Pest Control

[TomD]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)?

My current lease states that the tenant is responsible for pest control inside the Townhouse. My reasoning here is that since the place is currently (and always has been) free of pests, the only way they could be introduced is by the actions or inaction of the current tenant. I'm not quite sure about outside the unit, since a tenant's cleanliness could cause problems...

Could someone comment on how LL's typically handle pest control in the Lease? (I'm asking about the lease only... not a situation where exterminating services are already needed).

Thanks

Tom

 

[Gail in Georgia]

Tom...

How landlords handle pest control responsibilities can depend on several issues, including whether the rental unit is a single family house, or a multifamily dwelling.

It's also important to remember that your rental unit is in New Jersey (?correct?), probably one of THE most tenant friendly states (along with California and New York). Because of this, the requirement for the landlord to address adequate pest control is likely to be more of an issue in your state than in others:

LSNJLAW - G: Chapter 6: Your Right to Safe and Decent Housing

Gail

 

[John_DFW]

I would suspect that lots of tenants when told that they have to take care of pest control will smile and nod, and then do nothing about it unless it becomes a problem for them.

Unfortunately other tenants pay the price for that bad behavior in multi-unit apartments.

Price it in the rent and take care of it right and be done with it IMHO.