As a landlord, you hold a lot of responsibility for your tenants. So, it can be stressful if something goes wrong with one of your apartment buildings. Pest infestations are one of those stresses. Though you try to prevent them, apartments are a pest's paradise. Cockroaches are some of the worst of the bunch. Consider these tips if you get a call from a tenant about a cockroach infestation.
As a landlord, you have certain responsibilities regarding the conditions of the properties you rent out. Regardless of what condition the properties are left in after tenants move out, it's the landlord's job to clean the apartment and ensure that it's bug-free before the new tenants move in. If the space isn't inhabitable or tenants spot a cockroach within the first few days of living there, that's your responsibility. Always ensure that your properties are clean upon move-in and document the cleanliness. Otherwise, you could end up losing a lawsuit and have a whole lot of cockroaches to deal with.
As a landlord, the law regarding pest control responsibility differs between states/provinces. In Canada, the Residential Tenancies Act 2006 states that "A residential complex shall be kept reasonably free of rodents, vermin and insects", and the Ontario Rental Housing Tribunal mentions that “A landlord must control pests such as cockroaches and mice.” In the US the state of California holds the landlord responsible for all pest control, the San Francisco Chronicle noted. The state asks that landlords maintain habitable homes, regardless of how uninhabitable your tenants may be making them. No matter what time the infestation occurs, landlords in California need to take care of the problem. However, it may be a different case for other states. Look into your state/province laws to find out who's responsible.
If you live in a state where you aren't fully responsible for pest control, include it in the contract. One landlord from Landlordology wrote that he takes responsibility for the pests within two weeks after move-in. Once that time has passed, tenants are responsible for care. If they've ignored the problem and caused a full-blown infestation, he'll charge them for the exterminator.
This is the most important step. Small batches of cockroaches may be able to be remedied with some boric acid or other pesticide, but larger amounts demand the professionals. Be sure to contact a company with a guarantee in case the cockroaches don't leave right away. Sometimes cockroaches will have invaded multiple apartments, even if it was one group of tenants' faults. In these cases, multiple visits by an exterminator may be needed.
As the weather cools, you'll probably see fewer pests than you did during the warmer months, but that doesn't mean they're all gone just yet. Some insects can actually come out in full force during the autumn, while others might seek refuge in your warm home. Here are some key tips to keep in mind as fall gets underway:
Not every creature that visits your property is a dangerous nuisance. Many animals actually offer a number of benefits that keep your yard healthy. Predatory animals, in particular, actually offer natural pest control. Here are five common suburban creatures that can help keep more difficult or annoying animals at bay:
The customer is always right, and this is especially true if he or she is complaining about seeing a mouse or cockroach. Pests have no place in your organization, as bugs and rodents will turn away potential business or even lead to a possible lawsuit. Keeping your company protected requires a proactive approach. Work with a pest removal specialist to identify the best ways to stop creatures from infesting your business. Here are just a few ideas for successfully mitigating and preventing any issues:
You might see an influx of rodents at this time of year, because as the weather cools mice and rats seek warmth anywhere they can find it. Unfortunately, that often means inside residential homes. Many homes may experience rodent infestations at this time of year more than any other. Whether they're getting into your garage, basement or kitchen, it's important to put a stop to them before the problem becomes too serious and requires the intervention of a professional pest control agency.
Summer is almost here and before you head out on a family trip or even if you travel for work, consider doing a little research so you become familiar with bed bugs. This will help you identify them quickly and it could keep you from bringing them home unknowingly!
With the promise of summer also comes the promise of bugs. Homeowners have to stay vigilant, lest they find ants - or worse - rifling through their food.
You might've heard that cockroaches can survive a nuclear blast. If the worst should happen and the world succumbs to nuclear war, the cockroaches would reign supreme as the one and only organism left on earth. This hardly seems fair - consider how much time humans have spent trying to control cockroach populations. You might've chased one of them out of the bathroom this morning! So, if they really can withstand a nuclear blast, what chance do we have of managing cockroach infestations at home?
