Tenant Tips for Pest Infestations in a Rental
In order to keep your rental property in its best shape and seem inviting enough to the prospective tenants, you have to ensure that you take care of all the essential pest control services. Pests and rodents can destroy the property and make it a breeding ground of a variety of dangerous diseases, in addition to increasing the cost of damage control.
Who amongst the landlord and the tenant should take care of the pest infestation?
The lease agreement might clarify the specificity of the situation and help in deciding who is responsible for taking care of pest control. It also depends on the cause of the problem in the first place. For instance, if the pest infestation occurred due to any irresponsible behaviour on the tenants part, such as leaving food uncovered, unclean kitchen or bath, etc., then they have to cater to the charges for the pest control and get it done immediately.
Reliable Tips for Property Maintenance Against Pests
As is popularly said, prevention is better than cure. That stands true when we consider a pest infestation too. Rather than spending a high amount of money for the repairs to damaged household items caused by pests, maintain healthier and cleaner places to live. There are various ways you can ensure that your rental property does not invite any undesirable pest visits, including:
- Regular extermination - To prevent the advancement of a pest infestation in the property, it is crucial to conduct regular inspections, especially of the hidden places and corners in the house. Exterminating the property regularly, i.e. once every two months, is an ideal preventative measure of pest control.
- Sealing possible entry points - The most significant step that you need to cater to is ensuring that there are no open or uncovered holes or cracks in your house that might behave like an entry point for the pests. Check for such spaces and seal them suitably to avoid any potential problems.
- Regularly cleaning common areas - Since common areas get used by both the tenants and the landlords, it becomes essential to clean them daily to eliminate any possible pest attractions. For instance, clean out any dead plants from the garden, or the food crumbs and leftovers in the living rooms, etc.
- Use and clean garbage bins - Cleaning your rental property does not end at stuffing the trash cans. These are the most unhygienic yet highly likely places for pests to feast and eventually enter your property via them. So, once in a while, you need to replace your existing garbage bins with clean ones to make sure that they remain safe to use.
- Eliminate waste clutter - It is common to discard unused furniture other household items and leave them lying around your rental property. But did you know that these wooden pieces get relished by the pests and rodents as their ideal food source? Promptly removing any unwanted garbage will help you achieve a pest-free place to live.
- Prevent any water accumulation around the property - This includes proper maintenance of the garden in your rental place to prevent the moisture from the plants from attracting undesirable insects. Get rid of wasps from your garden immediately. Untreated and rotten garden plants and shrubs are possible breeding regions for the pests. These can then find their way into your rental house.
Discuss the issue of pest control policies and responsibilities before approving a lease agreement to remain prepared, if the problem arises. As a responsible and concerned landlord or an invested tenant, ensure that your rental property receives regular and thorough cleaning spells to avoid pest entry.