Pest control is one of those services that needs to be provided quickly. You can’t live in a house that is affected by pests. But when it comes to rental houses and pest control, who pays for it? The tenant or the landlord? There are a few grey areas in Australia when it comes to who’s responsible for controlling pests in rental properties. In this post, we outline the general rules behind who pays for what regarding pest control in Australia.
Landlord’s responsibility
In many instances, pest control is the landlord’s responsibility to pay for. Many areas of property maintenance like repairing broken toilets or installing new gutters fall under the responsibility of the landlord. When it comes to pest and vermin control for pests such as rats, mice and termites, in most cases, the landlord is responsible. That’s because it’s in the landlord’s duty to maintain the property to a safe standard. There are, however, a few cases when pest control might not be the duty of the landlord.
Tenant’s responsibility
What if the home is affected by mice, for example, but only because the tenant has not kept the house adequately clean? Tenants are obliged to keep the property clean, dispose of rubbish properly and do anything else to minimise the chances of attracting pests. Let’s say before the tenants occupied it, the home was sparkling clean and free of any kind of pest. Then, after a while of the tenants inhabiting it, the home was not kept clean enough and thus a pest problem occurred. In this case, it’s arguable that the tenant is at fault and is required to handle pest control.
The tenant is responsible for pest control in other ways too. In some cases, pests are very easy to control and don’t require professional help from a team like the one at Adam’s Pest Control. Take cockroaches, for example. If only a few cockroaches are affecting the property, then the tenant is most likely responsible for controlling them. Cockroaches and other minor insects can be controlled with products that you can buy at the supermarket. This aspect of pest control has more to do with the tenant’s responsibility of keeping the house clean, rather than the landlord’s responsibility of maintaining the safety standards of the home.
Who to call?
Regardless of whether the tenant or the landlord has to pay for pest control, you’re still going to need to get it done. Adam’s Pest Control offers professional help with glowing reviews, ensuring that your pest issue is handled once and handled well. If you’re still unsure of whether the landlord or the tenant pays for pest control in your circumstance, don’t hesitate to call Adam’s pest Control for advice.