In part one of this two-part blog series, we went over some of the basics of apartment complexes and how pest control is handled. The setup here is a bit different from traditional homes, particularly when it comes to dealing with landlords or property management companies and determining who is covering the costs.
At A-1 Exterminators, we’re proud to provide a variety of pest control services, from insect and spider control to rodent and even bird prevention, for a variety of building types and setups. In today’s part two, we’ll go over a few important elements here you should be sure are clear with your landlord or management company before you sign your lease, plus situations where you might be justified in withholding rent from your landlord based on a failure to provide proper pest control.
Standard Landlord or Management Company Elements
In nearly all typical apartment rental agreements, there will be several specific requirements on the landlord or management company pertaining to pest control and related areas. These generally include:
- Pest inspection in advance of the tenant moving in – this will often be required even if a previous inspection was done recently for a different tenant.
- Property maintenance and pest control areas will be included in the lease agreement, naming specific landlord and tenant requirements and dictating responsibility if they are not met.
- All property cracks, which could serve as entry points for pests, must be identified and sealed by the landlord in advance of a new tenant moving in.
Rent Withholding
In cases where a landlord or property management company continuously fails to meet the guidelines laid out in the rental agreement for pest control or related services, tenants may be within their rights to withhold rent payments until the issue is remedied. For those considering such a move, we highly recommend carefully reading the agreement, plus potentially contacting legal representation.
For landlords, proper attention to these agreements is paramount. If the tenant gave you proper notice under the terms of the agreement, there’s virtually no way you will avoid liability for covering the issue.
Payment and Notice
It’s important to note that pest control services, particularly in cases of new infestations, may also involve stages like sanitation and general clean-up. These will be included in costs, and once again, it’s highly likely landlords will be on the hook here. This is why it’s vital for landlords to stay on top of their pest control needs in apartment complexes they manage – failure to do so will almost certainly cost you more in the long run, as it’s more expensive to exterminate an existing infestation than it is to prevent one from happening to begin with.
For more on apartments and pest control coverage, or to learn about any of our pest control services, speak to the staff at A-1 Exterminators today.
