How do we spray for bugs in a multi-family unit?

Question

A tenant requested their unit be sprayed due to black widow spiders showing up.  I would guess this is the landlord's responsibility.  As such, do we need approval from all tenants to spray inside/outside?  Let's assume the spray is child and pet safe.  Thanks for your input!

Kristopher Hanks · Answer

@Dori Rutledge

My lease puts the responsibility of pest control on the tenant. There are many variables that can cause pest issues. A lot of those variables are caused by the tenants themselves. What do spiders eat? Bugs. Bugs usually like to show up in unsanitary conditions. Perform a safety inspection in the unit and see if it is clean. You may find that the tenant is messy and causing the conditions that led to the spiders showing up or maybe they have nothing to do with it. You won't know unless you go look.

A former tenant had a rat problem. Come to find out they left food and trash all over the house. They were living like savages. No wonder why the rats liked their house.

Nathan Gesner · Answer

Why is it a Landlord responsibility? Did you put the Black Widows in the home? No. If the tenant reports flies, do you run over with a fly swatter? Do you put down traps for sugar ants?

Just because the pest is poisonous doesn't automatically make it your responsibility. It depends on your lease. My lease says tenants are responsible for ordinary pest control, just like I am in my own house. If there is a problem that can't be handled by ordinary means, I may deal with it.

A single Black Widow can be killed with a shoe or fly swatter. There's no need to freak out and spray the entire house just because you saw one spider.

James Wise · Answer

You don't need permission from the other tenant to spray this tenant's unit. However If I were you I would spray both of them as only spraying one unit won't solve the problem. You don't even need permission from the tenant to spray  their own unit. Technically you just need to give them notice.

Now if they physically don't allow you into their unit you then have a whole new can of worms in regards to solving that issue. Do you let it go? Evict them?.....That's a topic for another day. For now just give notice to both tenants & go from there. Most reasonable folks would want you to spray their unit.