What to do when tenants move out and leave a carpet cleaning problem in your rental property is the question this week for Ask Landlord Hank. Remember Hank is not an attorney and he is not offering legal advice. If you have a landlord question for him please fill out the form below.
Dear Landlord Hank,
If the previous tenants left stains on the carpet, and haven’t removed the stains.
Can I charge them for cleaning, even if I put new carpet down?
-Faye
Dear Landlady Faye,
If the tenants stained your carpeting and then it should be cleaned and stains removed at their expense.
Carpeting in a rental may have a lifespan of only 5 years depending upon usage, initial quality, pad quality and installation so if this carpeting was at its end of life and you are going to replace it anyway I would not charge the tenants for staining a carpet that you are not going to keep.
Just be fair and treat your tenants like you’d want to be treated.
Sincerely,
Hank Rossi
Ask Landlord Hank Your Question
Ask veteran landlord and property manager Hank Rossi your questions from tenant screening to leases to pets and more! He provides answers each week to landlords.
Each week I answer questions from landlords and property managers across the country in my “Dear Landlord Hank” blog in the digital magazine Rental Housing Journal.  https://rentalhousingjournal.com/asklandlordhank/
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