My Lease Says the Landlord is Responsible for Pest Control-BUT...

[Will Gaston]

All:

My lease states that my tenants are responsible for any pest control outside of what I provide with the four quarterly sprays that my bug guy does.  It actually states that not once, but twice, and my tenants have initialed directly beside it both times. And was specifically gone over in our tenant meeting before the lease started.

My tenants are college girls and have been complaining incessantly about mice at the property. I did, what I consider, the right thing and sent my pest control guy over there not once but twice to try and remedy the problem, but as any landlord knows, keeping critters outside of house is easier said than done. Apparently, they're still having a problem. 

They're now sending semi threatening emails about going to the Housing Authority and such. They're also trying to say the property is "unsafe" because of "health risks".  For what it's worth, this house is probably nicer than my own house and couldn't be further from the truth.  

I feel like I've already gone above and beyond what I'm required to do based on what the lease states. Any advice on what to do?  I think pest control is one of the most difficult situations I have to do with, especially with students. 

What say you? Do I keep sending somebody over there? Or draw the line?

[JD Martin]

Mice problems cannot be solved unless the openings are solved. That's generally on the LL, sad to say, as it is structural. Your pest guy should be identifying points of entry. Some people are more sensitive to this stuff than others. If it were me, I would probably volunteer to let them out of their lease early so they could get a mouse-free location.