RPA Tenant Rights Blog » Pest Control

Bed Bugs – Landlord or Tenant Responsible??

Ilia — Mon, 22 Oct 2012 16:30:42 +0000

Under my “tenant agrees to” portion says that I will agree to:

To cooperate with Landlord in keeping unit free of rodents and other pests. To permit entry and spraying (or other measures required for pest control) by Landlord or pest control company.

Now here’s the situation. I called letting them know I found bed bugs a few weeks after newer tenants moved in and I didn’t have bed bugs before that. People got sent out (did a crap job because I’m still getting bit up) and I’m getting slammed with an almost $300 charge. I wasn’t told I’d have to pay and got no bill. Only way I found out about the charge was being told I owed them more money when I went and paid my rent. It says nowhere in my lease that I am responsible. When I asked about it, I got told that they pay for pest control but since it was about bed bugs and they “checked the other apartments and found nothing” (I didn’t see them go into any other place but mine) that the charge is my responsibility. If I had the money, I’d pay them to get them to shut up but I’m barely surviving month to month right now. Am I legally responsible for this? I live in Nebraska if that makes a difference in the laws.

Please help!

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Who pays for pest control; Tenet or Landlord?

Tenant — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 01:11:19 +0000

I just moved into my new house about a month ago and have noticed numerous black widow spiders and ants. The spiders are all over the house and I’m killing at least one type of spider a day, literally. I have a 3 year old daughter and am concerned about the spider problem, especially when one was crawling on her arm. The ants are just in the kitchen area, but no food has been left out.

I need pest control ASAP; but who pays for it? Tenet or Landlord?

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Unkept Yard, Spider Bites and Bugs

Tenant — Sun, 03 Oct 2010 21:01:20 +0000

My lease states that the leasing agent will take care of the grounds, mowing, and trimming of all bushes, trees and hedges. I moved in the first of Feb 2010 and noticed that no yard work was being done at all. Finally in may several of the tenants, including myself began notifying the leasing agent that the grass was over knee high and the homes were being infiltrated with spiders, scorpions and other miscellaneous bugs. The suggestions I was given to keep my 4 year old son from getting bit was mosquito spray and feed him more garlic. The leasing agent informed me that more garlic in my son’s diet would keep away bugs. Why not, it worked for her sister’s dog.

Every month I have called and complained about the high grass. Living in the country with high grass is breeding grounds for all kinds of bugs including mosquitoes, chiggers and spiders, not to mention snakes. My son is not able to play in his yard due to all the bugs. The leasing agent stated that I could buy or borrow a lawn mower. I informed her that having the yard mowed was her job not mine. I already have 3 jobs, my actual employment, being a mother and being a father. I did ask her if I took the time out of my weekend to do her job was she going to come over and entertain my son, clean my house or run errands for 2 hours? She made it quite clear that taking care of my son and home are my job yet I am to do hers as well. Finally I borrowed a mower from a friend so my son would have a freshly mowed yard on his 5th birthday. Unfortunately this just caused all the dogs and cats in the neighborhood to use our freshly mowed yard as a toilet and me having to move the birthday party some where else.

Each month the leasing agent said she would ensure the yard would be mowed. Each month she would come up with an excuse, no funds, did he not come out and mow, oh I forgot to check on that. I have taken my son the doctor for medicine to treat numerous spider bites and chiggers. I have tried using insecticide bombs but within a week or so the house is filled with bugs again. Due to the bites my son is not sleeping well which causes issues with his behavior. He wakes up several times a night itching and scratching and at times wakes with nightmares of bugs and spiders chasing after him.

I have informed the leasing agent that she is in breach of contract and that I am seeking a new place to live. I also stated that she will have her 30 days notice that is required. She stated that I am legally binded by the year lease and legally responsible for the remaining 6 months. She is not accepting my statement of her being in breach of contract. Is the health and medical issues I am having with my son reason enough to have the contract voided? Legally what can she do to me if I do leave? Legally what can I do to get out of the lease?

Any suggestions and ideas are welcome.

Thank you,

Fran

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infested apt

Tenant — Sun, 26 Sep 2010 07:23:45 +0000

i recently discovered tiny bugs all over my kitchen, and then started to notice them in other places like my tv stand in my living room, coffee table. these bugs are all over my stuff and i had to throw out a lot of it. am i entitled any compansation from my landlord to replace any of my belongings or give me a new apt?

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