Unwanted pests bring with them more than just health and safety risks. Often, disagreements will spark between tenants and landlords about who is responsible for dealing with the problem. If you found out that your rental home has since developed a pest problem after you’ve moved in, you ought to take immediate action. Some renters may hesitate to do something to curb the problem. As a renter, you must understand that pest control is part of your responsibility, and you should know how to prevent a pest problem in your Homewood rental home.
Be aware that paying for pest control may be your responsibility as a tenant if your actions caused the infestation or not and/or whether it is stated in your lease. There are many different types of pests that can invade a rental home. Some kinds of pests, including ants, cockroaches, and fleas, are often attracted to a home because it is not kept clean enough. Ants and cockroaches find situations like bags of garbage left sitting or uncovered food stored in the home very appealing. 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 a dog or other pet is living with you, it could bring fleas into the house as it goes in and out throughout the day. Fleas carry diseases and can quickly infest every corner of a home.
Oftentimes it is the tenant’s actions or behavior that is the reason why the pests were invited into the home. This is the reason why, under the terms of most leases, the responsibility is usually given to you, as a renter, to pay to have the unwanted pests removed. With that in mind, if you find a moisture problem in your rental home and you fail to report it, you could find yourself responsible for the pests that are attracted to such conditions as well. Usually, a professional exterminator will be asked to look into the situation to see if your living conditions caused the pest problem. You might find yourself required to foot the bill for any and all required pest removal services if an analysis of the situation supports such a theory.
The most useful thing that a renter can do is to be proactive about their rental home maintenance. There are a lot of things that pro-active renters can put into place to keep their rental homes pest-free. Maintaining the home’s cleanliness, both inside and out, is possibly the best 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.
A great way to deter pests that want to be inside the house is to ensure that you seal the food tightly and store them properly– place them in the refrigerator or pantry. Then you must also 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. For renters who also live in areas that are highly prone to fleas and ticks, there are many good flea prevention products on the market that can help you. In order to avoid the expense and annoyance of having to bear the cost for pest extermination on your rental property, you should take the appropriate action right away.
Are you interested in a Homewood rental home? Check out our available rentals and call us at 205-793-0700 for more information.
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