Turnover -- potential bedbugs -- what to do

Turnover -- potential bedbugs -- what to do

Member since 2023 · 36 posts · 13 votes

Hello and sorry this post is very long but I wanted to give the full picture of what is going on here.

Tenant was renting my SFH for about 1.5 years with no pest complaints. About six months ago tenant started complaining about a type of tiny non-biting insect called springtails that I had never heard of before. Although my lease says tenant is responsible for pest control I agreed to pay for a one time, two part treatment by a local pest control company done as a courtesy. Part one of the treatment was performed but the T continued to complain about springtails. I told him to call the pest control and schedule part 2 of the treatment, which he did.

Then the T complained about fire ants around the front door and said there was some soft wood around the door jamb. I told him I could come over in a couple of weeks and look at it and repair any rotten wood with bondo. He agreed.

Then about a week later I received a text from the tenant of a dead insect he found, claiming it was a bedbug and asking what my treatment plan was for bedbugs. I said I would have to get back to him on that. I texted the photo to the person who performed the two springtail treatments and he said it was not a bedbug and in fact based on being over there he did not think there was any kind of infestation (springtail or otherwise) in that house either. The pest guy seemed to believe the T was doing poor housekeeping.  I told the T that it was not a bedbug and he said he was relieved.

Then I went over about a week later to do the bondo repair on the door jamb that the T requested and when I got there the T had moved his bed into the living room and spread diatomaceous earth around the perimeter of the floor. I asked him what was going on and he explained that he continued his investigation after I told him the other tech said it was not a bedbug. He called another pest control place and they said it was a Tropical Bedbug and he wanted me to pay for expensive bedbug treatments. I explained that since it is a SFH and he has been there almost 2 years I am not responsible for bedbug remediation at this point and I was not paying for it. And that he only found one dead bug. And that if they were there he or his guests brought them into the house.

The T then complained about a small area of popcorn ceiling in the garage that had fallen in (a small section of drywall tape had given way and the piece collapsed). I agreed to have someone come and repair it. A couple days later I called the T and said the T had to clean up that diatomaceous earth and move the bed before the drywall guy came because seeing that stuff might spook him and make him turn around and leave without completing the job. Tenant then told me that he "freaked out" about the bedbugs before and that he knew it was not a rational reaction. When the drywall guy came that stuff had been removed and the place was cleaned up.

I thought things were smoothed out but then a few weeks later the T (who is on a month to month lease) gave written notice to move out on Aug 31.

At this point I am 90% sure there is no bedbug infestation in that house and that it was in this person's mind but I am faced with a turnover and the uncertainty of how to proceed. I don't know if there are any unbiased bedbug inspection services in my area -- all seem to be selling services as well. If I pay someone to come over there and inspect they may just claim I have bedbugs in order to sell me expensive services. The guy who did the original treatment doesn't actually do bedbugs -- they focus on ants, etc.

I do not want to take the unlikely, but possible chance that a problem is there and move new tenants in and have a fiasco and possibly get sued by the new tenants. How should I proceed to cover myself legally? Try to do my own personal bedbug inspection of the house once it is vacant? Should I just go ahead and have some kind of bedbug treatment done? Or is this something you would not worry about. What would people here recommend?

Thanks.

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Chris SeveneyBusiness Member
Moderator
Investor · VA · Member since 2015 · 21k+ posts · 19k+ votes
3y

@Jason Cox

Hire a company to come out and do an inspection is what I would recommend

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  • Chris SeveneyBusiness Member
    Moderator
    Investor · VA · Member since 2015 · 21k+ posts · 19k+ votes
    3y

    @Jason Cox

    Hire a company to come out and do an inspection is what I would recommend

    7e investments53 Reviews
  • Member since 2023 · 36 posts · 13 votes
    3y

    @Chris Seveney

    But how do I find an unbiased/neutral inspection company for this? As I explained in my original post every company I've seen online in my area that offers canine searches, etc. also sells bedbug remediation services. They could lie and say there are bedbugs present just to charge me $3000 for unnecessary heat treatments.

  • Investor · Clairemont, CA · Member since 2011 · 3k+ posts · 2k+ votes
    3y

    So hire an honest reputable company...

    You do this every day with your Dr, Dentist, mechanic etc. They can all tell you there are expensive but unecessary things you need, and there are news stories of people doing just that in every profession. You, like every other person in a similar position, search for the reputable vendor who will provide an honest assessment.

  • Member since 2023 · 36 posts · 13 votes
    3y

    Thanks Matt...good point. Although I tend to think of the pest control business as generally a whole lot shadier than doctors and dentists, it is true, as you pointed out, that we get diagnoses from people who have a potential conflict of interest all the time in our lives. I'll look again for a local company with good reviews and no serious BBB complaints.

  • Erin ChurchPro Member
    Real Estate Agent · North Augusta, SC · Member since 2017 · 254 posts · 233 votes
    3y

    @Jason Cox

    If you have in your lease that the tenant is responsible for bugs, your kind of setting a bad precedent.

    I would let him know that you’ve tried to be kind by helping, but you can no longer pay for things clearly stated in the lease are the tenants responsibility. You know there were no pest issues when it was rented 1.5years ago. I’d tell him he can pay for an inspector. If he is uncomfortable, let him leave/break his lease. It will save you in the long run.

    Good luck :)

  • Member since 2023 · 36 posts · 13 votes
    3y

    Erin thanks but the tenant has given notice that he is vacating the unit now.

  • Nathan GesnerBusiness Member
    Moderator
    Real Estate Broker · Cody, WY · Member since 2010 · 28k+ posts · 41k+ votes
    3y

    Your lease says tenant is responsible for pest control, but then you provided treatment at your cost, then you continue talking to the tenant about it as if you are responsible. You should have stuck to the lease. "Ordinary pest control is your responsibility. Please call an exterminator."

    once the tenant is out, you inspect. If you find pests, you treat them professionally and charge the tenant because they failed to return the rental pest-free.

    The DIY Landlord Book4.7248 Reviews
  • Member since 2023 · 36 posts · 13 votes
    3y

    Yes I did make an error in paying for the initial treatment for the springtails months ago. No good deed goes unpunished. It just led to more demands later on from this person.

    In 13 years of being a landlord I have never had a tenant complain about pests to me before so this really threw me for a loop. Since this person was a decent tenant before this stuff started happening I thought there might be a major issue in the property. But now it looks like it probably wasn't even real. But I'm still going to have a professional inspection done once he's out to protect myself.

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