Hi good morning everyone, hope you all had a nice weekend,

I have 2 questions:

This is the history...

I post a while ago about mices in my rental place, it has been treated, we haven't seen one in 2 month since the last time they were here (i called them for a follow up almost when the 3 month warranty was going to be over and they cam again to re-check the traps and put more of their products). Tenants called about the Electric stove, 2 burners not working, i lend them a portable electric one in the meantime the LG Warranty Tech come by, it has been like 10 days since that, now we are waiting for parts to arrive, when the tech was here to troubleshoot the Stove, he changed the mother board and the panel, then something else needed to be changed, while i was at the tenant apt, i saw 4 small roaches (alive) and there were some of them dead inside the stove, i ask one of the tenants if they have seen them, they told me no (i saw a can of bug spray somewhere...)

My 1st question is, since they had 2 burners not working, and i lend them a portable electric with 2 burners so they can do their cooking while we fix the Stove issue, should i do like a credit to them for the inconveniences?

2nd question: since the apartment was pest control treated, and tenants haven't reported anything to us, in our 1st floor we haven't seen roaches, in the 3rd floor neither, so for now is only in the 2nd floor, the same floor that had mices before... Should i purchase roaches gel and traps, or i should let them take care of it ?

Their lease is up on Sept, they had a 1 year, i will do now a monthly rental agreement in the meantime with a 60 US increase, which they have accepted. We have a vacation planned for a long time and we don't want to stay without tenants for now... They pay on time, they do not complain on maintenance because we are on top of things mostly, but i am started to be concerned, 1st mices, then roaches... What is next?

My white doors are grayish with something sticky, my bathroom sink has some reddish tint, it was white, gray and black, now has this slight tint of red on top, so little by little had been occurring things... I know that with this Covid situation, people getting back on their feet, it might be a little more difficult to find someone that pass our screen, able to pay 1st, Last and Security...

First of all ... the tenants are not telling you the truth and you know it. If they have a can of spray - they've been dealing with them.

Answers:

1st question: NO (and now I'm not sure I would want that portable electric one back if they have roaches).

2nd question: They don't complain because they don't want you to know. Did you already offer them the month to month and they accepted? I would have the pest control people back and check ALL apartments an the building. DO NOT let the tenants handle it because they will not. Does your lease cover bug control? Meaning if they have lived there for almost a year now and it was "pest free" from when they moved in but now it isn't - it's on them for the bill? I would use an exterminator though. Has any other tenant been added "new" or recently? Get on this NOW.

In ALL of my multi-family I have a contract with a pest control company to spray the exterior of the building once a month and look for issues. Also each month upon request they will treat the inside of an apartment is issues.

Comes the problem, tenants causing roach infestation. Either they buy food from the local Latin market and instead of using clean new fresh paper bags, the market give the customers cardboard boxes to carry out their food. These are boxes used to supply the store with inventory, then thrown in a pile in the side lot, allowing adult roaches to lay eggs in the voids of the card board boxes.

Neither tenant no store will change their ways and continue to infest my units. I had had to issue a "3 day Notice to Perform or Quit" to my tenants, Stop using card board boxes from the Latin Market, and report the store/market to the Health Department and the News. They ran a story for 2 days that cut down their business for a few weeks.

Thanks cjl, i was the one who offered them a portable electric stove with 2 burners so they don't have inconveniences while cooking, i tried to be proactive before they mention it.

From the 3 adults, 2 of them has signed, i just need one more signature, but yes they accepted. Yes if i am not mistaken my lease covers bug control, yes it was pest free before they moved in, let me read my wording to see how it was stated, thanks. Yes a new tenant was added 2/3 month ago but there is no mices no roaches there, i had been there several times, or they are way to clean the new tenants, or there is no bugs there hehehe.

I stated that just because of that, they are not pretty clean, the things that i mentioned about the doors and sink i assume is nothing major, and one day someone said here that we will never have a perfect tenant, so i just want to know my LL friends though about it. I am going for a 1 or maybe too, is a vacation and business as well...

Robert J thanks, i wanted to do that contract, the pest control that came wanted 800 US per 4 visits a year, at that time i didn't think it was not required, a lot of the LL here recommended or gave a lot of ideas for me to treat it myself. I haven't seem them with card boxes but i will pay more attention just in case.

