Who’s Responsible for Pest Control when you Rent?

All responsible and informed homeowners know that they need to be on top of annual pest inspections and treatments for the benefit of their property. After all, for the vast majority of us, our home is our greatest investment.

But what about an investment property? Who is responsible for pest control in QLD – the landlord or the tenant?

Like the question of just who is responsible for garden maintenance, there is a lot of confusion over whose responsibility is pest control. There is a lot of “grey area” when it comes to legislation over this matter. As such, consideration of who the responsibility for pest control ultimately falls on can cause much dispute between landlords and tenants.

Who’s Responsible for Pest Control – Tenant or Landlord?

In a nutshell, both tenants and landlords are responsible for pest control.

Pests include:

• Termites
• Cockroaches
• Ants
• Fleas
• Spiders
• Bees and wasps
• Rodents (rats and mice)
• Possums
• Snakes
• Birds

The legislation over who is responsible for pest inspections and control is somewhat open to interpretation and, to complicate matters further, the actual cause of pests in a property can be disputed. Some are a direct result of the environment in which the property sits, while others may be attracted by specific activities or habits of the tenant.

As a general rule, the responsibilities lie with the landlord at the start of the tenancy, and the with tenant thereafter.

Exceptions to this rule include:

• Termites – inspections and treatments entirely to be managed by the landlord.
• Ants – if present in a wall cavity, roof space, or underfloor, to be managed by the landlord.
• Possums and Birds – must be removed and have entry points sealed at the expense of the landlord.
• Snakes – the landlord is responsible for this if snakes are present at the beginning of the tenancy or if the landlord has left piles of rubbish or debris in the yard or garden. Thereafter, snake removal responsibilities lie with the tenant.

(Your local council can advise regarding specialist snake, possum, and bird removal service providers).

You need to understand that:

1. Both tenants and landlords must maintain the property in a state of cleanliness, safety, and reasonable repair. Tenants are responsible for cleanliness; it is their responsibility to alert the property manager or landlord to issues of safety and repair so they can be addressed.
2. Landlords are, as a general rule, accountable for the control of pests and vermin. These include termites, rats, and mice. This is only excepted if the tenant has directly contributed to the infestation by lack of cleanliness – for example, not properly disposing of perishable rubbish or keeping an exceedingly untidy yard.
3. Landlords must supply the premises at the beginning of the tenancy in a state that is clean, habitable, and pest-free. This is why accurate condition reports at the time of commencing the tenancy are so critical.

Tenant Exit Spray Treatments

Many property managers include a clause in the tenancy contract which enforces that, if pets are included in the tenancy, pest control treatment should be carried out both indoors and outdoors. This is an expense covered by the tenant (and usually arranged by the tenant also). At the absolute minimum, this will require an exit spray treatment for fleas and other pests at the time of vacating the property when the tenancy ends.

Choose Proactive Pest Control

Proactive Pest Control is passionate about helping property owners and tenants not only to get rid of existing pest infestations but also taking a proactive approach to the properties future requirements. We understand how insects, vermin, and other pests behave, and the environments they are attracted to, and we have the techniques and expertise to dramatically reduce or even eliminate the risks of pests moving in from the outset.

From annual general pest and termite inspections to exit sprays for tenants, we have the effective solutions to eliminate everything from fleas to wasps, ants, termites, bed bugs, silverfish, moths, cockroaches, spiders, rats, and mice.

Contact us today for a free quote and premium service for residential and commercial pest control in the Sunshine Coast and Brisbane areas.