Pest Control in Rental Property: Who's Responsible?

Lady spraying bugs on a counter

The best time for pest control is before you see roaches, spiders, ants, termites, etc. Being proactive in this area is a good idea, but can often be forgotten about, especially if this is your first rental home and haven’t experienced this problem. A question that often doesn’t come up until it’s too late –Who’s responsible to provide pest control in a rental property, the tenant or the landlord?

  1. Tenant
  2. Homeowner
  3. Property Manager

Answer: Another trick question…It depends. To ensure pest control gets taken care of, some property owners will take responsibility and include the pest control cost in the lease. Others leave the responsibility to the tenants. Whatever your choice, make sure you have outlined the responsibility in your lease and have the tenant “sign off” on it.

Man professionally spraying for bugs

In some states, pest control is mandatory and required by local health code laws, especially if your rental property is multi-family since infestations are harder to control in property that houses more than one family. If you aren’t sure of your local laws regarding pest control, we are here to help. Real Property Management is the leader in professional property management which means, we are here to provide you with the best service, knowledge, and expertise in the industry.

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