Becoming a landlord is a great way to earn extra income or with enough properties, make a living. However, the occupation doesn’t come without risks. For example, what if a resident fails to pay rent or extensively damages a unit? Another risk that many landlord have only recently started considering is bed bugs.
As a landlord, the best way to manage the risk of bed bugs is to be proactive. Why? We’re glad you asked…
As a landlord, you may be financially responsible for taking care of bed bug infestations. Since you may not be living in the unit or residence, there’s a good chance you won’t know there is a problem until the infestation is full-blown. By proactively inspecting for bed bugs you minimize your risk of infestation.
Not only can infestations be expensive to clean up, bed bugs will decrease the value of your property. They may damage property such as mattresses and cushions. They could scare off existing residents and if the problem becomes known, potential residents. Keep in mind that thanks to the power of the Internet, people can review businesses (including rentals) on a variety of sites in minutes so there’s a good chance that news of your infestation will get out to the public. Avoid the hassle and decrease in income by being proactive.
At this point, you’re probably thinking, “That’s great, but what does ‘being proactive’ mean for me?” Again, we’re glad you asked.
Being proactive means a couple of different things including:
Educating Residents
Many landlords don’t like to even mention the words “bed bugs” for fear of scaring residents and starting some kind of panic. However, due to the heaps of misinformation out there, it is vital that you educate renters on bed bugs.
At the same time, many residents don’t initially report bed bugs because they believe that bed bugs only inhabit “dirty” homes. This isn’t true; you need to make sure your renters feel comfortable reporting a possible infestation to you.
You’ll want to educate them on common signs of bed bug infestations and ways that an infestation may occur such as traveling or via secondhand items being brought into the home. Lastly, make it clear that they should report any signs of bed bugs immediately… it is better to be safe than sorry.
Here are some resources from Scherzinger that may prove helpful in educating yourself and your renters:
– Identifying Bed Bugs
– Hide and Seek: 5 Unexpected Places Bed Bugs May Be Hiding
– How to Avoid Bringing Bed Bugs Home When Traveling
– Bed Bugs Myths Busted
Being Vigilant
Make sure that you and any employees you have, such as maintenance people know the signs of a bed bug infestation. As you move about your rental property and interact with people on the property, be vigilant
Forming a Partnership
Contact a professional experienced pest control company and set up a partnership. This company should offer proactive solutions to keep pest infestations (like bed bugs) to a minimum, as well as be able to respond quickly in the event of an actual infestation.
Scherzinger offers proactive pest management for rental and commercial properties. Our highly trained staff knows how to proactively treat a property while not disrupting daily business. To find out how Scherzinger can help you, contact us.
On top of being proactive, forming a partnership allows you to be retroactive. If you discover a pest problem (including bed bugs) you should be able to contact your pest control company and get an immediate response (since you’re an existing customer). When you partner with Scherzinger, we treat the problem safely, quickly, and discretely. Furthermore, we help you approach a bed bug infestation holistically. This means we find the source, eliminate the problem, and recommend additional steps to prevent a re-infestation.
In addition to the traditional chemical treatments, Scherzinger offers a signature Heatigation solution which is a one-day process that uses dry heat to eliminate bed bugs regardless of where they are in their life cycle. This treatment is quick and requires little preparation or cleanup on your part. Plus, it allows you and your residents to get back to your lives ASAP since it is safe to re-enter a property almost immediately following Heatigation treatment.
When it comes to bed bugs, being proactive instead of retroactive will save you money, inconvenience, and time. To learn more about bed bugs and proactive treatment, contact Scherzinger today.