Is Pest Control A Landlord Or Tenant Responsibility?

One question that is frequently asked across Virginia is: “Is Pest Control something that is covered by the Landlord or does it fall on the Tenant (Renter) to cover the cost of those services?” The answer is not as straightforward as most might expect.

It really depends on the rental contract or lease agreement. Many landlords address pest control in the lease agreement, especially when there are no state or municipal laws on the topic. One option is that the landlord agrees to turn over a pest-free unit to the tenant and do seasonal maintenance, and then any pest infestations are the responsibility of the tenant. In our experience here at Landlock Pest Control, we have found that about 70% Landlords will make sure the Tenant has a pest free home/apartment upon their arrival, then any future pest issues are the tenants responsibility to take care of at their own cost.

This is very common across the areas that we treat in Hampton Roads (Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Suffolk, Norfolk, Newport News, Hampton, Yorktown, Poquoson, Williamsburg), Greater Richmond (West End, Short Pump, Glen Allen, Midlothian, Chesterfield, Hopewell, Chester, Ashland, Mechancisville), Charlottesville, and NOVA. The other 30% of Landlords will add the cost of either “as needed” or “quarterly” Pest Control into the lease or rental agreement, and the Tenant will pay a slight premium in their rent, but will have the ability to call the set Pest Control provider when they have issues with Roaches, Spiders, Ants, Rodents or whatever else they may be noticing.

Don't be afraid to ask your Landlord if you have Pest Control built into your lease or rental agreement. If it is not included in the lease then it is up to the Tenant/Renter to choose their own Pest Control and cover the cost out of their own pocket. Most Pest Control companies have very fair rates for those looking into solving their pest problems. At Landlock Pest Control we even offer the ability to transfer the service for free to another home if you were to relocate, and that is done at no fee or additional cost. Just trying to help make things one step easier.