Hello - I just discovered that my tenant "cleaned out" the litter box of her cat by dumping it directly on my wood laminate floors in the kitchen, LV, Dining room and hallway rooms of the home, where it remained for nearly two years! Had I not paid a visit, I would not have known. These piles were in multiple areas of my house where direct contact was clearly evident, some with wet areas with litter still remaining and also many piles of petrified cat feces, some 5x5 feet.There were multiple, old and petrified and some new cat litter boxes in the kitchen, LV hall ways and bathrooms. She has one cat. My main question is, I am charging her with replacement of ALL the floors - because leaving cat urine and feces directly on wood laminate floors for well over a year and into two years, I feel, has done irrepairable damage to the laminate joints. Would this be a fair assessment? The smell in the house remains noxious despite my having a hazmat company come to remove the debris and trash. There were piles of trash on the master bedroom carpet and that carpet in that room was obviously pulled. Thank you so much. This has been very upsetting as my home is a lovely, peaceful and quiet place. --170.48.x.xxx

This is NOT fair wear and tear therefore you are within your rights to charge the full cost of restoring floors to preivious condition. Make sure you document and keep photos. Something in writing from hazmat company would be good to have on file (just in case of a dispute). Hope tenant is garnishable. --73.181.xxx.xx

What happened during the previous 4-6 month inspections, it seems like lazy landlord or manager symptoms are showing here, in all fairness laminate flooring is a bad choice for a room that has water - any spill larger than a hand towel results in swelling and seam damages making much or all of that room damaged, it is too bad a routine replacement furnace filter person did not ever mention this unhealthy living situation besides the resulting damages. Find more details in your state tenant laws and bill for these existing damages, your local tenant laws will give info on the timing of legally correct paperwork so you can either get the unit repaired while they are still tenants or get them into court to repay the damages. --76.188.xxx.xxx

Two years. You didnt visit for two years or take steps to correct. Well at some point tge damage was done. Yes. Bill her for flooring and trim. --66.87.xx.xxx

Note from Author: Also, just to add, I have been out of state, several hundred miles away for this time. I checked in every 6 months by phone with my tenant and was told all was well each time. I'd say it's been about 1.5 years since I've flown to TX. She has never called for service either, telling me she was changing filters and doing the few things that were discussed in her home manual. I also pay for lawn service.This is a person that I have known and I would have no real reason to not believe what she was saying to me. Thanks everyone for the feedback, too. Appreciated. CAM --170.48.x.xxx

Sorry. Seems like everything was not going so well and you were a bit blindsided. It will all clean up and you'll get a new tenant who will pay more rent and love it! --66.87.xx.xxx

Fair to charge her not doubt. TO clean you have to demo floors, MAYBE replace some wood (likely not joists) then seal everything with a good oil based sealer - likely twice. I have rehabbed a few homes with excessive damage (imagine 50 cats left to die then left for 6 months). --173.90.xx.xxx

Report the tenant for cruelty to her cat. Cats are usually clean and bury their feaces etc. The cat must have suffered a lot those 1.5 years! --171.98.xxx.x

As a cat lover myself, it was VERY evident to me that this was not the cat's fault - but rather that of the owner. The whole experience broke my heart. For my house, for me to experience such a horrendous and sickening site, for the cat and even for the tenant. However, I just don't feel that I should be the one to absorb such a loss here. Normal wear and tear is obviously okay, but gross filth and intentional negligence is just not right. Although there were two back bedrooms that were largely okay (and I still am assessing urine in those rooms)I will not charge for the carpet in those rooms, but my concern is the wood laminate floors at least 1300 sq feet of, the frozen a/c unit, and the fridge that had thick, black mold inside. the master is now down to subfloor b/c of the garbage piled in there on the former carpet. The house has since been cleaned with a hazmat company, of all the debris and the fridge removed and I have collected the damage fees via a converted temporary lease. I will be moving back in the immediate near future. Until all is resolved, there is a paid maid service once a week until my return and an agent's inspection twice monthly. Thank you for all of your advice and comments. It's very helpful to help me get through this. Not renting out my beautiful house again. CAM - Author --72.195.xxx.xxx