This is what i have in my Lease Addendum :

14) INSECT INFESTATION NOTIFICATION: Lessee shall notify Lessor immediately upon the discovery

or suspicion of any insect infestation in the premises. “Infestation” includes ants on the countertop, bees

and hornets in the apartment or outside the apartment and visible from windows, one cockroach or more,

one bedbug or more, black stains on bedding or walls or furniture, and/or recurring unexplained night time

bites without explanation, among other signs. Care Second-hand furniture may only be acquired from

premises known to be clean. Under no circumstances are second-hand mattresses or anything from the

street to be brought into the apartment. As required by the State Sanitary Code, Lessee will not permit

food items to be left out of sealed containers. Procedure for Bed Bugs and Others As Required Lessee

agrees to cooperate fully with Lessor and any exterminators hired by Lessor. This may include taking

apart any and all beds sealing mattresses in plastic emptying all drawers and closets dry cleaning all

fabric and upholstered possessions, including couch pillows and cushions moving furniture substantially

rearranging apartment contents vacating the premises for an extended period of time day during or after

treatment discarding infested items. Remedy Failure of Lessee to comply with the terms of this

addendum shall entitle Lessor to all available remedy, including eviction. Costs Lessee agrees to accept

the cost of all laundering and other compliance with this addendum, in exchange for Lessor accepting all

Still Learning thanks, Yes i already got sticky traps as soon as i saw the roaches in the 2nd floor, i had to tell the 3rd floor people, they had a newborn... I just got the gel to try it, i will be there tomorrow with my father in law, i gave the 2nd floor a letter so they can prepare the kitchen cabinets, bathroom, empty everything in there, clean very good and we will start putting the gel and other traps, will do the same for my 1st floor, and 3rd floor, also got those spray bombs to put in the basement and each apartment, except 3rd floor...

MC thanks , this people, English is not their primary language, i assume she is waiting until the stove gets fixed, i don't know, but i am not rushing, the lease will expire on 9/1, if she has not signed by 8/1, i will give them the notice to vacate after the lease turned into a monthly, just if they don't sign.

Robert Ontario thanks, i was googling that and found out the same information, a very good video also, thanks for sharing, everyday you learn something new here.

ALlyM Yes someone here has mentioned a Gel, at that time i didn't needed, but i ask a lot of questions if i go to Lowe's or Home Depot LOL. Thanks... OMG "No I can't tell you what they taste like as Rice A Roni is highly spiced" my stomach hurt now LOL.

LZ,

To learn all about identifying & treating pests I highly recommend that you go to "Do My Own"

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Ally M, you crack me up. Rice -A Roni appetizers is nothing of what I was expecting you to share.

Still Learning thanks, i remember that in a previous thread, Steve gave me this awesome idea for my basement: "go in daylight when the sun is shiny, turn off all the lights, and in the dark look for any source of light, to see if there is any visible entrance" i did that several days, although when i did the Insulation with MassSave, they did great job covering everything, i was able to get maybe 1 or 2 tiny holes from the interior, from the exterior i haven't been able to find any, around the foundation i had been trying to fill every possible cracks, i will check again about that foam thing.

Steve thanks my mentor, your ideas are always good as others LL, thanks for sharing, i am in the website right now.

Robert Ontario i think i got one called Combat Max in a Syringe, i am going to try with that. Dam that thing about they eating each other to survive, it really surprised me! These tenants are not very clean, i think this is in their culture, i had print several things to show an example but i have lost my time and my ink, but at least i have papertrail...

Jim i am curious to know why this property is not going to work for my portfolio, do you mind to explain? I am a newbie landlord, the types that they call mom/pop LL hehehe, this is my only property right now... I went over there today, gloves, flashlight and another set of eyes, look in the kitchen, bathroom, cabinets, sinks, under sinks, drawers, closets, every possible place that i had seen on youtube videos, remove any debris, dust, vacuum, then apply the gel and left some of the roaches traps as well...

I talk to one of them, that this is the 3rd time that we have had a Pest Control treatment in less than 6 month, and not because they informed me about any bugs, but because i had been able to notice it on my previous inspections or at any job that had to be done there, if they do not keep the place organized, clean, food properly storage in plastic containers with lid, no dishes in the sink left at night, and lots of other things, the Pest Control Work will be in vain and i will be wasting my money and their time, since this is the 3rd time, we will do a follow up in one month to make sure the treatment that we just did is making progress, if is not, i will hire another pest company and they will be responsible for it... He nod his head and said he understand, that he sorry etc etc...