Previous Tenants Smokers

LoGiE

Hi,

I've just moved into an appartment and the previous tenant was a heavy smoker. The smoke alarms in the kitchen and hall are yellow with dark spots and the small glass shades on the lights are the same. There's carpets in two bedrooms and one of them is smokey as well.

I've done all the usual, cleaned the walls, furniture, floors etc (The place wasn't properly cleaned before I moved imo) and I've requested the above be replaced but I'm wondering am I entitled to have the landlords get professionals in to do it? The landlords in this case are a large developer with places all over the city.

The lease says I've to clean the place when I leave or they will take my deposit and use it do clean the place and I assume the previous tenant signed the same.

Thanks for any advice!

LoGiE

the_syco

LoGiE wrote: »

The smoke alarms in the kitchen and hall are yellow with dark spots and the small glass shades on the lights are the same.

I'd replace these, for peace of mind, as the previous tenant may have disabled them to stop them going off.

LoGiE wrote: »

There's carpets in two bedrooms and one of them is smokey as well.

Heard of this baking soda idea before; http://www.howtocleanstuff.net/how-to-remove-smoke-smell-from-carpet/

StillWaters

the_syco wrote: »

I'd replace these, for peace of mind, as the previous tenant may have disabled them to stop then going off

I don't think you can disable mains smoke alarms.

Test them to see if they work, if they do just give them a good clean with a multi purpose spray or vinegar /lemon with an abrasive sponge. Same with the light shades.

Baking soda should sort the carpet out.

djimi

This should have been sorted before you moved in. Get onto the landlord and try and get them to sort the place, but in reality its very difficult to get a landlord to sort these kind of issues after you have signed the lease and moved in...

Procrastastudy

When you viewed the apartment it should have been obvious - I'd have voted with my feet. If its working you've no recourse in my view, the LL has chosen to rent out the apartment as a smoking apartment and you chose to rent it. You'll never get the smell of a heavy smoker out of a place.

L1011

StillWaters wrote: »

I don't think you can disable mains smoke alarms.

Pop off, unplug the base unit, take out backup battery, put the plug in to the battery cavity, pop back on. Seen it done before in a rental apartment!

senordingdong

Doesn't sound like you're going to have much help from your landlord as it would be quite the big job to clear such a smell out; replacing carpets, curtains etc...

I think your best bet is to cancel your DD and start setting the money aside, informing the lanlord that you're not paying until the matter is rectified. Also, you should consider the possibility that this won't get fixed so you should start looking for somewhere else. Once you have somewhere found, use the deposit paid as your last months rent.

StillWaters

senordingdong wrote: »

Doesn't sound like you're going to have much help from your landlord as it would be quite the big job to clear such a smell out; replacing carpets, curtains etc...

I think your best bet is to cancel your DD and start setting the money aside, informing the lanlord that you're not paying until the matter is rectified. Also, you should consider the possibility that this won't get fixed so you should start looking for somewhere else. Once you have somewhere found, use the deposit paid as your last months rent.

This is really poor advice, and could land you in hot water.

the_syco

Regarding the smell of the carpets, etc, before the OP moved in, the landlord may have used a bit of Febreeze to mask the odour until after the tenant moved in, and it'd only be then that they looked closely at the smoke alarms, etc.

StillWaters wrote: »

This is really poor advice, and could land you in hot water.

Agreed. It's bad advice, it could land the OP in hot water, but the landlord sounds like he'll take your deposit, and not fix the problem.

But at the same time, unless the landlord cleans the carpets at no cost to the OP, I'd be finding the landlords attitude to be the problem.

LoGiE

Well just to give an update the landlords are sending their maintenance people around to do the repairs this weekend. I will take up the issue regarding the one carpet tomorrow as I believe it should have been cleaned thoroughly before I moved in.

The apartmnet was rented as a non smoking apartment so I it should smell like one! It's amazing the damage cigarette smoke can do to a room!


I might try the baking soda as it's great for sorting out gym shoes!

senordingdong

StillWaters wrote: »

This is really poor advice, and could land you in hot water.

No it isn't.

It's a legitimate means of resolving tenant/landlord disputes. By setting the money aside you can prove to the PRTB/solicitor/judge that you have the money to pay in the event of any judgement. I have been advised to do this before by solicitor.

StillWaters

senordingdong wrote: »

No it isn't.

It's a legitimate means of resolving tenant/landlord disputes. By setting the money aside you can prove to the PRTB/solicitor/judge that you have the money to pay in the event of any judgement. I have been advised to do this before by solicitor.

Well it's poor advice from your solicitor so.

Procrastastudy

StillWaters wrote: »

Well it's poor advice from your solicitor so.

I'm not sure about setting the entire rent aside but I do believe your are allowed to resolve an issue yourself and deduct it from the rent if the LL is not forthcoming with a solution.