had a call from my tenant - wanting to know if I could help with pest infestations. fleas and bugs. is the landlord responsible for this? first time I had a call regarding this kind of issue.
Landlord responsible for pest
- Thread starter Melbournian
- Start date
Put to the test with a tribunal it is possible you will shoulder the responsibility anyhow. Landlords are millionaires and can afford it.(sic)
Look at it another way, it is in your own interests to preserve the value of the asset by controlling pests. Most do an annual spray as a prevention. This is your opportunity, take advantage of it. If the tenants are contributing to pest problems through their lifestyle, the pest eradication firm will advise them and you of that fact if and when a recall becomes necessary.
Look at it another way, it is in your own interests to preserve the value of the asset by controlling pests. Most do an annual spray as a prevention. This is your opportunity, take advantage of it. If the tenants are contributing to pest problems through their lifestyle, the pest eradication firm will advise them and you of that fact if and when a recall becomes necessary.
Was the fleas and bugs potentially there when the tenant comes in? Or is it because they have a pet that attract posts after they came?
I experienced the former as a tenant and demand the landlords to fix it, especially after I got nasty reactions with flea bites - their agent failed to notice that previous tenant has a puppy, so it's their responsibility to fix (at least in Nsw).
I experienced the former as a tenant and demand the landlords to fix it, especially after I got nasty reactions with flea bites - their agent failed to notice that previous tenant has a puppy, so it's their responsibility to fix (at least in Nsw).
That's my view of things.
If I moved in and there was a major pest problem on the first night I'd want it fixed. If it was months after I'd moved in I'd deal with it.
moved in September but now is February? they have a dog and cat. dog is kept in the yard.
Most likely they dont look after their animals and dont flea them regulary ie monthly. Doesnt take long for fleas to multiply and get it the house.
A property flea treatment will be in order.
Cheers
If that's the case, poor dog and catAnd request steam clean carpet (if any) when they're out
One can imagine how the tribunal might rule on ownership of the pests.
Just save all of the bother, arrange and pay yourself while you have apparent tenant cooperation. From then, do annually in Spring.
BTW., for anyone who might be interested, we always get good results in our own home from the Mortein flea bombs. The insect growth regulator (IGR) is not available in usual treatments and it does in our opinion, have very worthwhile long term results and it is safe. $20-30 for a house. Do it at your own convenience and you know what you are getting.
http://www.bunnings.com.au/mortein-125g-diy-insect-killer-control-bomb-3-pack_p2960255
We use a pest exterminator for rentals. A more expensive way but gets a sticker for the kitchen cabinet.
Just save all of the bother, arrange and pay yourself while you have apparent tenant cooperation. From then, do annually in Spring.
BTW., for anyone who might be interested, we always get good results in our own home from the Mortein flea bombs. The insect growth regulator (IGR) is not available in usual treatments and it does in our opinion, have very worthwhile long term results and it is safe. $20-30 for a house. Do it at your own convenience and you know what you are getting.
http://www.bunnings.com.au/mortein-125g-diy-insect-killer-control-bomb-3-pack_p2960255
We use a pest exterminator for rentals. A more expensive way but gets a sticker for the kitchen cabinet.
I had a tenant who had a huge issue with a spider infestation (plague) who wanted me to order a special environmentally friendly insecticide spray on the basis she has dogs and didn't want the dogs poisoned. I respectfully suggested the tenant go to bunnings and buy some mortein surface spray. Interestingly, this was the first in a list of written complaints that she provided in writing, along with written responses to my questions. Such as: the oven isn't working. Me: do you want it fixed? Tenant: no, I don't use it.
The tenant was a PITA and I ended up getting rid of them by increasing the rent by $5 per week. Due to damage to the property I wanted to keep part of the bond. Tenant disagreed and took me to the tribunal.
Amongst the complaints was: "oven not working". My response: here is an email from the tenant stating they did not want the oven fixed and a photo of food cooking in the "not working" oven.
The spider plague didn't exist, the oven worked fine, the aircon worked fine... the whole thing was a set-up for the tenant to get the bond back at the end of the tenancy. Didn't work though. Tenant must have forgotten they put all that stuff in writing!
