• EtherWhack@lemmy.world
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    10 months ago

    I wouldn’t say made up.

    I think they are referring to the times when the cost of damages (think a pet hoarder) outweigh what the deposit would normally cover. Rather than taking the previous tenant to court (if even possible) to pay for the excess, some landlords will just slap on fresh coat of paint to appeal to the eyes and ignore everything else that need to be done.

    With cat urine for instance, you may be able to hide the smell temporarily, but unless you replace the carpet/flooring, add an odor blocking primer to other stained permanent surfaces, replace odor-impregnated things like cabinetry or sheet rock, the smell will just keep coming back. It can sometimes be about as bad, cost-wise, as flood/mold remediation.

    • groupofcrows@lemmy.ca
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      10 months ago

      My friends’ mother had several cats and she did not take care of any place she lived in. When visiting her there was a separation of the outside air and inside air which was more “dense”, and had a smell which took a few minutes to adjust to. Her rent did not cover the damages she caused; mold, stains, rot if she lived there long enough.