If you thought you didn’t have enough to worry about as a property manager, think again. Pest infestations are a constant hassle that everyone renting out or managing property faces at some point. They are such a big problem that even government surveys pay attention to them.
But who is responsible for pest control, the property manager or the resident? Residents typically believe it’s the property owner/property manager’s responsibility to conduct and monitor pest control on a rental property. Many property managers disagree and say that residents should do more to limit pest infestations.
The reality is that everyone must do their part to prevent pest problems. A lack of (or ineffective) pest control is a serious health hazard. This guide aims to shed light on this crucial issue, by highlighting the responsibilities of all involved.
Who Is Responsible for Pest Control?
In most states, pest control responsibility lies with the property owner or manager. Unless there are specific pest control clauses in the lease agreement, all the resident has to do is inform them as soon as signs of pest infestation are noticed.
However, residents also have a role to play. They must do what they can to make pest infestations less likely. This usually involves regular cleaning, and maintaining a state of hygiene in the rental property. Unfortunately, despite such efforts, bug infestations still can and often do occur.
Why Is Pest Control Important?
To engage in efficient pest control, you first need to understand why it’s so important. Many common pests carry diseases that can then be passed to humans. Keeping homes pest-free therefore improves the health of the human inhabitants.
What the Research Tells Us
Remember those surveys we mentioned earlier? It was determined that roaches were more common in the South and renter-occupied units. Rodents were more common in the Northeast and owner-occupied units in the Northeast. Millions of people reported seeing both of these pests in their homes!
This means different regions and residential situations are prone to different types of pest infestations. Hence, the type of pest control needed in rental properties can also differ depending on the type and location. If you manage various properties across the country, this is something you must keep in mind.
Different Types of Pest Control
If the words ‘pest control’ conjure up images of exterminators in containment suits, you’re not far off the mark. However, there are different types of pest control to consider. Here are five of the most popular examples.
Chemical Treatments
Chemical treatment for pest control involves using specialized chemicals to eliminate pests. While it works well, it can affect the health of humans, too. Allergic reactions are also a possibility. If chemicals have to be used, inform the residents and enquire if they have any medical conditions that might be affected. If they do, alternative methods may have to be used.
Heat
If a flea infestation is a problem, high-temperature steam cleaning is an effective but more eco-friendly method of dealing with the problem. Intense heat (120°F minimum) kills fleas eggs and larvae. This is also an effective treatment for bed bug infestations.
Biological Pest Control
Biological pest control is another possibility, although this is only feasible in more rural property rental settings. It is the introduction of the pests' natural enemies/predators to maintain the pest population. This is more effective with pests like rodents and certain insects.
Organic Pest Control
Organic pest control avoids the use of potentially hazardous and harmful chemicals. It entails using barriers, traps, or natural pest repellents. This is more popular when properties have children and pets on site.
Electronic Pest Control
Electronic pest control is popular because no chemicals are used. It is thus safe for humans and most pets. Ultrasonic and radio wave pest control devices can target insects and rodents.
They can even work on cockroach infestations, although a roach infestation is sometimes harder to beat with ultrasonic pest control. Also, more targeted treatments are usually required to exterminate bed bugs.
Mechanical Interventions
Mechanical pest control includes physical barriers and/or traps on the surrounding property to keep pest-like rodents at bay. Mouse/rat traps may also be used inside the property in areas where these pests gain access.
The Property Manager's Responsibilities
Pest control is the property manager’s responsibility. Residents may be expected to keep a rental property clean to avoid pests, but pests can invade even the cleanest of homes.
Provide a Habitable and Healthy Living Environment
Pest control makes up a part of the property manager’s responsibility to provide renters with a habitable environment. Pest control falls under the category of preventative maintenance. But the pest control landlords offer unfortunately isn’t always enough.
Why is it a property manager's responsibility in the first place? A habitable environment also means a healthy living environment. Pests affect health, therefore pest control is part of providing a habitable rental property. This is not just a moral responsibility, but also a legal responsibility.
Meet Your Legal Obligations
All states have a version of a warranty or implied warranty of habitability. Although the details may vary from one state to another, and even state and local laws may differ, there are a few basic things that implied warranties of habitability cover, including basic sanitation and pest control.
Legally speaking, an implied warranty of habitability means that it is presumed, even if not expressly written in a contract. So, for example, an implied warranty of habitability means that property owners and property managers are going to provide residents with habitable rental properties.
That includes meeting their pest control responsibilities in all rental units, both before new residents move in, and during their residency.
Perform Ongoing Maintenance
Property managers are tasked with performing regular property maintenance. This not only makes the rental property safer and more comfortable for occupants but also makes pest control easier, too. Pests love faulty waste disposal units, crumbling walls, and holes in fences, so don’t give them these opportunities.
Do Seasonal Pest Control
Your pest control efforts are a year-round obligation, including seasonal pest treatments. Some insect infestations are more common in hot weather or damp weather conditions. With a little resident cooperation and a regular schedule, you’ll keep pests at bay.
The Resident's Responsibilities
The warranty of habitability generally ensures that rental properties are kept pest-free. However, it does not cover irresponsible actions or neglect (wilful or otherwise) on the resident’s part.
In other words, although the property manager must ensure, to the best of their ability, that the property remains pest-free, they are not at fault if residents encourage pest infestations. They may also require residents to employ their basic pest control, to avoid pest control issues while renting.
Abide by the Terms of the Lease
According to the lease, who is responsible for pest control, landlord or tenant? This is a bit of a gray area. You may include a pest control clause in your lease agreement and expect residents to abide by those requirements. However, the warranty of habitability still requires you to manage most pest control issues.