The tenant was a PITA and I ended up getting rid of them by increasing the rent by $5 per week. Due to damage to the property I wanted to keep part of the bond. Tenant disagreed and took me to the tribunal.
Amongst the complaints was: "oven not working". My response: here is an email from the tenant stating they did not want the oven fixed and a photo of food cooking in the "not working" oven.
The spider plague didn't exist, the oven worked fine, the aircon worked fine... the whole thing was a set-up for the tenant to get the bond back at the end of the tenancy. Didn't work though. Tenant must have forgotten they put all that stuff in writing!
We make sure we have tenants moving out do a pest treatment so that ingoing tenants have a pest-free house. If there is a cat or dog, we ask for a flea treatment as well.
If the house was treated before they went in, I would tell them that five months down the track, their pets are likely the cause and they will need to sort it out themselves.
If you didn't offer a pest free house, then I'd pay this time, and ensure you write into any new least that it was treated in February 2014 and any further treatments are to be arranged and paid by them, including one carried out the week they leave, and request copy of the receipt as proof.
A pest is for life not just for Christmas!
It disgusts me how people can just abandon their pests.
brand new house - impossible to have pest and it had the standard termite treatment etc.
Brand new house with no pest treatment has nothing to stop cockroaches and other pests from moving in. Our pest man uses gel in cupboards - as non-toxic as we can get that still works.
I would still say you pay for the first pest treatment so you have done what you "should" have... provided a pest free property. The fact that their animals probably brought in the problem is probably right but doing an initial general pest treatment means you've done what you can. If there are fleas and they have pets, I'd put it to them that you pay for the general pest treatment and they tip in for the flea part, as their animals have brought them in.
I'd still spend the $130 or whatever it is and then you can hand on heart say you have provided them with a pest treated house. Then it is up to them.
And make sure you add something to the lease and have them sign it that they will be doing the same before they leave, including a flea treatment. These days, we never do a pest treatment (rarely anyway) because tenants do a treatment as they leave, ready for the new tenants.
Cats are the worst for carrying fleas so I would suggest that the fleas are the tenants fault and therefore, responsibility.
With regards to the end of their tenancy, in VIC it is a requirement that if the carpets were brand new or steam cleaned when the tenant moved in they must clean it again when they vacate. Draw up an addendum to the tenancy agreement - a pet clause, that requires that AFTER they steam clean the carpets they have a PROFESSIONAL flea treatment done. If they do it the other way around the vibrations and heat from the carpet cleaning can re-spark the dormant eggs in the carpet and you're back to square one.
If you decide to provide the first treatment I can recommend a good pest company depending on what area of VIC you're in.
With regards to the end of their tenancy, in VIC it is a requirement that if the carpets were brand new or steam cleaned when the tenant moved in they must clean it again when they vacate. Draw up an addendum to the tenancy agreement - a pet clause, that requires that AFTER they steam clean the carpets they have a PROFESSIONAL flea treatment done. If they do it the other way around the vibrations and heat from the carpet cleaning can re-spark the dormant eggs in the carpet and you're back to square one.
If you decide to provide the first treatment I can recommend a good pest company depending on what area of VIC you're in
.it's in the western suburbs.
unfortunately - no carpets only floorboards
their cat is housed in doors but their dog is outside (feel sorry for the dog since flea bites can be painful and they gave the dog a pill just so the fleas die off it.)
they're getting a pest company to spray the outside and inside for $240 although I am not covering for it.
unfortunately - no carpets only floorboards
their cat is housed in doors but their dog is outside (feel sorry for the dog since flea bites can be painful and they gave the dog a pill just so the fleas die off it.)
they're getting a pest company to spray the outside and inside for $240 although I am not covering for it.
not in the floorboards - but I don't have carpet.
doesn't bother me really - they're going to do the pest treatment this week and if there are any other issues - I will sort it out when the time comes.
I did get bitten though when I was there.
doesn't bother me really - they're going to do the pest treatment this week and if there are any other issues - I will sort it out when the time comes.
I did get bitten though when I was there.
They will probably be between the cracks in the floorboards.
