New Tenancy - Room Stinks

Lapchien

I viewed a 4 bedroom house on a warm day, all of the doors and windows were open when I arrived. I told the agent I wanted to go ahead with the tenancy, and all was agreed.

3 weeks later I collected the keys to the house. Upon entering the house, there was a musky smell, that I assumed was damp (the house had not been lived in for a while). However, in one of the upstairs bedrooms the stink was really bad - so bad that you couldn't stay in there! I called Service Master out to clean the carpet, and also the landing and stairs, the previous occupiers must have had a dog as the hall carpet stunk of 'dog'. On the landing there are 2 yellow stains that the cleaner could not remove.

In spite of this cleaning, after 3 weeks the smell in that bedroom is still just as bad. The hall is okay, unless you put your nose to the carpet, when you will be able to smell the dog.

The agent has sent 2 people from the estate agents out, they have both said that the room has a very strong smell. I have to keep the door shut and it's very embarrasing if I show anyone around.

The agents line is now becoming clear - they say that the landlord is probably unwilling to rectify this, saying that the "landlord had the whole house professionally cleaned prior to my moving in" (if he did he was totally ripped off) and he is accepting a lesser rent that he wanted (I did not negotiate this, I accepted the rent as it was offered).

I'm only 2 months into my 12 month tenency. Last week I invited the agent and landlord to a meeting to discuss (and smell!) this issue, the landlord declined and said that he feels he has behaved reasonably by having the carpet cleaned prior to the tenancy.

I did read on one of the forums that bicarbonate of soda can remove smells, I tried it and it worked - until the following day, when I went back in to the room and the stink has returned. Added to this the smell has gone into some of my clothes and bedding I have stored in a wardrobe in that room.

Not sure where to go next - I'm thinking of court action to:

• lower the monthly rent to reflect a 3 bed house rather than the 4 bed I am paying for
• cost of laundering the clothes and bedding

Any thoughts on this?

Thank you
Lapchien

Fire_Fox

I am not clear: is the current smell dog or another smell? Do you know where it is emanating from? When the carpets were cleaned have they been dried thoroughly (water may break down glues in the carpet or rot the underlay, hence stink) perhaps using a dehumidifier? Do you believe the smell was deliberately disguised on your initial viewing by opening the windows? Have you put your complaints into writing and sent the letter recorded delivery (to landlord NOT letting agent)? Have you had an informal chat with Environmental Health to see if strong odours are covered in their brief?

clutton_2

i suggest taking the carpet up - i bet the urine has soaked into the floor boards and they will never dry unless exposed to the air....

bap98189

The smell of dog will fade over time. But it sounds from your post as though the smell in the upstairs bedroom is something else. Have you tried lifting the carpet and then some of the floorboards? There may be something under the floorboards that needs to be removed. It's not unheard of for small animals to get under floorboards and die because they get stuck. That can cause a considerable smell.

Soot2006

If it keeps on coming back like that, something could have died under the floor boards/behind a wall/in the neighbouring house ...

clutton_2

i dont suppose its the old "shellfish in the curtain pole" routine is it ?

laughingcow81

What does the smell smell like? (if that makes sense).

You might get an indication of what is causing the smell and then be able to get rid of it that way.

adg1

As the smell is still there it probably isn't the carpet but the underlay/floorboards (more likely the latter).

It could be that the back bedroom was used by the dog a lot more than the rest of the house - I've heard of houses having a 'doggie bedroom', when issues can arise from the animal using it as a bedroom/bathroom.

If urine has seeped through the carpet it can rot the underlay, as some don't respond well to wetness being left and their is no way to air it as the carpet is in the way. If this is the case (or its cheap carpet with no underlay) then it'll have hit the floorboards and seeped into the wood. Again there is no way it can be aired unless carpet is lifted up and probably removed.

I would advise to lift the carpet - start at the far corner from the door and peel it back (Please wear gloves! and probably a mask by the sounds of it) and have a look at the boards.

As others have suggested it may be worth sniffing around (pardon the pun) and seeing where the scent is eminating from then lifting the offending floorboards and seeing what is underneath.

The landlord seems to have upheld their side of the deal unfortunately but do some investigation and see what you come back with - might promt the landlord in to action.

Lapchien

adg1 wrote: »

I would advise to lift the carpet - start at the far corner from the door and peel it back (Please wear gloves! and probably a mask by the sounds of it) and have a look at the boards.

The landlord seems to have upheld their side of the deal unfortunately but do some investigation and see what you come back with - might promt the landlord in to action.

Isn't it down to the LL to sort? Lifting carpets etc goes a little way further than changing a light bulb or fixing a shelf? So far the LL is totally refusing to even accept that there is a smell, in spite of the agrents who agree with me that there is!

simpywimpy

I have a house I rent and if it was mine, I would have at the very least, visited the house and discussed it with you. The fact he is failing to do this seems very poor service on his part. The whole house has to be useable surely and clearly isn't.

Morvern_callar

If the property is fully managed you should be hassling the agents. But check your AST to find out what the LL is responsible for.