In accordance with the lease “The property is provided pest free and we will re-treat for any issues in the first 30 days. Any additional or periodic pest control is the responsibility of the tenant, with the exception of wood destroying insects.”  You as the tenant have received a pest free unit and are expected to keep it that way. You are responsible for keeping the property free of all pests (ants, roaches, fleas, ticks, silverfish, spiders, rodents etc.), except termites.   If you do notice any holes or other entry points in the exterior of the building, please notify us and we will fix them.

Below are some generally cheap options we recommend for dealing with pests.  Any of the recommendations can usually be purchased at any hardware store, Walmart, Target, or Amazon.

Keep Clean

Many of these pests are attracted by food left out, food not cleaned up in a timely manner, or spills not fully cleaned up.  Keep your unit clean to help prevent such pests entering in the first place.

Treat Outside Walls

We recommend purchasing an indoor and perimeter insect killer such as “Ortho Home Defense” or “Spectracide Bug Stop Home Barrier.”  Spray around your foundation and interior baseboards every couple of months to prevent insects.   You may also consider in the basement spraying the exterior walls where the wood meets the cement.

Liquid Bait Traps –Ants

Placing these type traps near where you see ants is an effective measure.  The way they work is that the ants are attracted to them.  They won’t kill the ant immediately but will allow time for the ants to take the bait back to the nest thus killing the rest of the ants as well.  These traps work particularly well with the small (sugar) ants.  Be aware you might notice an increase of ants at first as the are attracted to the bait.  We’ve used Terro brand before with good success, but other brands may work just as well.

Bug Bombs (Foggers)

Bug bombs are good for killing of existing bugs or spiders.  They are usually sold in 3 or 6 packs and you’ll want to use more than one.  Usually one per room.  Read the instructions before usage, generally after setting them off you (as well as any pets) need to leave the property for a couple of hours to avoid inhaling anything harmful.

Termites

Since you are our eyes on the property, please let us know if you see any termite activity. They usually swarm in the spring and you can’t miss them. Please notify our office immediately if you notice any signs of what you believe may be termites. Please do not store wood against the exterior of the house as this will attract termites.