Unwanted pests present more than health and safety risks. Disagreements between tenants and landlords about who is responsible for dealing with the problem are bound to happen. If your rental home has formed a pest problem after you moved in, you may have to take immediate action. When renters hesitate to act immediately on the pest problem, it ends up making the problem worse. As a renter, you must realize that pest control is in the scope of your responsibility, and you must also know some ways to prevent a pest problem in your Broken Arrow rental home in the first place.
Understanding if it is your responsibility as a tenant to pay for pest control likely depends on your lease and/or whether your actions are the cause for the infestation. There are many different types of pests that can invade a rental home. Some particular pests, including ants, cockroaches, and fleas, are often attracted to a home because it is not kept clean enough. If bags of garbage are left sitting or uncovered food is stored in the home, ants, and cockroaches are going to be attracted to these kinds of conditions. Such insects thrive in environments with a plentiful food source and love to eat garbage and crumbs. Skunks, mice, rats, raccoons, and other animals are also strongly attracted by garbage left uncovered outside and can create havoc in a very short amount of time. If you have a dog or other pet living with you, it could be bringing fleas inside the house. Fleas carry diseases and can quickly infest every corner of a home.
In all of the examples given, it has been the tenant’s behavior or actions that invited the pests into the home. Because of this, under the terms of most leases, the renter is made responsible for paying to remove the unwanted pests. If ever your rental home has a problem with moisture and that you forgot to notify the owner, you could find yourself responsible for the pests that are attracted to such conditions as well. In most instances, a professional exterminator will be asked to decide whether your living conditions caused the pest problem. You may be required to pay for any and all required pest removal services if their findings support such a conclusion.
The most helpful thing that a renter can do is to be proactive about their rental home maintenance. Renters can do a lot to ensure that their rental homes are pest-free. Making sure that the home is clean, both inside and out is probably the easiest and most effective way to prevent unwanted pests. Keeping garbage and food (both human and pet) in containers with tight lids and disposing of any trash right away is another important strategy for outdoor pests.
Now, for pests that want to be inside the house, make sure to keep the food properly by tightly sealing and storing them in the refrigerator or pantry; also sweep up the crumbs daily. For renters with pets, keeping your animal clean is the best way to avoid a flea infestation and all the problems that come with it. For those renters who also reside in places that are highly prone to fleas and ticks, there are numerous flea prevention products on the market that are quite effective at resolving that pest problem. In order to avoid the expense and annoyance of having to bear the cost for pest extermination on your rental property, you should take the appropriate action right away.
Are you searching for a Broken Arrow rental home? Check out our available listings and give us a call at 918-532-7020 for more information.
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