End of lease treatments for tenants
The best time to book is after the furniture is out and the clean is done, but before the final inspection. An empty house lets me treat skirting edges, cupboards, the kitchen, wet areas and the outside without working around boxes.
A standard vacate treatment is a general pest treatment inside and out for cockroaches, ants, spiders and silverfish. The general pest control page explains what that involves. If your lease or pet agreement says fleas need treating, tell me when you book and I'll include it.
What to do before I arrive
- Move out everything you're taking, including from the garage and shed
- Finish the clean first, or ask your cleaner to finish before I start
- Leave the power and water on
- Let me know about any pets that were kept inside and where they slept
Once the treatment is done, try not to mop or wipe treated edges straight away. If the cleaner needs to come back, let me know and I'll tell you what can and can't be touched.
What property managers need
Property management pest control is mostly about reliability. You need someone who turns up when the tenant has arranged, does the job properly and sends the paperwork without being chased.
For end of lease work, the tenant books and pays me directly, and I send them a receipt they can forward to you. Under Queensland rules, a property manager can't insist a tenant use a particular pest control business, so I'm one option among many. What I can offer is a licensed technician with 12 years in the trade who does every job himself, and a receipt that clearly shows what was done.
After the job I email a tax invoice. It carries all the details a tax invoice legally has to show, plus a record of the treatment that was done, including any flea treatment. That invoice is what tenants give their agent as end of lease evidence, and end of lease reports are emailed too, so there's nothing to chase.
End of lease pest control in Logan
I'm based in Hillcrest, so end of lease pest control in Logan is the bulk of my rental work. Browns Plains, Springwood, Marsden, Waterford and Beenleigh all have a lot of rentals, and short notice bookings near the end of a lease are easier to fit in when I'm close by.
Routine rental inspections and treatments
Real estate pest control doesn't stop at vacates. Landlords have to keep a rental free of pests at the start of a tenancy and throughout it, unless the tenant caused the problem. Agents call me when a tenant reports cockroaches, ants or rats, between tenancies, and for regular termite inspections.
For a rented house, an annual termite inspection is worth keeping on the maintenance calendar. Australian Standard AS 3660 recommends inspections at least every 12 months, and nobody living in a rental is going to spot subterranean termites in a subfloor. For units and townhouses, common areas are a separate job handled by the body corporate. See body corporate pest control for how that works.
Fleas and pets at vacate
Pets are where most end of lease pest control questions come from. The Residential Tenancies Authority's renting with pets fact sheet says that where a pet is allowed inside, the lessor can include reasonable conditions, such as professional fumigation at the end of the tenancy if the pet can carry parasites that could infest the property.
So if your pet agreement includes that condition, you'll need a professional flea treatment. If it doesn't, check your lease before booking, because requirements depend on what you signed.
How a flea treatment works
Flea eggs and pupae sit deep in carpet, under furniture lines and in the places pets slept. I treat carpets, floors, skirting edges and outdoor resting spots such as under the deck or along the side of the house. It's best done after the carpet clean, so the treatment isn't vacuumed or washed away straight afterwards.
Make sure the pets are already gone, and treat them for fleas at your new place too. Otherwise you'll carry the problem with you.
Who pays for pest control in a QLD rental?
The short version, from the Residential Tenancies Authority's carpet cleaning and pest control page: the property owner must keep the place free from pests at the start and during the tenancy, unless the tenant caused the problem. At the end, the tenant has to leave the property in the same condition it was in at the start, allowing for fair wear and tear.
The RTA also says a property manager can't make a tenant use a specific pest control service, pay a set fee or use a particular product. A lease that simply says "pest control at the end of the tenancy" doesn't override the law, so if you're unsure, ask the RTA directly.
I've written a longer guide on who pays for pest control when renting in Queensland that covers the common situations tenants and landlords ask me about.
Questions about end of lease pest control in Brisbane
Do I have to get pest control when I move out of a rental in Queensland?
Not automatically. You need to leave the property in the same condition as when you moved in, allowing for fair wear and tear. If you had a pet inside and agreed to a professional fumigation condition, you'll need it. Check your lease, your pet agreement and the RTA website for your situation.
Can my property manager make me use their pest controller?
No. According to the RTA, a property manager can't require a tenant to use a specific pest control service, pay a set fee or use a particular product.
When should I book my end of lease pest control?
After you've moved everything out and the clean is done, and before the final inspection. Book a few days ahead, as the last week of the month is the busiest time for vacates.
Will I get a receipt for my property manager?
Yes. You get a receipt after the treatment that you can forward to your property manager as proof it was done professionally.
Do I need a flea treatment if my dog lived outside?
If the pet wasn't allowed inside, the RTA's fumigation condition for pets generally doesn't apply. Check what your pet agreement actually says before booking.
How much does end of lease pest control cost?
I don't publish prices. It depends on the size of the property, whether a flea treatment is needed, outdoor areas and access. Call me on 0412 205 586 with the address and I'll give you a fixed price.
Do you work with real estate agents on regular rental maintenance?
Yes. Property managers call me for tenant reported pests, treatments between tenancies and annual termite inspections on their rentals.
How long does the treatment take?
A vacate treatment on a standard house is usually done in a single visit. I'll give you a time estimate when you book so you can plan around the cleaner and key handover.
Book your vacate treatment
If your lease is ending, book your end of lease pest control in Brisbane or Logan a few days before the final inspection. Tell me the address, the size of the place and whether pets lived inside, and I'll give you a fixed price and a time.
Request a quote online or call me on 0412 205 586. Property managers are welcome to call about ongoing rental work.