1-800-781-PEST (7378)
Florida has warm weather most of the year. People live in this state to avoid the cold winter months. The mild temperatures in winter make Florida desirable to human beings but also to other species of animal. Bugs, reptiles, rodents, you name it.. If it breathes, it can live in Florida.
It is for this reason that pest control is so important in the Sunshine State. Pests are constantly trying to get into homes and apartments for food, water and shelter. Preventative maintenance is good but sometimes the pests will come anyway.
If you own your home or apartment, you are obviously responsible for your own pest control. But what if you rent? Are you responsible for pest control then?
Under Florida law, your landlord is responsible for pest control if you live in an apartment. But your landlord is not responsible for pest control if you live in a duplex or family home. It is always a good idea to check the lease. There could be a special clause in there about pest control.
We mention preventative maintenance above. The steps you can take to help prevent pests are:
1- Always clean up trash and food debris as you go. Even food left out for a few hours can start an infestation. Crumbs are often a major culprit. They may be tiny to us but to a small insect a crumb is a meal and a sign of a much bigger food source somewhere nearby.
2 – Always tackle pest problems as they arise. If you do not address a pest problem as it becomes first apparent, it can grow fast.
3 – Seal any cracks in the walls or around doors and windows. The better your home is sealed the less likely a scout is to wonder into your home and invite the rest of his pals.
There are natural ways to repel certain pests if they are not already established. You probably have heard the old saying “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”. This statement holds true for pests as well.
Are landlord’s/ property management responsible for pest control, outside, but on the property? For example, spiders, ants and worms have been all over our vehicles, on the property, in the parking lot. Is the management office responsible for providing pest control service in the parking lots outside?
Thank you!
Hello Jose, The simple answer is you will have to read your lease for details like this. If it doesn’t mention pest control outside then the best idea is to call your landlord or leasing agent.
We are renting a single family home in Florida and hired a Pest Control company to do quarterly applications of pest control outside. We also provided, at move in, Home Defense for the renter to use inside the house to prevent insects, roaches, etc. from coming in, and explained that it should be used to keep the interior bug free. The tenant recently contacted us and said there are roaches in the kitchen. Are we responsible for paying for the exterminator or is the tenant? There are no provisions in the lease regarding pest control.
I think for this you would need to contact an attorney or look up your local laws.
Who is responsible for a condo rental?
If its not in the lease then you have to take it up with management or your landlord. We have seen cases where the landlord pays and the tenant pays. There is no default setting.
Are wasps and wasp nests considered pests? The wasp nest is on my window glass.
Yes they are considered a pest to most people. Even though they do help pollenate plants, they can also become very aggressive and seriously injure people and pets. We can take care of it for you. Please call 1-800-781-PEST(7378) for availability and pricing. Thanks
My lease says that the landlord is responsible for ants, mices roaches, rodents, termites but does not mention fruit flys or gnats. Are fruit fly’s/gnats the responsibility of the tenant or landlord?
Hello Diane,
Gnats and fruit flies are usually the responsible of the tenant unless otherwise mentioned in the lease. This is because they are usually brought in with food or plants by the tenant.
Our apartment complex doesn’t do regularly scheduled bug spraying. They will come as needed. I’ve never heard of such a thing. Shouldn’t apartments have regular bug spraying schedule?
We have see it all over the years. As needed, monthly, bi-monthly, tri-monthly… Just remember, you can always hire your own pest control and it really is pretty inexpensive.
My apartment complex used to spray the grounds for fleas. They no longer do it! My dog is free of fleas until I walk her in our grounds! Are they expected to treat the grounds?
This is our take and should not be considered as official legal advice: There is nothing in Florida law about fleas or pest control for common areas. But there is a statute about keeping the common areas “clean and safe”. You can see that information here (click text for link). It may be argued that fleas are not “clean and safe”. A good idea is probably to have several of your fellow tenants and yourself draw up a formal request for the landlord to treat the common areas for pests.
Question- Didn’t know about the issue until after the lease was signed but the apartment has an issue with roaches. Can the lease be broken if I am not comfortable staying living with this problem?
Hello, We don’t know the answer to this question. Its probably something an attorney will need to answer for you.