Is landlord responsible for spiders?

[Jane S.]

The large family in one of my rentals is freaking out about black widow spiders, but I had never seen a spider, a web, or any infestation in the house before they moved in. I advised them to spray all around the foundation and wherever there might be a way for spiders to get in. However spiders love flies, and tenants dog poop is sitting out in the yard, uncollected, so maybe that has something to do with spiders coming around. The lease requires tenants to keep property in clean condition ... yet they expect me to pay for exterminator ... I have paid for a number of updates but it seems to me the dog poop needs to be better disposed of. And they are responsible to deal with bugs etc. What do you think? I have spiders at my house, they seem pretty harmless.

[Anthony Wick]

@Jane S.

In these types of scenarios, without some sort of evidence the tenant is creating the problem, I pay for an exterminator to come in and treat, AND to evaluate the situation. Let the professionals decide why there is a problem. Is this a problem all over the area? Or just located at your property, when it’s never been a problem before. Then you can say; “the exterminator says it’s because you are...”. Then you pay for that treatment and put tenant on notice that the continuation of the problem will be at their expense.