Handling Infestations In Your Investment Property

Infestations

Infestations can happen at any time and for many different reasons.  You need to know how to react before the event even occurs in order to keep peace with your tenants and stay on the right side of the law.  Laws vary from state to state on this topic so I will be speaking of Colorado Law and more specifically Colorado Springs.  Make sure you contact the proper authorities or an attorney to find out what your state and municipality requires.  

In a multi family property the home owner is ALWAYS RESPONSIBLE for pest control.  This cannot be passed onto the tenants!  If you think you can avoid this by putting a clause in your lease you are wrong.  If you have a single family home you are only responsible for pest control for 30 days from the date of move in.  If the infestation happens after that the tenant could be responsible.  An infestation could be bed bugs, roaches, mice, vermin, or insects.

There is a relatively new phenomenon in Colorado called bed bugs.  These nasty little dudes hide in carpet, upholstery, clothes, shoes, and just about anywhere else in your home and belongings.  They can be difficult to kill and they reproduce so rapidly that one or two bugs could turn into a catastrophe quite quickly.  If you notice any bed bug signs act immediately!

Roaches are another issue although not as common in Colorado as some other states.  Much like other bugs, roaches can originate in a neighboring unit and spread very quickly into the whole building or multiple buildings.  If you have an attached property (townhome, 4 plex, apartments, condo) you could be affected by a neighbor!  This could cost you hundreds or thousands of dollars!  

The key with infestations is to act quickly and minimize the impact on your property.  The sooner you get a professional on site to analyze the situation and make recommendations the better off your home will be.  If you catch infestations early on it can be as simple as a one time spray or a few quarterly visits.   If you push it off or get the wrong advice you may need extensive drywall removal, multiple sprayings, traps, inconvenience and extensive costs.  Your tenants will be irritated and less likely to renew.  You can always figure out who is going to pay the bill after the work is done but protect your asset and get started immediately.  

Thanks for reading,

Daniel Muldoon

Property Manager

Muldoon Associates, Inc.