Keep your rental home safe and comfortable by getting your landlord to take action when you have a pest infestation. There’s nothing more annoying than having cockroaches crawling through your kitchen faucets or having termites destroy your valuable furniture. Aside from being disgusting, these unwanted rodents can also compromise your family’s health which is why it’s so frustrating when the property owner proves unresponsive to complaints. If you’re in such a situation, here’s the perfect guide on what to do when your landlord ignores pest control:
Landlord’s Responsibilities for Pest Control
Conduct Regular Inspections
Ask the property owner or manager about their inspection schedule if it’s not outlined in your rental agreement. Part of a landlord’s responsibility to keep their property in top-notch condition is to perform regular inspections to identify potential pest problems early and take action. In other words, good landlords are proactive in preventing pest infestations, as routine clean-ups can help you spot early signs like droppings, unusual noises, or rodents’ nests.
Respond Promptly to Tenant Complaint
Follow due process when reporting pest infestations so your landlord can act promptly. Property owners are often quick to address pest problems, not only to keep you happy but also to preserve their investment. After all, an ongoing infestation could cause tenants to terminate their lease, make it harder to get new renters, and also cause severe property damage. Thus, don’t be afraid to report bad landlords because they must attend to maintenance needs.
Tenant’s Responsibilities for Pest Control, Cleanliness, and Maintenance
Maintain a Clean Living Condition
Act your part in preventing pest problems by maintaining clean living conditions in your rental unit. Landlords have to perform routine maintenance and as a tenant, you’re also responsible for daily cleaning and keeping your rental in shape. It includes properly storing food, disposing of garbage properly, and cleaning up crumbs and spills that might attract ants and other pests.
Report Pest Issues
Reach out to your landlord when you notice the first signs of critters crawling around your house. You can prevent pest problems in a rental by detecting early signs of infestation such as droppings or damage. As a tenant, you’re more present at the property, and can easily spot signs that the owner might have missed during their last inspection. Aside from making it easier for your landlord to intervene and minimize the potential damage of an infestation, most leases make it mandatory for renters to report pest issues as quickly as possible.
Follow Preventative Measures
Stick to the recommended prevention guidelines your landlord laid out in your lease. Instead of leaving uncovered food in the open till you’re ready to do the dishes, seal up leftovers in airtight containers properly and load your dishwasher as soon as possible. Also, avoid leaving standing water in your sink or yard to keep flies away. It would also help to reduce the clutter in your home, which can act as a hiding place for roaches and other insects. Some landlords may also request to follow specific instructions like temporarily vacating the house during pest control treatments that tenants are required to comply.
Taking Action through Legal Avenues
Documenting the Infestation
Create a trail of verifiable evidence by tracking all records of communication with your landlord about the pest issue. If you have a landlord who’s unresponsive to your complaints about rats or cockroaches running around the house, you need to build your case through thorough documentation. Keep detailed records of your emails, texts, and written notices to prove that you followed due process in reporting the situation. It would also help if you could back up your claims with photos and videos that clearly show the extent of the infestation. Additionally, if you have to pay out of pocket for a professional to evaluate your unit and fix the issue, save their reports and receipts.
Consider Small Claims Court
Take your landlord to small claims court to get your money back. Sometimes tenants have to pay out of pocket to hire an exterminator when their landlord doesn’t respond to requests for pest control. As a result, you have the legal option to seek financial compensation for whatever money you spent to resolve the issue, and also reimbursement for any pest-related damages to your belongings or health.
Conclusion
Keep your home pest-free even when you live in a rental by maintaining a clean living environment. Routinely cleaning up spills, disposing of garbage, and reducing clutter can go a long way in ensuring your home stays rodent-free. Besides these preventative measures, tenants also have a duty to report early signs of infestations to their landlord as soon as they spot them, just like they have a duty to act promptly when they file a complaint. However, if you’ve exhausted all possible methods of communication, and they’re still unresponsive, you can take legal action. Ensure you have enough evidence to back up your claims before taking them to a small claims court.
