Insect control: not a topic everyone likes to discuss. To some, it gives the heebie-jeebies. To others, it indicates a dirty home. No matter your opinion, the folks in Georgia, know the importance of pest management. So, who is responsible for pest control when renting a unit managed by a PMC (property management company)?
As it stands, the PMC is responsible for maintaining the unit in a safe and habitable condition. At a minimum, they should:
- Maintain the building’s structure.
- Ensure electricity, HVAC, and plumbing are in working condition.
- Keep the unit in “livable” condition for tenants.
Each state has its rules about tenant/PMC responsibility, but you, as a tenant, are not responsible for knowing all that. Your realtor should be able to help you decipher the contract. Once obtained, the lease agreement will spell out the various responsibilities for the care of the home. If you have further questions after reading this informative article, please feel free to contact us.
Usual and Customary Practices
When there is no specific rule about pest control for a state, usual and customary practices are in order. There are two specific lease types to consider here: commercial and family.
Commercial Properties
When leasing commercial properties for business, the building’s rules and regulations and the PMC should be clearly stated in the contract and agreed upon from the start. Again, your realtor will be happy to assist you with the contract phase.
If the rental property is in a building all to itself, the landlord will be responsible for delivering the new business place bug-free. That is, while the property is vacant, the PMC will keep the site free of insects and in a habitable condition. When the renter takes the property’s occupation, the contract’s maintenance agreement should specify that the tenant resumes pest control from there.
Sum it up: The PMC provides a pest-free unit up until the tenant takes occupancy. At that point, the tenant assumes pest control responsibility.
Family Homes
Homes can be a bit of a tricky subject when it comes to knowing who oversees pest control. No one wants to stay in a house with bugs crawling around, no matter who is supposed to be responsible. And unfortunately, many people rush through the verbiage of the contract and simply sign the document.
Again, when the home is vacant, no matter what style of home it is, the landlord should deliver it into the tenant’s hands, insect-free. The contract will state that the responsibility for pest control is in the hands of the tenant. Here is how it breaks down by unit type.
Apartment Homes
In a Bravo Realty apartment building, the PMC will provide the pest control services up to the date the renter moves in. The renter should then keep the home cleaned, so a pest problem does not begin and assume a pest control service contract. It is in the landlord’s best interest to ensure the renter continues maintenance so there is no widespread insect problem in the entire building.
Single-Family Homes
In a single-family home rental, things are the same when it comes to pest control. When vacant, the landlord keeps up with the pest control. But when the tenant occupies the property, the tenant should begin caring for the home entirely until the end of the rental agreement.
Duplex Homes
Duplex homes are a cross between apartments and single-family homes. You only share one wall, but the PMC is often the same. This is another case where it is up to the landlord to include it in the rental agreement that pest control was in place between rentals. The PMC will care for the pest control in between rentals and provide a pest-free zone on the date of occupancy.
Contract Language
The wording of your initial rental or lease contract is vital to the relationship between the two parties. Both tenant and landlord should walk away from contract negotiations knowing precisely what is covered and by whom, including pest control. When the two parties have no questions, day to day maintenance will go more smoothly.
You see, whether a PMC, realty company, or private landlord oversees a unit, their number one goal is a problem-free rental and happy tenants. So, it is crucial that you understand the language of the contract in its entirety.
The Tenant Takes the Ultimate Responsibility.
Pest control is a cleanliness and comfortability issue. Unwanted critters carry germs, bacteria, disease, and all the things you don’t want around your family. Ultimately, it is the tenant’s responsibility to read over the contract, no matter who the property management company may be.
So, as soon as you move in, be sure to contact your local pest control company to get started with a regular service contract.
If line items like pest control are absent in the lease agreement, the tenant should bring it up. There is nothing wrong with asking a landlord to spell out expectations in a contract. What’s more, it shows you are a concerned tenant and want to maintain a peaceful relationship with the PMC.
In Conclusion:
When leasing or renting a property, whether commercial or home, both parties hope for a mutually beneficial relationship. For this reason, at Bravo Property Management and Realty, we want both sides to be one hundred percent clear on all aspects of responsibility, not only pest control.
Contact us at Bravo Property Management and Realty to get started looking for your property needs today.
