Blog > Who is responsible for pest control in a rental property?

Pests are a common problem for tenants in rental properties. However, their presence can become very stressful and make your life a whole lot harder, especially if you have young children.

But who is responsible for pest control and how can you get help?

This article will help you understand your rights and responsibilities around pest control in a rental property so that you can be aware of what to do if this happens to you. 

Who's responsible?

Ultimately, it’s the tenant’s responsibility to keep the property free of pests. If you're the tenant, you must make sure you keep the property clean, properly store food and use pest sprays to avoid encouraging pests to fester. 

If your landlord does not have a pest control program in place and you find that you have an infestation, it’s important to take steps to quickly get rid of them before they spread. 

Whilst your landlord will be responsible for fixing any damage caused by pests (like holes in the walls), it's still up to you to deal with these issues by finding an exterminator and paying for their services out of pocket.

Let your landlord know

If you find that your property had pest problems when you move in, you need to let your landlord or agent know as soon as possible. 

If the pests were already present, due to a lack of cleanliness or poor housekeeping, you can argue it's your landlord that is responsible for getting rid of them.

For example, they may have left openings for pests to get in and out of the property, or failed to remove rubbish, therefore increasing the presence of pests. 

If you have to pay for treatment because of something that was done before you moved into the property, then this cost will usually be passed onto you as part of your tenancy agreement with your landlord/agent. 

Making them aware of the issue is important because if they don’t know about the problem, they can’t stop it from happening again in the future. 

Pest control is a communal effort

Overall, the responsibility for pest control in a rental property lies with both the tenant and landlord/agent.

Whilst the tenant is responsible for keeping the property clean and free of pests throughout their stay, the landlord needs to create a safe environment to avoid pests being present before people move in. 

If you are unsure whether your house is infested with bugs or other vermin, here are some of the pests to look out for:

• Cockroaches

• Ants

• Spiders

• Rats/mice

• Fleas

• Bees and wasps

• White ants 

• Snakes 

Get In Touch

If you're concerned you have a pest problem, you need to contact a professional immediately.

At Holloway and Co, located in Toowoomba, we provide local customers with a variety of pest control and cleaning services, so get in contact today at 07 4634 5011 for expert help and reliable, honest services.