The risks unwanted pests bring with them are more than just health and safety risks. Many disagreements between tenants and landlords will come about in regards to who is responsible for dealing with the problem. If your rental home has acquired a pest problem after you’ve moved in, you may want to take immediate action. If renters take too long to act on the problem, the pest problem will likely grow into a larger and more problematic headache. As a renter, it is essential to understand that pest control is your responsibility, and you should know what you can do to prevent a pest problem in your East Haven rental home.
Paying for pest control is your responsibility as a tenant if it is defined in your lease and/or whether your actions caused the infestation or not. There are many different types of pests that can invade a rental home. Certain pests, including ants, cockroaches, and fleas, are often attracted to a home because it is not kept clean enough. For instance, if garbage bags are left sitting or uncovered food is stored in the home, ants, and cockroaches will likely find these conditions very inviting. Such insects thrive in environments with a plentiful food source and love to eat garbage and crumbs. Skunks, mice, rats, raccoons, and other animals are also strongly attracted by garbage left uncovered outside and can create havoc in a very short amount of time. If you’re sharing your house with a dog or other pet, it may be bringing fleas with it as it goes in and out of the house. Fleas carry diseases and can quickly infest every corner of a home.
As you can see, it is usually the tenant’s actions or behavior that invited the pests in. Because of this, under the terms of most leases, the responsibility would be given to you, as a renter, to pay to have the unwanted pests removed. Also, if you find that your rental home has a problem with moisture that you neglected to inform the property owner about, you could find yourself responsible for the pests that are attracted to such conditions as well. In the majority of cases, a professional exterminator will be called in to see if your living conditions caused the pest problem. If an analysis of the situation supports such a theory, you might find yourself required to foot the bill for any and all required pest removal services.
Something that a renter can do, that would be very valuable, is to be proactive about their rental home maintenance. A good renter has plenty of options available to ensure that their rental homes are kept pest-free. Keeping the home’s cleanliness, both inside and out, is possibly the most reliable way to prevent unwanted pests. Keeping garbage and food (both human and pet) in containers with tight lids and disposing of any trash right away is another important strategy for outdoor pests.
The best deterrent for pests that want to be indoors is to make sure that you seal the food tightly and store them properly in the refrigerator or pantry, and also to sweep up crumbs daily. For renters with pets, keeping your animal clean is the best way to avoid a flea infestation and all the problems that come with it. Thankfully, there are numerous kinds of flea prevention products on the market nowadays that are effective in areas highly prone to fleas and ticks. You can avoid the hassle and cost of footing the bill for pest extermination on your rental property if you take immediate action.
Are you on the lookout for an East Haven rental home? Check out our available rentals and call us at 203-821-7303 for more information.
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