New Tenancy - Room Stinks

clutton_2

it is pointless even thinking about court action at present. You need to write to the LL telling him/her exactly what the problem in - DESCRIBING the smell and giving the LL the opportunity to fix things, and if he does not, then to discuss the fact that you feel that you are paying for a room that you cannot use.

he may offer you a rent reduction, he may give you your notice... how much do you want to stay ?

Lapchien

Fire_Fox wrote: »

Lapchien: What is the smell? Several people have asked and you haven't answered! Is it dog sweat, dog urine, like something died??? Some of these are a health hazard, some are easily resolvable ... why are you still contacting the letting agent when we have advised to write to the landlord directly?

I've asked the agent for the LL name and address (quoting the Landlord and Tenant Act) - no reply so far.

The smell on the stairs and landing was def. dog - the smell in the bedroom is v. hard to describe. Unpleasant, a bit doggy-ish but sweet as well. It doesn't smell like crap, just really horrible, it would surely give you a headache if you stayed in there for a while.

Lapchien

poppysarah wrote: »

have you tried deodoriser? neutroldol and febreeze type stuff? If they don't work then you'll have to try industrial.

http://www.aromarite.co.uk/

I'd treat this like a repair and get three quote for getting the smell dealt with.

If it's in the wallpaper then it could be a bit more tricky... is it in the carpets?

I tried bicarb, the smell did go - for a few hours, then came back same as before. I tried fabreze - 2 cans - smell diluted for a bit, then returns.

honeyD

I have this problem in a room too. We have lived here for 7 years and have never got rid of it. I think its the floorboards as the people who lived here before us had dogs in there.

Wobblydeb

The best thing for anything animal related is "Simple Solution" which you can get from pet shops. Something to do with breaking down enzimes rather than masking the smell. Works a treat with all forms of bodily secretions.... *eurgh*

breadlinebetty

Sounds like it could be a decaying animal underneath the floorboards if there's a sickly sweet smell to the odour.

Floorboards will absord odours, and dog or cat pee will be hard to remove. Probably have to replace floorboards. Normal 'dog' smell, or cat pee smell never go unless you redocorate.

Some of the worst offenders are food stuffs too, spilt milk on a carpet turns sour and absolutely stinks - never goes away. Onions that start rotting and going fluidy will be repulsive (eccentric old neighbour once used his bedroom as a bedsit and used to store his food underneath the floorboards - result - house stunk from OUTSIDE in the street,

I even know of one house that wouldn't sell - even though they'd cleared it of ALL furniture and carpets- even gutted the kitchen- cos over the years the owners had only cooked spicy curries and the actual brickwork in the walls absorbed the smells!

adg1

Lapchien wrote: »

I've asked the agent for the LL name and address (quoting the Landlord and Tenant Act) - no reply so far.

The smell on the stairs and landing was def. dog - the smell in the bedroom is v. hard to describe. Unpleasant, a bit doggy-ish but sweet as well. It doesn't smell like crap, just really horrible, it would surely give you a headache if you stayed in there for a while.

You need to write (recorded delivery of course) for the agent to be forced to pass on the landlords details by law. You could save yourself a lot of time by logging on the the land registry website and requesting the details of ownership for your house for about £4. Then you have it in front of you and can write to him directly, cutting out the middle-man :beer:.

See how far you get with this. It may well be the agent being difficult and looking after their clients interests rather than the landlord being difficult.

Others have suggested things dead under the floorboards - if you want to know what is causing this smell then lift the carpet, put it in the garden and have a look at the boards. You'll probably find that as soon as you lift the carpet the problem will either become evident in that the boards will be wet (signified by discolouration) or the scent will lead you to the cause - lift the boards and Bobs your smelly tenant .

It may also simply be the carpet so removing it could help anyway. You can carpet a room for very little nowadays and far less than the cost of moving house.

I know the landlord should be investigating, but given the situation and that fact that the room is unusable I'd get down and dirty myself.

Lapchien

The carpet still stinks, and the agents (the Director of the agency, no less) has said that, after a lengthy convo with the LL, he is only prepared to replace the carpet if I contribute 50% of the cost.

I am renting a 4 bedroom house and only able to use 3, the situation is intollerable, I have no great love for the property, so I am considering just leaving, or seeking a legal remedy - either the full cost of carpet or reduction in rent for the whole term. The LL must be really daft, if I walk out he will have no income from me, he may threaten to sue and I woudl threaten to counter claim. But - the property was unsold and unlet for 8 months prior to my tenancy.

Any further comments on the legal redress aspect?

Thanks

Lapchien

DVardysShadow

Lapchien wrote: »

The carpet still stinks, and the agents (the Director of the agency, no less) has said that, after a lengthy convo with the LL, he is only prepared to replace the carpet if I contribute 50% of the cost.

I am renting a 4 bedroom house and only able to use 3, the situation is intollerable, I have no great love for the property, so I am considering just leaving, or seeking a legal remedy - either the full cost of carpet or reduction in rent for the whole term. The LL must be really daft, if I walk out he will have no income from me, he may threaten to sue and I woudl threaten to counter claim. But - the property was unsold and unlet for 8 months prior to my tenancy.

Any further comments on the legal redress aspect?

Thanks

Lapchien

I am stuck as to how to see this through.

But one thing I would consider is lifting the carpets in the affected room, cleaning the floorboards and leaving the carpets out for a week. If the smell is still in the room you have a problem. But if it goes along with the carpet, you have some useful info and you can start writing letters to get a new carpet.

And persist with requesting LLs address. Do make sure you are writing and keeping copies. If you phone twice a day, diary them just add a schedule of your calls since the last letter.

Lapchien

How about leaving early on the basis that I have been unable to enjoy 'quiet enjoyment'?