eChipmunks

If you rent your home and pay to have pests professionally removed, can you legally deduct that from the rent?

Since I rent, can the price for the professional pest control Orkin, Terminix or whoever, can that legally be deducted from the cost of the rent? Can the entire price be deducted or only partially? This is considered a home improvement, something the landlord could tell future renters about.

Public Comments

1. Generally yes, but it depends on what is written in the lease.
2. No. It is NOT a "home improvement." And no you can't deduct it from your rent unless your landlord gave prior approval to do that.
3. Unless you have an agreement with the landlord concerning it, No. However, if you have had a bug problem and asked the landlord to fumigate IN WRITING and they did nothing, then you would have a case that would stand up in small claims court.
4. The proper way to handle this situation is to tell your landlord about the pest problem and let them decide how they are going to handle it. They do have to take care of the problem right away, and many landlords will tell the tenant to go ahead and take care of it, and they will reimburse them/pay the bill/deduct from rent bill. If a tenant takes matters in their own hands, the landlord is not obligated to reimburse them in any way. I live in an apartment and my neighbors downstairs had a similar issue with our landlord. They had a thermostat problem, and the maintenance person supposedly fixed it, but the next day it was still broken. So they called out a heating and cooling company and paid $200 to have a new thermostat put it. Our landlord would not pay the bill and legally does not have to. She has a few pretty good maintenance people that have always fixed problems quickly and correctly, and many landlords have the same. They would rather pay their maintenance guy $10 an hour or something rather than the hundereds a professional costs. I don't blame them if they can get the job done right themselves anyways. Best way for you to handle this is to be cordial and nice to your landlord and show him or her the bill, ask if they might be willing to help you out with it or take off some rent.
5. This is considered property maintenance. It doesn't improve the home. Normally, the landlord handles maintenance issues. If your landlord agrees to this, it's fine. If you are springing it on them, they may very well object.
6. First off - pest control is NOT a home improvement. New windows, plumbing, flooring, etc. = home improvements Painting walls, pest control, etc. = maintenance Second, if it a single family home and depending on the pest being controlled, it may very well be on the tenant. Only the tenant has control as to whether cockroaches, bedbugs, fleas and other pests are brought into or infest the premises. You would have to refer to your lease and state's landlord tenant laws. Further, even if the pests could be the responsibility of the landlord, the tenant cannot just hire a pest control service and deduct it from the rent. The tenant is required to notify the landlord of the issue in writing - via certifed mail return receipt requested letter. If the landlord refuses to take care of the issue or if the landlord denies responsibility, then the tenant would have to call the local housing code enforcement to inspect and decide who is responsible. The landlord can attempt to control the pests without the help of a professional service via store bought pest control products.
7. The best way to handle it is to put it in writing to the landlord. They should organise to have the pest control done themselves, or give you permission to find an exterminator and credit you the costs. After all, it is a tax deduction for them. If they don't want to pay for it...then unless you can prove that the pests were there before you moved in, or that they have come in through no fault of your own, then I'm sorry, you will just have to cop the costs yourself. good luck.
8. NOT unless it is in the lease that they pay for pest control. If YOU choose to have pest control when it is not in the lease, then you CANNOT deduct any of the cost from the rent. If it is in the lease that they pay for pest control then they need to be the ones to order and pay for it. Weather or not it is considered home improvement is completely immaterial.
9. It all depends, if the tenant caused the problem then it could be argued that it's the tenants responsibility.
10. I wish! Sorry... no deduction for you. You could just use natural pest control (like cinnamon) instead of wasting $$$ on an exterminator. Here's a link in case you want to save your cash. Landlords are greedy!
11. Its illegal to "erase" people... I couldn't help it! Two serious questions in a row!!!
12. What Nat said.
13. It depends on how you entered the agreement with your landlord. If the language states it in your lease then yes. On the other hand, you have to discuss this with the landlord.