooed.
Amazing as it might seem we recovered and the new tenant paying $470 per week is happy.
Incidently the carpert cleaner firm (national franchise) recommended replacing all of the carpet. The insurance company said ok but there will be 70 lots of excess to be paid by the owner.
We had to do lots of other cleaning as well so by the time the new tenant moved in we had run up $800 of costs for the owner. I doubt any of that will be recoverable from the outgoing tenant.
surprise that is why they now have a property manager.

[One]

Which insurance company was that?

[brendan]

and no I do not allow pets anymore (lesson learned!!!!), yes I have landlords insurance, but they said I shouldn't have accepted pets as damage caused by them is excluded....

We learnt the same lesson but had better experience with insurance.

Had 5 stains in three different rooms, claimed against Lumley insurance and they said it was 5 different events so 5 excesses. We negotiated with them down to 3 excesses. Had the carpet in the 3 rooms replaced by insurance, deducted the entire bond from the tenant and cost us about $400. (for $4000 of carpet).

[Glenn]

Which insurance company was that?

AA insurance.
I have seen this attitude from other companies recently. It must be an insurance company / loss adjuster industry move to cut back their payouts.
I do wonder how they will deal with the earthquake.
Each aftershock I guess is a separate event. Just think about it. Add up each aftershock take off the excess each time and the owners will end up paying the insurance companies.
Not excepting AMI of course. AMI is in a category of its own.

[NIK]

Tried everything available on the market, stains are still there, but now we have more of a problem with a flea infestation - new tenants called and complained (they have a young baby) - so does anyone know what works best.......and if it is $ (let's say over 200) can this cost be charged to ex-tenant (given she had the pets that caused this)

[Glenn]

I have used sislan. You put it on with a garden sprayer.
There are far better products but the silly nanny state removed all of the really powerful products and the only people who can buy them now are the licenced applicators like Jaes and so forth. I had an identical issue a couple of weeks ago. It cost us $135 for a large house guaranteed for 6 month provided the carpet was not cleaned in that period.
In theory like our case we will be able to claim the cost but who knows if we will be able to collect the cost. Because the DBH and the courts are grinding to an almost stop because of the eathquake my case is delayed. The tribunal hearing is 7 weeks from date of application without even trying to go to mediation. So yes that cost will be added to the claim along with the various other claims.

[BJT]

Glenn I think the new carpet would be a good idea. You changed it from stinking Dog shaggy-pile
to a toxic chemical carpet. No one wants there kids on that either!