In the world of rental housing, one critical aspect that should never be overlooked is pest control. Effective pest management plays a significant role in ensuring the well-being of tenants, maintaining property value, and fostering a positive living environment. This blog delves into the importance of pest control in rental properties and the measures you can take to prevent and/or treat cockroaches and bed bugs.

Pests such as cockroaches and bed bugs can pose serious health risks to tenants. These pests can carry diseases, contaminate food sources, and trigger allergies or asthma. In rental buildings, where people live in close proximity, the presence of pests can quickly lead to infestations and spread throughout the premises. Regular pest control measures are essential for preventing and eradicating these unwanted intruders.

Cockroaches

1. Place glue boards where cockroaches like to live such as under the kitchen sink, behind the fridge, the bathroom, and anywhere there might be warmth and humidity in the unit. It is recommended that you change out the glue boards every 6-12 months depending on the amount of dust and humidity levels in the unit.
2. Have a monitoring program where every 60-90 days you go into the unit and inspect the glue boards and look for any signs of cockroaches. Signs would include fecal matter (droppings look like pepper) or living and dead roaches.
3. If you have a building with a garbage room, it should be inspected every 30-60 days because cockroaches like to harbor in the baseboards in the garbage room. If they are found here, make sure you inspect the units, because they came from one of the units.
4. If you find them in one unit immediately inspect all adjacent units as well as the units above and below.

Although you can self-treat, it has been observed that cockroaches have become immune to the old ways to treat them and are much more difficult to eliminate. Therefore, it is recommended that you call in a pest control expert, such as Poulin’s Pest Control to help you treat the problem.

Bedbugs

1. Inspect for bedbugs every 3-6 months in each unit. However, be sure to inspect the unit within 45-60 days of a new tenant moving in. When inspecting you are looking for live adults, droppings (the size of a pen tip), or blood marks on the sheets.
2. You will not see bedbugs unless you look for them. They are commonly found in the box spring, in the crevices around the mattress, or in the headboard of the bed. They can also be found in the bedside stands, pictures on the wall, baseboards, or the edge of the carpeting. Ensure you look closely!
3. If you find them in one unit immediately inspect all adjacent units as well as the units above and below.

When it comes to treating pests, act immediately and be sure the housing provider, tenant, and pest management company all cooperate in the effort to exterminate the pest.  

Pest control is an indispensable aspect of managing rental buildings effectively. By prioritizing regular inspections, preventive measures, and prompt interventions, property owners can protect the health and safety of tenants, preserve property value, mitigate legal and financial risks, and enhance tenant retention and satisfaction.

For more information and details about this content, you can view the Poulin’s Pest webinar where they did a deep dive on proactively managing pests.

View the webinar here:

https://us06web.zoom.us/rec/share/Dx92XSB9MDWMvYlDChSqwKs3CufWxDfCuAD3eLAPuZkEY-AAsugbCSScy2w7XY30.ZHpGCfqUNJPQL-0f

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