apt smells like cat pee from downstairs..?

Send the landlord a certified letter explaining the problem and why it's rendering your place uninhabitable. (Keep a copy and the receipt.)

Then, look up your local (county or township) landlord/tenant codes about where you go from there if they don't fix it. If you have a municipal help line, you might try that.

In some places you can create an escrow account to withhold the rent until they fix it. In some you'll need to file a complaint first. In some, there may not be too much you can do.

Good luck.

I transferred to one apartment in my building from another. The apartment I transferred to was rented by a person who had a dog and a cat - dogs weren't allowed and for fear of getting caught - they had the dog do it's business in the apartment and so too did the cat.

The place reeked; eyes watered just standing in the place. When they moved out the landlord not only had to remove the carpet and the pad but they also had to specially treat the flooring throughout the entire apartment. It took days and days for the treatment (it looked almost like tar - it was thick and gooey) to dry enough so that they could lay a new pad and carpet. I imagine it cost the apartment owners a considerable amount of money.

If the landlord doesn't do this it is a health issue and would need to be reported to the health department.

The landlord needs to replace the carpet. He has to fix it or no one will want to rent it. I would remind him every day that is stinks. Unfortunately, not much you can legally do unless you plan on moving. You could make a stink, , , but is it worth it in the long term?

spend 15 bucks and buy 50 pounds of barbecque charcoal briquetts.....close up the house...smell gone in 48 hours

the apt manager should take care of it soon, it will never rent like that.