Unwanted pests give more than health and safety risks. This results in disagreements happening between tenants and landlords about who is responsible for dealing with the problem. If you’ve noticed that your rental home has acquired a pest problem following your moving in, you have to take immediate action. Sometimes renters may take their time taking care of a pest problem. This ends up exacerbating the problem. As a renter, you must recognize that the scope of your responsibility includes pest control. You must also be familiar with some ways to prevent your Hampstead rental home from developing a pest problem.
Take a close look at your lease because if your actions are the reason for the infestation, it is your responsibility as a tenant to pay for pest control. There are many different types of pests that can invade a rental home. A few of these pests, including ants, cockroaches, and fleas, are often attracted to a home because it is not kept clean enough. Cockroaches and ants find dirty conditions like garbage bags left sitting or uncovered food stored in the home very attractive. 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 own a dog or other pet, it could be bringing fleas into the house. Fleas carry diseases and can quickly infest every corner of a home.
All of the previous examples have shown that it is the tenant’s behavior or actions that invited the pests in. This is why most leases have terms that make you, as a renter, responsible for paying to have the unwanted pests removed. This is why if your rental home has a moisture issue that you failed to report, you could find yourself responsible for the pests that are attracted to such conditions as well. Normally, a professional exterminator will be requested to come and take a look to see if your pest problem is caused by your living conditions. If their investigations reinforce such an inference, then you may need to bear the expense for any and all necessary pest removal services.
Something a good renter can do– which would be extremely helpful– is to be proactive about their rental home maintenance. Keeping the rental home pest-free is possible with the many options available to renters nowadays. Keeping both the inside and outside of a home clean is quite 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.
Now, for those pests that like being indoors, the best way to keep them away is to make sure that food is tightly sealed and properly stored in the refrigerator or pantry and that crumbs are swept up 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. Nowadays, there are various effective products for flea prevention on the market that are geared towards helping in places that are highly prone to fleas and ticks. By acting immediately, you can avert the expense and inconvenience of paying for pest extermination on your rental property.
Looking for a Hampstead rental home? Take a look at our available rentals and call us at 910-782-4488 to know more.
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