To tell someone their house stinks of dog?

[newtscamander]

I'm an estate agent, people have put their house on the market with me and all three viewers this week have mentioned it stinks of dog. BUT they wouldn't have otherwise bought the house, as it just wasn't right for various reasons. So really the dog smell isn't necessarily stopping the house from being sold...yet... WIBU to tell them though?!

[Artandco]

I would. Budgeting for new carpets/ new curtains if they were left/ any other scuffs and marks from dogs isn't cheap and could result in many offering a good hit under to accomadate for replacing and hassle

[fluffiphlox]

Every house that has a dog also has a doggy whiff though it varies in intensity.

[shouldwestayorshouldwego]

It's tricky though. We have cats and thinking of selling. I know that we should probably replace the stair carpet. On the other hand, if moving into a property which had animals in it I might want to replace the carpet after they moved out (and we moved in), to reduce the risk of lingering flea larvae in the carpet.

[JenniferYellowHat1980]

The only dog owning households I know if that don't smell doggy are those where the dog is shampooed daily or several times a week. My DB and DSIL got a pup within three months of moving and renting their house out to my youngest DB. It has stone floors and they took everything else but the curtains but it still smelt doggy after that short time.

[PunkrockerGirl]

I expect they know

I expect they are completely and utterly oblivious.

[StrangeLookingParasite]

Having watched my ex-sister-in-law repetitively scrub down walls with sugar soap, trying to get layers of nicotine out of old plaster, getting out stinks is no small thing (can't imagine layers of dog smell would be any different).
They need to be told, but, as Lulioli referred to, you're hardly backwards in coming forwards online; why so reluctant in real life?

[NicknameUsed]

"They need to be told, but, as Lulioli referred to, you're hardly backwards in coming forwards online; why so reluctant in real life?"

They won't sell anyway if the doggy smell puts prospective buyers off, so why would you not tell them? I'm sure it can be done tactfully, simply by saying what feedback you have had regarding the dogs.

[Pico2]

I have a friend with two sizeable dogs in a small house and no doggy smell, so it is possible.

[emwithme]

When DH and I were house-shopping 18 months ago, we viewed a house that was otherwise perfect but REEKED of dog. We asked where the dog was...DH isn't a fan of dogs (but they seem to love him and jump up him all the time) so we wondered if he was in the garden, which we hadn't yet seen, so he could avoid it. The vendor said that the dog had been dead for two years...and still it was the first thing you could smell.

[ohtheholidays]

I would tell them,like another poster said they've gone nose blind.

I always worry about that because we have Dogs and I have OCD and I hate the thought of our house smelling ever.We've bought some special stuff that you can treat carpets and soft furnishings with,there's lots of really good products out there now so they should be able to deal with the smell.

It can take alot of work though,we groom our Dogs on a regular basis,we hoover and dust every day,I wash the cushion covers 3/4 times a week and the windows and curtains are washed alot,we have wood flooring as well down stairs which helps alot and any carpets/rugs in the house our cleaned alot as well.

I know for me an unpleasent smell in a house we were viewing would put me off because like OP I'd be concerned that we might not be able to get rid off it.

[YoungGirlGrowingOld]

Getting out dog stink is a ball ache. We bought a house whose previous owner had 2 dogs - after 2 full carpet cleanings we had to bin the (almost new) carpet because of the honk.

Do tell them OP.

[AgathaMystery]

I bet they don't know.

We have really lovely friends who have a gorgeous house but we can't (don't) visit any more as the smell of their dog is unholy.

[honeyroar]

I have three dogs, I barely smell them at all, until I come back from a work trip away, then it really hits me sometimes. I think their beds smell the most, if you keep their beds and bedding clean and dry it's not bad at all.

OP I'd tell them gently that it's been commented on by a few viewers and may be off putting. Then it's up to them whether they take it onboard or take offence!

[Katie0705]

Have you actually sought advice from your colleagues on 'smell issue'? As a professional, I don't think it is appropriate to state on a public site that you would loose out on a 3k commission if the sale of the property is not forthcoming. Also, stating that the sellers are rather demanding is not appropriate. Reading your posts, I doubt it would take a great lot of detective work for someone to work out who you are referring to. You have broken confidentiality on here, which I am sure your employers and the sellers would not appreciate. You never know who reads the posts and can easily get caught out.

[TowerRavenSeven]

They might not know, Yanbu to mention it. For the life of me I can't imagine calling someone stupid for not wanting to buy a manky dog smelling house. I never would. My aunt had a awful manky dog smell in her house that lingered Years after the dog died. I'd never buy a house that smelled like that, or cat piss either.

[newtscamander]

Calling them this morning, fingers crossed.

And Katie, take the stick out your arse pet.

[NannawifeofBaldr]

Newt that's unnecessarily rude to Katie, she was trying to be helpful and to caution you.

She's right by the way (unless you have changed significant details or you haven't said anything identifying in any it your other posts under this name).

[newtscamander]

I'm not stupid enough to share confidential information, thanks for your concern

[Creasedupcrinkle]

My lovely friend rented for a while with her two ginormous dogs (don't know what they were, huge daft things the size of small ponies) and was outraged when her landlady insisted on a second deep clean at the end of the tenancy because if the niff of dog. My friend said she was sure that she left the house smelling of bleach and chemicals, not animals. She was wrong. It smelled like the vets. Bleach, chemicals and piss. But she was entirely immune to it.

[NannawifeofBaldr]

Newt then that's what you should have said to Katie first time.

I'm afraid I have to agree with previous posters, there's an interesting dichotomy between the fact that you have concerns about gently telling a vendor their house smells of dog but have absolutely no problem being fairly rude to people online.

[situatedknowledge]

An estate agent once told us to put our (dying) dog in kennels till we sold the house. We changed agents.

[Splandy]

We viewed a house which absolutely stunk. I think a cat had been spraying in their house for years. It was also filthy. Really tidy, but so, so dirty. The kitchen counters were entirely clear, except for a Hal's empty bottle of spray cleaner and I had to ask where on earth they had used it. I don't usually care about smells, but that was shocking. The estate agent told me that other people had also commented on the cleanliness and smell but the owners refused to believe it. The toilet lid was up and I could see a poo in the toilet. They hadn't even flushed. The cat spray smell was so bad that we had to step outside to talk to the estate agent because I couldn't cope. I think the entire house would have to be gutted to get rid of that smell, including the kitchen. The estate agent begged me to tell her office about the smell when they called for feedback, because the owners refused to acknowledge that it stunk and that was what was putting people off and were instead suggesting that she was incapable of doing her job. It was bizarre. They must definitely have been nose blind. So I would very tactfully mention it to them, as something other people have mentioned. More of 'other people could tell you had a dog and weren't keen', rather than 'your house stinks'. Make it sound more like they're putting off ridiculous dog haters, who are obviously silly, but need to be humoured in order to sell the house.

[Katie0705]

You've already done it...Pet! Why are you so rude at times?

[Aeroflotgirl]

I think you should, as you are acting in a professional capacity. That it might hinder the sale.