New tenant help needed

Chumpalumpa

I have just moved into a rented house with my mother who is a pensioner. I viewed the house once before moving in and windows were open an air freshness around etc. Never thought anything of it. Moved in and began noticing strong smell of cat urine. Have now discovered cat urine on all carpets. The one in my bedroom is saturated with dry urine I can see the stains when I lift carpet up and on the underlay. The smell is so bad I cannot sleep in the room. A neighbor has told us previous tenant was a border with 20 year old cat who has obviously been urinating everywhere. We've tried cleaning it but it's not worked. Have asked LL to come to house tomorrow to show him. Where do we stand with this I feel really angry that the property has been let with carpets like this. What can I do?

ProDave

It is probably lousy with fleas as well.

A good LL would have changed the carpets and fumigated for fleas,. and the previous tenant should have lost all or part of his deposit to help pay for that.

Definitely tell the LL it is unfit for habitation and if he argues mention environmental health etc.

[Deleted User]

Cat pee odour can be removed with biological washing liquid like ariel, a cup of white vinegar (get it in Asda and places like Farm foods). Add to warm water (bucket) and apply liberally then use carpet shampooer to draw it off. I have managed to remove the odour with it in carpet liner as well but it might smell damp for a few days as it dries out. The odour does disappear, leave windows open but get as much of the water removed as you can with a shampooer.

Even if the carpets are replaced, it could be in the floor boards so why use lots of water. Just hope you are in a house, not a flat.