Landlords: a tenant is a mess and now complains about rats

Landlords: a tenant is a mess and now complains about rats

Contractor · San Jose, CA · Member since 2020 · 32 posts · 17 votes

Hi. I'm new at being a landlord... so im looking for advice on how to deal w this tenant. We have a nice SFH that's 50 years in a busy neighborhood... we acquired it earlier this year and flipped most of it. We found a tenant through section 8 (low income housing) because we wanted to get guaranteed rent especially during covid. We have a tenant that hoards stuff in the backyard and especially because she has lots of toys for her grandchildren who comes over. They had a lots of pumpkins still left over from their mini pumpkin patch they had in the backyard and just lots of stuff inside the house. They are now complaining of a mouse. They are showing us pictures of mouse droppings behind the appliances. They expect us to come and get rid of it. Got a text today at 9p saying "we have a mouse in the house can someone come now?" A few days earlier the tenant tripped and fell on the sprinkler main plumbing system by the house and broke it and told us water is going everywhere come and fix it now? And just yesterday she stepped on the sprinkler system to hang her Christmas lights and broke that too. I've been nice and patient because we are converting the garage into an ADU... so im around the house the past month. The house is a 2 bedroom 1 bath but I feel like a lot of people are there and just lots of stuff.

My question is: when is comes to mouses and rodents... is this the landlords job to deal w it or the tenant?

I told the tenant... they need to maintain the property good and reduce bags of trash stored outside. Mouses are attracted to food and

warmth.

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  • Investor · Midwest · Member since 2019 · 335 posts · 226 votes
    5y

    @Ivan Vasquez does your lease say anything about pest control? If not add the language when it's time for her to renew. 

    1. Our lease says we do quarterly pest control sprays for roaches, spiders etc. anything outside of that is the tenant responsibility. In you case its a single family so as a courtesy I would treat it for the mouse issue once then notify the tenant that a. when she moved in there wasn't a mouse issue, and b. she is responsible for any issues moving forward. I would ask the pest control people to put something in writing about their observations relating to the cause of the mouse i.e food out, place not clean etc.

    2. If she broke the sprinkler its her responsibility to fix it. We take care of all fair wear and tear maintenance, if it's neglect by the tenant then we bill them or deduct it from their deposit if they refuse to pay. Check w/ the section 8 administrator, in our area the tenants have to fix things they broke otherwise they can lose their benefits. 

    The above are recommendations, check your local laws ie. tenant / landlord act to ensure you're in compliance before you act on any information suggested. 

  • Tracy StreichPro Member
    Real Estate Broker · Tulsa- OKC Oklahoma · Member since 2017 · 868 posts · 801 votes
    5y

    First 30 days the owner takes care of pest issues.   After 30 days it is typically related to the cleanliness of the home.   You could use this as an opportunity to offer to help them clean up to get rid of rodents.   Set a tiem and show up with a trailer and help load up the "extra" stuff around the outside of the house. 

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