As the owner of a leased or rented property, domestic or commercial, you will have landlord maintenance responsibilities. These include repairs and maintenance and the general upkeep of the building. One area of maintenance that some don’t like to talk about is pest control. There is also sometimes confusion as to who is responsible. Sometime an invasion of pests may be due to lack of hygiene; other times not. Read on to find out who is responsible, and why you should call in a professional for pest extermination.
Landlord Maintenance Responsibilities : Pest Prevention and Control
A clean premise that is looked after by a property maintenance team will be less likely to have infestations of pests. But, they can happen. When it comes to domestic properties, the first you will hear about vermin or other pests is when tenants complain. So, what should you do about pest control?
Unfortunately there is no one clear answer as to who is responsible for pest control. It will depend on the type of tenancy, and on whether negligence on the part of a private tenant could be the source of the problem. One thing is for certain however, and that the problem should be resolved in a timely manner.
A landlord should provide a premise that is free from pests. This however does not prevent vermin and other bugs from arriving unannounced mid-tenancy. Normally, tenants will not be held responsible, unless if it can be proved that the infestation has been triggered by the tenants. An example of this would be a commercial kitchen that is filthy and one where the occupants have failed to dispose of rubbish properly in closed bins away from the property.
Landlord Maintenance Responsibilities : Rats and Mice
An infestation is normally the responsibility of the council. If the rats are inside the premise however, the landlord should carry out extermination. Mice in domestic properties can be proved to be the fault of the tenants. However, you may have a hard job proving that it is the fault of the occupant, especially if they clean up clutter and rubbish before you visit to inspect. If you have employed a property maintenance company, this dirty task will be carried out for you.
Bed bugs and cockroaches are two more types of pests. Bed bugs are rarely found in the UK, but they may appear in your hotel if guests arrive with them in their suitcases. Cockroaches also prefer warmer climates, and the ones found in the UK are tiny in comparison to those found in more tropical climates.
Any type of infestation should be dealt with before it gets out of control. This will generally mean closing the premise while extermination is carried out by gas or other method. Once again, this gruesome task will be handled for you by your property maintenance team if you have employed one. Property maintenance teams can carry out your dirty work for you, while you get on with the running of your business or other jobs!