Tenant has roaches - how to get rid of them

Tenant has roaches - how to get rid of them

Rental Property Investor · Whittier, CA · Member since 2014 · 325 posts · 269 votes

We are landlords in California.  The subject property is a 6 unit (duplex plus fourplex).

About 10 months ago, one of our tenants had problems with roaches.  We distributed a letter to all tenants in the building about roach behavior and control, and had their place sprayed.  Things seemed to be solved.

A couple months ago, we did an inspection and found that they once again had roaches, and that they were feeding the little buggers (dirty dishes on the countertops, overflowing garbage, living in their refrigerator, eating dinner on the living room couch, not mopping up spills).

We have sent them a letter telling them that they need to clean things up, and to work with the on-site manager to set up a time to admit the exterminator.  They are refusing the exterminator, claiming that their child became ill (months later) from the last spraying.

We are concerned that:

a: the roaches will spread to other units

b: the tenants may claim retaliation if we give them a 60 day notice

Any advice from the community?

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Roy N.Pro Member
Rental Property Investor · Fredericton, New Brunswick · Member since 2013 · 7k+ posts · 4k+ votes
11y

@Brendon Woirhaye 

Serve both the tenant and roaches with notice and you can have the place cleaned-up by April.

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  • Rental Property Investor · Whittier, CA · Member since 2014 · 325 posts · 269 votes
    11y

    We rent month to month.

  • Roy N.Pro Member
    Rental Property Investor · Fredericton, New Brunswick · Member since 2013 · 7k+ posts · 4k+ votes
    11y

    @Brendon Woirhaye 

    Serve both the tenant and roaches with notice and you can have the place cleaned-up by April.

  • Hanford, CA · Member since 2013 · 5k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    11y

    I don't know of any law that is broken because you want to give notice! Either give them notice or raise the rent high enough on the renewal that they give notice :)

  • Real Estate Investor · Clovis, CA · Member since 2014 · 195 posts · 194 votes
    11y

    Get them out of there, or your other units will have roaches too in no time!  These renters brought them with them and will take them to there next place as well - not all of them unfortunately.  That is why they don't want you to spray - after all they are used to them!  TAKE YOUR ROACHES AND GET OUT OF HERE!!

  • Investor · Dyersburg, TN · Member since 2015 · 320 posts · 100 votes
    11y
    Likely the roaches are what is making them sick...
  • Rental Property Investor · Yardley, PA · Member since 2008 · 1k+ posts · 561 votes
    11y

    Aren't roaches a protected class?

  • Real Estate Investor · Audubon, PA · Member since 2009 · 13k+ posts · 8k+ votes
    11y

    Tell them that keeping roaches is a violation of the landlord's "no pets" policy :)

  • Real Estate Investor · Audubon, PA · Member since 2009 · 13k+ posts · 8k+ votes
    11y
  • Joel OwensBusiness Member
    Moderator
    Real Estate Broker · Canton, GA · Member since 2010 · 15k+ posts · 11k+ votes
    11y

    Brendon,

    I have seen the worst of the worst with roaches.

    One time an inherited  tenant was evicted. They kept saying their kids were sick so no inspection of the unit. They left 3 weeks after. You open the door and a waterfall of roaches came down to the outside.

    Exterminators said it was one of the worst cases they had ever seen. They came in with BIO suits and canisters and filmed for their company videos for training.

    It took them 4 months just to knock the population level down to a point where you could go inside the unit to try cleaning the walls. The people lived like animals.

    You need to get rid of your tenants. With connecting walls the roaches will spread to other tenants units  even if they are clean. Also if you spray the tenants with roaches unit it will not matter. Exterminators will tell you if you put poison bait down but there is grease and actual food to eat the roaches will go for that instead. So you have to perfectly clean the place and then place bait. There are many inside the walls you can't see. You also have to treat connecting units. If you don't the roaches will go away from the poison into other units trying to get away.

    It is very tough to get rid of the issues. Those dirty tenants will bring the  whole building down so you need to evict as they do not want to stay clean.

    No legal advice given.

  • Lender · Greater LA/Orange County area, CA · Member since 2012 · 3k+ posts · 3k+ votes
    11y

    Hope you're 6-plex is nowhere near my RoseHills duplex.

    Real estate falls into two categories, IMHO:  Property problems & People problems. 

    You have a people problem that has manifested into a property problem. You won't fix the latter until you eliminate the former. 

    You won't change the people because their nature is cultural or habitual. 

  • Investor · New York, NY · Member since 2008 · 169 posts · 73 votes
    11y
    Originally posted by @Joel Owens:

    "You open the door and a waterfall of roaches came down to the outside.

    Exterminators said it was one of the worst cases they had ever seen. They came in with BIO suits and canisters and filmed for their company videos for training.

    It took them 4 months just to knock the population level down to a point where you could go inside the unit to try cleaning the walls. The people lived like animals."

    I think I just vomited...just a little...

  • Rental Property Investor · Whittier, CA · Member since 2014 · 325 posts · 269 votes
    11y

    Thanks for all the validation and suggestions.

    @Rick Harmon, they are not close to Rose Hills, the roaches won't make it to your place.

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