Who Pays: Apartment and Rental Pest Control Responsibilities
As one of the most significant ongoing battles between landlords and tenants, figuring out who is responsible for pests is a murky area. In most cases, you will share equal responsibility, whether you are the landlord or the tenant. Understanding your responsibilities will help you keep your environment pest-free, without any arguments.
Who Pays for the Extermination and Prevention of Pests?
As a landlord, you have responsibilities to prevent and exterminate pests. They include:
- Undertaking pest control on an annual basis.
- Eradicating pests when they arise.
Pest extermination can apply to an outbreak of mice or rats, wasps or bees nests, termites, cockroaches, or any other unwanted critter. If your tenant does notice such pests and their living habits aren't the cause, you have a legal obligation to remove them. Additionally, you need to use a licensed pest control agent.
However, tenants have responsibilities, too. Regarding prevention, if you're the tenant, you're the one who spends the most time on the property. As such, you need to maintain clean living conditions that don't attract pests.
Similarly, if you own a pet, you should make sure they don't bring pests, such as fleas and ticks into the house. If you have a dog, for example, any infestation arising from the dog is your responsibility and not the landlords.
How Can You Avoid Pests in Your Apartment?
Avoiding pests in your apartment isn't rocket science. One area where tenants fall foul is failing to seal all rubbish disposal units. While rats love a ready source of food, bacteria enjoy thriving in warm environments, too. As such, piles of rubbish without sufficient seals are asking for trouble.
Other ways to avoid pests in apartments include the following:
- Clean your kitchen thoroughly. From crumbs through to unseen food residue, the smallest items can attract the most significant pests. Each time you use your kitchen, clean it thoroughly afterwards.
- Eliminate clutter. Items like cardboard boxes, blankets and unused clothes act as homes for termites and moths. Rather than letting them pile up, make regular visits to a recycling centre or dump to get rid of them.
- Address moisture problems. Leaking pipes and faucets create mould, which then leads to pests such as beetles, lice and mites. Mites are especially dangerous for some allergic rhinitis and asthma patients.
Depending on where you live in Darwin, Top End, or Palmerston, you may also want to apply pesticides. If you're aware that your home is at a higher risk of ants, using an insecticide won't dissolve your landlord's responsibilities, but it will make your home more hygienic.
How Tenants and Landlords Can Work Together
Communication is key when it comes to tenants and landlords working together to prevent pests in apartments. At the start of your contract, you should both inspect the property together and make a note of any areas where pests could arise. For example, patches of dampness or cracks in the floorboards.
Apartment complexes are tough structures for pest control because you have to depend on other residents to maintain their properties, as well. As such, if you live in a managed complex, do let the management know if you notice a problem before it spreads to your apartment.
Such problems can include overflowing skips and garbage chutes that don't shut. Similarly, if you rent from a single landlord, contact them with a concern regarding a neighbour, if you have one. Without clear communication, you and your landlord can't work together to resolve or prevent issues.
Finally, tenants who notice pests should alert their landlord immediately. Diligent landlords and property managers shouldn't overlook problems that become apparent during inspections. If you spot a potential pest threat, contact a local team of professionals. Preventing the problem from getting out of control is infinitely better than responding to one that's challenging to manage.
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