Resident responsibilities may include pest control, although you should check with your local and state laws on this issue. That said, it is reasonable to request that residents notify you immediately when an infestation occurs. It is also reasonable to ask them to take all steps possible to avoid attracting pests.
Keep the Rental Property Clean
A clean property will attract fewer pests. This is one of the reasons why residents also have a cleaning responsibility, often written into the lease agreement.
It’s a joint responsibility. Property managers must ensure that common areas are cleaned and well-maintained, and residents must keep their rental units clean. But should there be a need to call in pest control services, you will have to give residents proper notice before entering the rental units.
Perform Minor Maintenance
Pest control is much easier on a well-maintained property. A well-maintained property will not attract pests as readily as one that has fallen into disrepair. Crumbling and damaged walls give pests places to hide they would otherwise not have.
Even well-maintained properties can suffer bug infestations. However, pests are a lot easier to eradicate when they have fewer hiding and nesting places available to them. Residents are responsible for minor maintenance only. Structural maintenance is generally the responsibility of the property manager.
Who Pays for Pest Control?
So, who is responsible for paying for pest control? Once again, this can become a complex issue. Residents, through their negligence or lack of hygiene standards, can cause pests to gain a foothold in the home.
This is why you should have it written into the rental agreement that if they fail to maintain basic cleanliness, they will have to address pest infestations. When it can be proved that the residents’ actions led to the pest problem, the cost of pest control may be deducted from their security deposit.
But this is often hard to prove, and you will be bound by your local and state laws. So ultimately, unless your region’s laws allow for it, and you can prove negligence, you will pay for pest control. It’s yet another reason why such scenarios must be covered in detail in rental agreements.
Does a Property Manager Need a Resident’s Permission to Schedule Pest Control?
Again, local laws will be your guide to the exact protocol to follow. But generally speaking, you don’t need a resident’s permission to schedule a visit from a pest control company. You do, however, have to give them proper notice of it, in advance.
Most residents have no problem with allowing pest control professionals into the unit to get the property pest-free again. They also rarely complain when it’s a preventative measure to avoid future pest control issues.
The issue is almost always a question of how much notice they were given. Residents often have to be off the property when chemical treatments, for example, are used. They should be given enough time to make arrangements.
Does a Resident Need a Property Manager’s Permission to Schedule Pest Control?
Property managers appreciate it when residents take pest control seriously. If they do all they can to not attract pests, and practice regular pest control, it reduces the burden on the property management team. But do residents have to obtain permission?
Residents are expected to report the pest problem to the property manager first. It is then up to the property manager to act promptly, and if necessary, call in professional exterminators.
If the property manager fails to do so, residents may schedule pest and pest control and claim that the property manager did not meet their obligations for pest control. This is a slippery slope and is best avoided through clear communication about pest control responsibilities.
What to Do When Your Resident Reports a Pest Infestation
As a property manager, you must provide a habitable rental unit, free from pests. When residents report a pest infestation, you need to take action fast.
1. Inspect Property
Inspect the property as soon as possible to confirm the presence of pests. If the pest problems are minor, you may choose to handle them yourself or call a professional pest control company if necessary. You also need to determine the cause of the pest infestation.
2. Respond Promptly
If you don’t eradicate the pests immediately, their population will grow and it will become even harder to rid the property of them. Act swiftly to handle the pest issues in the affected rental unit before it spreads to other units.
3. Take Appropriate Action
Many products on the market help with everyday pest infestations. Make these available to your residents, or ask them if they would prefer you to do this for them. If fleas or bed bugs are the issue, steam cleaning may resolve the issue without the need for chemical interventions.
Preventative Tips for Property Managers
Preventative pest control is yet again one of those property manager responsibilities typically covered by the implied warranty of habitability. There may be some regional differences on this issue. But it usually falls under the broad category of landlord responsibilities.
If you want to establish and nurture a good property manager-resident relationship, preventative pest control is a way to do it. However, the key to preventing pest infestations is regular communication. Residents should inform their property manager or landlord immediately when a pest infestation occurs.
Don’t rely solely on this, though. To address pest control properly, some proactive steps are necessary.
Regular Property Maintenance
The property manager is responsible for the property maintenance that will ensure a pest-free environment. Fortunately, regular apartment maintenance saves you time and money later in pest control expenses.
Regular Property Inspections
As a property manager, you are responsible for conducting regular property inspections to aid in pest control.
But that does not mean that residents can’t contribute to these inspections. Many prefer doing it themselves. This approach helps busy property managers simplify inspections and save time. And that’s why so many property managers and residents rely on RentCheck.
RentCheck allows residents to perform their own inspections, keeping property managers updated through the platform every step of the way. And because it’s automated, everyone saves time and effort.
Installing Preventative Tools
When getting properties ready for rental, you must check for any pest infestations and treat any pest infestation that is present with effective pest control methods. Preventative pest control is advised, such as installing pest control devices. Find a pest control service that you can call when the need arises.
If you don’t already have one, purchase a steam cleaning machine. You can, of course, leave it to the professionals but these machines are easy to use and are a good investment.
A flea or bed bug infestation is a regular occurrence in rental units, especially those that are furnished and carpeted. You’ll save time and money using a steam cleaner for flea or bed bug infestations.
Prevent Pest Infestations With RentCheck's Inspection Software
Every property manager deals with the unpleasant problem of pest infestation at some time or other. Calling in exterminators resolves the current pest infestation. It doesn’t guarantee it won’t recur. Pest control professionals count on this. They know that pests are common in rental units.
That’s good for their business, but not for yours. Both property managers and residents must work together to stem the tide of pest infestations with regular pest control and inspections.
Using RentCheck’s automated inspection lists and reports, residents can conduct inspections while property managers monitor the situation, all through a handy app. Sign up today and try RentCheck for free.
