Tenant or landlord responsible for rats?

Question

Please let me know who is responsible for paying for an exterminator to get rid of rats. The tenant or the landlord?  I'm new to all this.

Also I know a landlord who charges a service fee for service calls to keep tenants from calling constantly.  Anyone else include this in the lease?

Thanks for your feedback

Wesley W. · Answer

What does your lease say?

Here's the appropriate paragraph from mine:

14.  PEST CONTROL:  Your rental unit has been inspected and deemed to be pest-free.  If you have a special problem with pests, notify the Property Manager. You are asked to assist our pest control by maintaining a high standard of good housekeeping.  If the sanitary conditions in your unit are such that it attracts pests of any kind, and it becomes necessary for us to undergo remediation in the building, you will be held financially responsible for reasonable costs thereof, paid as additional rent.

Laci Bonet · Answer

Hi all,

I'm perplexed how easy it seems to only evade the  infestation responsibility question as a  Landlord; the fear of paying the damage bill. The obvious is we want clean, cooperative tenants who will stay.

Let me give you a scenario.

In Arizona dessert rodents are in their habitat. Desert Roof Rats, pack Rats are are the property owners responsibility. After having the property impacted a pest control has said these are intelligent rodents. Often hard to track. But being vigilant and investing in rodent control is a must for all concerned. Owners and tenants.

First of all damage to the home, packrats create hidden nests . Using prickly pears and citrus to form homes in roofs and cars. Rodents invade not only nights.

Then responsibility to visiting  cars parked on and adjacent to the property. Cars are made with soy ingredients on plastic wiring. A car can set for a few hours and get rats. Insurances on cars with comprehension usually cover it but can bring your rates up 41% after its claimed. Renters insurance does not cover it.

While renting one renter sold their car only to have it invaded again. The rodents are are territorial and are leaving their odors of familiarity and do return.They put in a sonic anti rodent contoler in the engine, sprayed strong mint, chili spray, mothballs, set traps To no avail.

A landlords lackadaisical attitude can cost you a good tenant with lots of repairs and damage. Properties here have fruit and citrus trees making it needful for prompt landscaping cleanup, if it's written into your lease.  If you have a lapses in time in landscapers you will have rodents again. Fruit and citrus drop regularly while in season Though prickly pears on cactus are available most times.

Professional rodent controllers will be out and be vigilant for every week and continue even months to keep them controled and infestations down. Hard to do as a Landlord when you are out of state. Their are well worth the money. I hope this is insightful.

Ellen A. · Answer

Thanks Wesley . I will do that.

Wesley W. · Answer

@Ellen Alvarez

I would put down some traps in places inaccessible to kids/pets (i.e. behind major appliances) and make sure you determine the rats' access point.  Oftentimes, they get into the unit through spaces between plumbing pipes and flooring/drywall underneath sinks.  I use the expanding foam with the bitter taste (pestblock, it's called) in those areas, then lay the traps to make sure there aren't any trapped inside the apartment.

I'd disagree with your pest guy.  If there are droppings, that IS a sign of active rodents.

Since your lease is silent on this issue, I would just take care of it this time.  If I thought the tenants were responsible, I would refer to a part in the lease that obtusely addresses it (maintenance expenses based on tenant actions) and send something in writing to them, letting them know what the issue was and that you took care of it this time a courtesy but next time it will be charged back to them.

Moving forward, I would add something to your lease regarding pest control for next the next signing or tenant.

Ellen A. · Answer

in addition to the backdoor being left open we have seen the the garage door left open for extended periods (days/weeks) and it's an attached garage.

Ellen A. · Answer

Wesley thanks for your reply. I checked the lease and we dont have that specified.  However I do have a text from my pest guy that's says there are no signs of active rodents just droppings they left behind. The tenant leaves the back door open so her kids can play inside/outside while she keeps an eye on them. I have talked to her about closing the door because she says the ac isn't cooling.

Since it is not specified in the lease and I had it inspected prior, should I hold her responsible?

Theresa Harris · Answer

I agree with Wesley that if the rats are a problem due to the tenants leaving stuff around, they need to get rid of them.  The landlord should follow up to make sure that the problem has been taken care of.

As for service calls, no I wouldn't charge a fee.  Your tenants shouldn't be calling you that often.  If there is a problem that needs your attention, what would you do if they didn't call because you had the fee and it caused a bigger problem?

Tenant or landlord responsible for rats?

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