All Forum Posts by: Deanna Boss

Thank you all for your feedback. I let the tenants know that the exterminator will be back to treat the attic space and that I'll give them traps but they are responsible for disposing of them. I really appreciate the clarity that they need to comply with maintenance efforts. And grateful for confirmation that it's not my duty to dispose of the traps. Happy New Year!

I own and manage a duplex built in 1900, old house, tons of holes. The upper unit (floors 2 & 3) is occupied by tenants with a 12-month lease and the lower unit is short term rentals (Airbnb). The upper unit has mice - the tenants contacted me because they've had to throw out food that has been chewed into and they noticed droppings along their kitchen window sills. They requested an exterminator so I reached out to one with excellent reviews and had them there 36 hours later. The tenants requested that the company be kid and pet friendly so when I booked I asked and was told that they only put traps and poisons in discrete places inaccessible to people and pets. The tenants were there when the exterminator came and one freaked out when she started Googling the poison he was using - so much so that she refused to let him treat the unit. I had him fully and aggressively treat the lower unit and to a lesser extent the basement but he noticed that there was no activity on the first floor and no recent activity in the basement so the exterminator suspects the mice are coming in from the roof or a higher access point since they don't skip levels. There is an unfinished attic space on the 3rd floor and I'm going to insist that the exterminator get access to that area and do whatever is necessary to secure it and resolve the issue. It is accessible through a tiny panel door in a bathroom but there is no reason to have to get in there and if the tenants fear their child or dogs being exposed to the poison it seems like an easy request to not go into that space. Is that a reasonable request?

My main question today though - I'm willing to supply glue traps or other traps that the tenants view as less of a threat to their family and pets but is it my responsibility to empty and/or dispose of the traps? I'd say they don't have to use exterminator but are responsible for disposing of traps. This is in Minnesota and it's cold. I don't want to have to add a trap check to my daily responsibilities when I know there are more effective options. Thanks for your input!

So I'm looking at a Cadet Softheat.

I have a duplex that has two bedrooms on the 3rd floor in a converted attic. One has a non-functioning wall-mounted gas heater and the other one has an electric baseboard heater. I think instead of getting the gas one repaired I'm just going to get another electric baseboard heater. It's for a child's bedroom and it is in MN where is gets cold. What have you used? Want to make sure tenants are happy but not make a huge investment. Of course our repairs to date have exceeded all budgets! 😫Thanks for your insights!