The presence of pests in a rental property poses a significant threat to both the landlord and the tenants. Pests can cause damage to the property and the items in it, but they can also pose a health threat. However, eliminating pests from a rental property can be time-consuming and expensive. But who should pay for Pest Control Leander TX services in rental homes, the landlord or the tenant?
What’s The Law On Pest Control In Leander, TX Rentals?
Landlords and property managers must maintain safe and habitable structures for their tenants. Your home care is uninhabitable if there is a pest infestation, whether rodents, insects, birds, or any other kind of pest. This implies you should take care of all pest control measures according to the correct procedure specified by a licensed Pest Control Leander TX company to guarantee the well-being of your tenants.
Pest Control Is The Landlord’s Responsibility
The owner is responsible for safeguarding their property from pest damage before renting it out, and they also want to make the home appealing to prospective renters. A landlord’s responsibility to provide a clean and secure dwelling is mandated by law. As such, this is part of the landlord’s warranty of habitability. This guarantee is the landlord’s unstated assurance that they have taken all appropriate action to ensure the property’s habitability.
If the following conditions are met, it is still the landlord’s responsibility to eliminate pests from a rental property even after the tenant has moved in:
- The tenant promptly reported the pest problem to the landlord after discovering the infestation.
- The renter produces photographic and other documentation that the rental property was not delivered in a clean and pest-free state.
In these cases, the landlord is responsible for pest removal and extermination.
When Pest Control Falls Under The Tenant’s Responsibility
In some cases, tenants are expected to take care of the property’s pests independently. The landlord will eradicate bugs; however, the tenant is responsible for the costs associated with doing so if the infestation is due to the tenant’s acts or inactivity.
The renter is responsible for pest control if, for example, ants or cockroaches are attracted to the home because of consistently uneaten food left in the sink. If a tenant doesn’t take out the garbage on trash day or doesn’t keep the trash can covered, they’ll face the same consequences.
Tenants are responsible for the cost of pest control if they introduce bed bugs to a rental property that has never had a bedbug problem before. The tenant is also accountable for any flea-related damages in the rental property due to the tenant’s failure to treat the pest for fleas.
Key Takeaway
When landlords and renters disagree or are misinformed about pest control problems in multi-unit buildings, the situation can be even more difficult. But when they work together to solve these issues, it’s often easier to deal with them quickly and efficiently.
If you’re a landlord, protecting your Leander, Texas rental properties from pests is essential for the safety of your renters and the integrity of buildings. It’s better to take preventative measures against pest infestations than try to address them after they’ve become problems for tenants.
You’re responsible for keeping your unit clean and pest-free if you’re a renter. You should be vigilant about checking for signs of pests in apartments or homes that aren’t occupied by humans—and report any problems to the landlord immediately.
Fresh Pest Control can help you get rid of pests for good with routine inspections that will keep them from returning. They will also educate you about the signs of pests, how to prevent them from becoming a problem and what to do if you see one in your home. If you need Pest Control Leander TX services, call 512-273-7777.
