Who Is Responsible for Pest Control in A Rental Property?

[Deactivated] on 23/02/2019 - 07:53
Last edited 23/02/2019 - 09:30 by 1 other user

Just wondering who is responsible for pest control in a rental property in Qld. I’ve had a read of our lease and it says that pest control is the responsibility of the tenant if caused by negligence (not keeping the house clean, etc).

For context I’ve lived here a year, we have never had a complaint or comment from the real estate at our inspections about cleanliness so I’m wondering how they determine whether pests are from negligence or if it’s something that happens over time.

If it matters, we resigned our lease about 2 weeks ago but of the three people who were living there, two left and now it’s just myself and one other person on the lease. I was wondering if because it’s a new lease with a new set of tenants whether the real estate was responsible for doing pest control.

Any advice from landlords/tenants/property managers who have gone through this is appreciated.

• 

  Melb69 on 23/02/2019 - 08:32

  +1

  Unless the new agreement has changed its still up to you. If the property is not maintained in a similar state as to when you moved in due to your lack of maintenance inside it may be up to you to get rid of pests, by the wording of your agreement.

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  [Deactivated] on 23/02/2019 - 09:10

  +1

  IF you have been there a year then it would be the tenants.

  I had tenants from NZ move into my place and not longer after moving in they said there was a few cockroaches. I paid for a treatment and said that after that it was there problem, also I told them that cockroaches are a bit of a fact of life in Australia.

  • 

    Illian on 23/02/2019 - 14:35

    -4

    A fact of life? Not inside they're not, don't know what kind of place you're running, I would be worried about other things if that was your response. That being said, I do agree they can't ask for more than a pest treatment, there's nothing else that can be done.

    • 

      [Deactivated] on 23/02/2019 - 15:13

      +1

      yes a fact of life as in something you always need to be doing something about ie purchase baits and set them throughout the house.

      • 

        Illian on 23/02/2019 - 17:11

        -1

        Is your property in a sewer? Maybe it's the state, I've lived all over QLD without an issue. Either way, claiming it's a 'fact of life in Australia' is incorrect.

        • 

          elgrande on 23/02/2019 - 17:56

          +1

          @Illian: I think in QLD the roaches are substituted with cain toads.

    • 

      terrys on 24/02/2019 - 14:19

      They can fly in.

  • 

    WreckTangle on 23/02/2019 - 20:28

    Have lived in both NZ an Brisbane and saw more cockroaches inside in Auckland than Briz

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  tranter on 23/02/2019 - 09:29

  Comments above suggest it's the tenants problem. But what if it's in a unit block and pests are likely to be throughout the whole building and they likely didn't originate from your unit?

  • 

    whooah1979 on 23/02/2019 - 09:36

    +2

    Pests inside the premises is the occupants responsibility.

    • 

      tranter on 23/02/2019 - 10:08

      Maybe, but tenants can't solve the problem because pests will return quickly.

  • 

    Love a bargain on 23/02/2019 - 13:59

    Not in a residential setting but the body corporate/ building manager of an office building (where I was working in) did organise an extermination service for all the office units in the building as there's a cockroach infestation throughout the building. (If one unit takes action on their own, the cockroaches are merely being pushed/moved on to other units.)

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  JimmyF on 23/02/2019 - 12:21

  -2

  Who Is Responsible for Pest Control in A Rental Property?

  You…. /thread

  • 

    [Deactivated] on 23/02/2019 - 14:38

    I've booked in pest control as it seems the general consensus is that it's our responsibility and even if it's ambiguous it doesn't seem worth the hassle or arguing.

    Our lease does say it's our responsibility if caused by negligence, that would suggest it's the landlords responsibility if not caused by negligence. I'm curious as to how this is determined (if it ever is) or they just make it intentionally ambiguous to always have tenants pay for the service.

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  Illian on 23/02/2019 - 14:39

  +1

  Really don't see why everything is saying it's the tenant. Did you not read this? "pest control is the responsibility of the tenant if caused by negligence ". That is what it says on the agreement. The words, in English, written on the agreement, that you read with your eyes. Obviously if the OP is correct this has not been caused by negligence. Given that every inspection has been good the OP should be requesting a pest treatment paid for by the landlord. Just this once of course, if it happens again obviously the landlord had already done what they can.

  Edit: I can see that you don't want any hassle and that's understandable. You could give the request a shot just to see if you get lucky at least, you never know until you try. Personally I'd take it all the way to tribunal if I had to because the meaning of written language matters to me and I'm stubborn.

  • 

    HardlyCharly on 23/02/2019 - 17:15

    +4

    Exactly. If the landlord didn't want to pay for it why didn't they just put 'pest control is the responsibility of the tenant only' and call it a day? You can tell who in this thread are the landlords, always trying to weasel out of any responsibility even though it's them who are trying to play games with words and screw people over!

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  pjcook on 24/02/2019 - 07:29

  +2

  What pests are you talking about?

  • 

    singingwolf on 24/02/2019 - 11:15

    +6

    The 2 year old twins from the unit next door

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  HeWhoKnows on 24/02/2019 - 22:44

  "For context I’ve lived here a year"

  At this stage YOU are responsible for pest control INSIDE the apartmemt.
  You cant blame the owner of agent 12 months on.
  The Owners Corp is responsible for the common areas outside the apartment.

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  xssive on 26/02/2019 - 17:35

  Ask the agent if the owner would consider getting a treatment done as one has never been done since you lived there.

  If they say yes, happy days

  If they say no, arrange your own!

  Not all owners are out to save a quick buck and if you have been a good tenant with minimal requests during your tenancy - they might do it as a thank you

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  diceman99 on 26/02/2019 - 17:40

  Offer to go halves with the Landlord. And say tennants will organise the treatment, Receipt all goes to the Landlord, as he will get a tax deduction.
  The more the tennant offers to do and the least the Landord has to do, the more likely the landlord is to say yes.