Those renting in Queens or elsewhere in New York City pay a premium for relatively small spaces. Many of them, therefore, take excellent care of the places they call home, but not everyone makes safety and cleanliness a top priority.
Tenants have a major impact on the condition of a unit, and it is reasonable for landlords to expect that tenants will remove trash and otherwise keep the space sanity. Still, landlords also have certain maintenance and upkeep obligations that they should fulfill.
There can be tension when pests turn up at a rental unit. Landlords might blame the occupants, while the occupants just want the landlord to fix the problem. Who technically has responsibility for cockroaches or other pests that infest a rental unit in New York City?
Landlords are responsible for pest remediation
Although one could easily raise a claim that the conduct of tenants can directly cause a pest infestation, it is usually the landlord’s responsibility to address tests if they become a problem at a rental unit. Tenants have to provide proper notice to the landlord about the issue and may even need to arrange some place to stay during the treatment process.
Landlords should address issues with pests quickly so that they don’t get worse or endanger the health of any of the occupants. Disagreements about pests like cockroaches at a rental unit could lead to litigation or claims against security deposits in some cases.
Understanding who is responsible for different forms of maintenance will benefit both landlords and the tenants occupying their rental properties.
