Pet infestation on a rental property is a big problem. If you have a rental property in Los Angeles or anywhere, you should expect to deal with pet infestation at some point. Fortunately, this is a problem that can be prevented if you take the necessary steps. It doesn’t
Pest is considered any organism that annoys you or damages your property. It could be insects, termites, rodents, snakes or even ants. You don’t have to reside beside a water body to suffer pest infestation in a rental property. Even people residing in the heart of Los Angeles have pest problems.
Some pests such as termites can damage your property. In fact, it is estimated that most landlords spend over $10,000 annually in correcting problems caused by pests. According to the National Pest Management Association, the damage by termites causes Americans over $5 billion annually. However, you can avoid this problem if you take steps to prevent pest infestation on a rental property.
Some common pests in residential properties include:
- Termites
- Flies
- Beetles
- Ticks
- Fleas
- Ants
- Silverfish
However, you may not suffer from infestation from all these pests. Pest infestation mostly depends on the location of your property.
How to Prevent Pest Infestation on a Rental Property
Some steps you can take to prevent pest infestations include:
- Teach Your Tenants about Pest Prevention
Since the tenants are mostly the people that will be on your property and use the property daily, it is important that you let them know steps they can take to prevent pest infestation. Some of these steps include:
- Cleaning their apartment and surroundings regularly
- Regularly throwing away trash
- Getting rid of any standing water around the property or notifying you about it
- Put leftover foods in a tightly sealed containers
- Always keep the garbage bins covered.
You may write down these steps and hand it over to your tenant as part of their welcome package.
-
Inspect the Property Regularly
You need to regularly visit the property to inspect it and fix any problem. If you don’t live close to your property, have a plan to visit the property at least every two months. However, if you don’t have time, you can hire an experienced Los Angeles property management company to take charge of the property.
Some of the things you will check during your visit include:
- Ensure garbage bins have lids and kept closed at all times
- Check for cracks in floors, walls, and foundation
- Ensure that the sump pump is in good working condition
- Make sure common areas, as well as outdoor areas, are kept clean
Once you take care of these four things mentioned above, you can significantly reduce the chances of pest infesting your property.
-
Make Use of Pesticides
If you suspect that you may already have a problem of pest infestation, you can use effective pesticides to get rid of them. However, the use of pesticides is heavily regulated. You may need to check with your local Department of Health on how to use pesticides on your rental property.
When buying pesticides, concentrate on those with EPA registration number. These pesticides are less harmful to humans and work effectively on pests. You also need to use the right pesticide for the right pest. There are different pesticides for pests that fly and those that crawl. Make sure you are using the right one.
-
Exterminate Your Property Regularly
Using the services of professional exterminators every 4 months or 6 months can help you prevent pest infestation on a rental property. Paying for the services of exterminators can seem like a waste of money. However, this will save you from spending even bigger amount of money in the future.
The amount of money you pay to have your property exterminated will mainly depend on the size of your property. However, the prices range from $40 to $60 in most cases. If you don’t have an idea how this work, you can ask any experienced property manager to point you in the right direction.
-
Tent Your Property
This may be the last resort but it is very important to totally get rid of pests. This process is also known as fumigation. You should also know it can be harmful to humans.
Before you resort to this step, make sure you plan with your tenant and they move to another location. The tenants need to stay out of the property for at least three days and two nights. Alternatively, you can do this in between tenancies.
Conclusion
Pest infestation on a rental property is a big problem. Fortunately, the steps we recommended above can help you take care of this problem. If you are still not sure that this is what you can handle, you can get the services of top Los Angeles property Management Company here.
