Every urban conurbation of the United States has an issue with rats, but it would appear that Boston has more of a problem than most. According to Mass Live, Boston, alongside Hartford and Portland, were three state cities listed as some of the rattiest anywhere in the country. The law around how to prevent pest control cannot keep up with the rate of spread, and so it falls to landlords to ensure they are taking every possible step towards keeping their properties clean - and keeping tenants happy.

 

 

Understanding liability

Landlords have certain responsibilities when it comes to ensuring their tenants are able to live in pest free properties. While tenants must notify landlords of suspected issues, and ensure that they clean the home and keep it in such a way that it will not attract excessive numbers of pests, landlords do need to undertake regular inspections of outerwork and ensure that there are proper protections in place. As Boston University highlights, the state and federal authorities have powers that can be used in tandem with tenants to help enforce this.

 

Getting creative

The good news is that there are plenty of ways to tackle the pest control problem, some of which are distinctly new worlds in origin. As WBUR highlights, a wide range of traps, including electronic, carbon monoxide and birth control are now in place, offering less gruesome and environmentally harmful ways to trap pests than the poison-based alternatives. This is a great opportunity for those tenants with pets who may be concerned about the use of poisons.

 

Considering all the options

Pests are not limited to rats, as pressing as their impact is in the obviousness and damage it causes. Other pests, such as mites, flies, mosquitos, cockroaches and now, spotted lanternflies, as NPR have highlighted, can damage the property and cause distress to tenants. As such, landlords should ensure maintenance and upkeep conducted on the property is also inclusive of keeping out insects. This, however, is often achieved through simply keeping the property clean and dry.

 

A good landlord will keep their tenants safe from pests. It's easier said than done, of course, but there are creative options out there to help support the owner of the property and to make sure that tenants can have a pleasant time during their tenancy period. More than anything, it's a regulatory requirement, and ticking those boxes will ensure you remain in good standing with the city authorities.