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I understand your concern and the problem with a child who because of reasons beyond their control has an accident here and there.
The problem is this imo.
If the fireplace meets local safety codes the LL will probably hold you responsible for the burns in the carpet. A screen or not overloading might have prevented the logs from rolling out on the carpet.
Soiled carpet in every room goes beyond normal wear and tear. And unfortunately urine soaks through to the padding and wood underneath.
It may go beyond just replacing the carpet. It may require cleaning and sealing the wood flooring to get rid of the odor.
I wouldn't spend any money on having the carpet cleaned. That is a temporary fix that wont eliminate the odor in the long run and I'm sure the LL is aware of that.
Hopefully, the LL will have some compassion and give you some slack under the circumstances.
If he/she is a hardnosed business person, you might be looking at paying out whatever a court decides is above normal wear and tear to get his/her property in the same condition it was in when you took occupancy.
Those are just the facts of life of renting and most LL's are in it for the business of making money and will take advantage of any law that protects their legal rights.
I imagine if you were a LL you would do the same. That would be your right.
Do you know how old the carpeting is? I am not sure how it is in New Jersey but in California, a landlord can only charge for the useful life left in the carpeting. If, for example, the carpeting is 15 years old, it has reached its useful life anyway and a tenant should not be charged for its damage.
Having a clean carpet is more than just healthy. It can also prolong the life of the carpet. If you have just installed the carpet, you already realize the expense involved in doing so. But, even if you have not just done this, you probably realize the benefits of keeping your carpet clean. It will add value to the home if it is well maintained. It will help to keep the home odor free as well.
Soiled carpet in every room goes beyond normal wear and tear. And unfortunately urine soaks through to the padding and wood underneath.
It may go beyond just replacing the carpet. It may require cleaning and sealing the wood flooring to get rid of the odor.
Quote:
Originally Posted by DowntownVentura
Do you know how old the carpeting is? I am not sure how it is in New Jersey but in California, a landlord can only charge for the useful life left in the carpeting. If, for example, the carpeting is 15 years old, it has reached its useful life anyway and a tenant should not be charged for its damage.
These.
As a landlord, with carpet as you described, I would likely have no choice but to tear out the entire carpet, so the wood underneath can be treated, and the carpet and pad can be replaced. That would cost several thousand dollars. However, the length of time you lived there and the age of the carpeting when you moved in would dictate how much of that would be your expense. If you lived there 6 months and it was brand new carpet, it would almost all be your expense. If you lived there 5+ years or if the carpet was old when you moved in, only the treatment of the subfloor would be your expense. Somewhere in the middle would be prorated.
To replace just the burnt area woud be almost impossible. Where would you find matchig carpet? Carpet changes style and colors constantly. Even if you could find the same carpet, unless it is the same dye lot it would not match. I've installed carpet for 40 years.
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