This is an argument that is often found between a landlord and tenant. The tenants have found some pests and want to have them taken care of right away, as they should. A pest infestation is damaging to the home as well as your physical and mental health. The big question is, however, who is going to pay to get rid of this pest infestation?
This is an expensive question. If you are renting, you don’t want to get stuck with maintaining the landlord’s property and paying for an exterminator to come do pest control in your residence. So, who’s responsible? Is it the landlord or the tenant?
The answer can vary depending on which state you live in. In this post, we will cover what Nevada’s law says, along with some groundwork about the question. We will also talk a little about what you can do if you can’t get your landlord to provide pest control in your home.
Pest Control Responsibility
There is not a simple, one-size-fits-all answer to the question of “Who is responsible for pest control costs?”. The answer depends on what kind of pest we are dealing with and how it got into the home.
If a tenant makes an action that causes pests to infest the dwelling, then they can be held responsible for the pest control bill. Let’s look at an example. Your apartment unit, within a building of 4 other units, is a disaster area with food messes all over the kitchen. You get a bad infestation of ants. Not only does your unit have ants, but all four other units now have ants. You can be liable for pest control on the entire building.
On the contrary, general maintenance of pests such as seasonal treatments or mice extermination, would fall on the landlord because the pests were there by no fault of the tenants.
Determining the absolute cause of pest infestation can be impossible. The tenant might be blamed. If that is you, you may want to get a lawyer involved and also never admit to being the cause.
Landlords Must Maintain Warrant of Habitability
In the state of Nevada, the law ensures that a landlord must keep a rental property “habitable”, or a warranty of habitability. This means that the dwelling is meant for people to live in and that it should be kept up to a livable condition.
Nevada’s Law – Warranty of Habitability
Nevada’s law mentions “Building, grounds, appurtenances and all other areas under the landlord’s control at the time of the commencement of the tenancy in every part clean, sanitary and reasonably free from all accumulations of debris, filth, rubbish, garbage, rodents, insects and vermin” as a condition of habitability.
The law clearly states that the property must be free from pests at the time occupancy begins, but it does not cover what happens after that. Refer to your lease to check for further clarification, but you can generally fall back to the Warranty of Habitability to have the landlord fix the infestation.
What If the Landlord Doesn’t Help?
The landlord doesn’t live in the apartment and may not feel the urgent need to get the pests out. Always try to work with the landlord to get results, but here are a few other options.
- Break the lease
- Withhold rent
- Lawsuit
Give American Pest Control a Call
We have over 50 years of experience in helping and caring for homes just like yours in the Las Vegas Valley. We pride ourselves on treating you well and getting the job done right. Call us at 702-382-6366 for friendly, professional service today.