Flies In The Apartment! "Screams Tenant"

[Eric Zawadski]

I am not sure what my obligation is in this situation, so I'm hoping someone will weigh in and help me out....

A month ago I had a tenant that said there were a bunch of flies in her apt. I asked how they got in and she said some of the screens are ripped (this is an inherited tenant of a property I bought a year earlier). I sent her some new screens and she hasn't said anything more about flies. I also sent her some links of household ways to get rid of flies. She calls them cluster flies, but this in taking place during the summer in New England. Cluster flies can come out of attics and whatnot in Spring and Fall. Also her apt is a renovated attic. So there isn't anywhere for these cluster flies to live. Either way, I'm fairly certain they're just house flies. 

Now today, she said she moved around some furniture and found some maggots and fly eggs underneath her couch and rug and under some lifting up floor boards. I have been very friendly and helpful, giving her tips on how to get rid of them (keep doors and windows closed, spray certain essential oils around, vacuum up the maggots, etc.) She has not said as much, but I believe she is insinuating that it is an infestation and I need to take care of it....

What are your thoughts? Can house flies actually be an infestation? Is it my responsibility to call a pest person? Or hers because she most likely let in too many flies and they ate her garbage and laid eggs and had nasty maggot babies?

Thanks in advance!

[John Underwood]

What does the lease say?

Mine says tenant is responsible for pest control past initial 30 days.