Neighbors Have a Pest Problem? 6 Things You Can Do

When you live with close neighbors—whether they are in adjacent apartments, townhomes, or separate houses—some of their problems may spill over to become your problems. Nowhere is this truer than when there is a pest problem next door. What should you do if you believe pests are invading your property from theirs? Here are a few things to do—and a few things to avoid—as you approach your neighbors about this issue. 

1. Create a Shared Goal

The first step toward resolving a dispute with any neighbor is usually to discuss it with them positively. This is challenging, especially when you believe that rats, bed bugs, roaches, or other creepy crawlies could threaten your tranquil home life. But approaching this in a negative, judgmental, accusatory, or angry way will only make things worse.

Instead, frame the pest problem as a shared challenge and a shared solution. It may be best not to address where the problem originated, but rather to focus on what you both can do to make it go away. This could be as simple as getting rid of stagnant water, discussing the need to clear away food and beverages, or offering them some traps. 

2. Check Your Home Too

Before you accuse anyone of creating or ignoring a pest infestation, make sure your home is not the cause. Because people often relate pest issues to unsanitary conditions, clutter, or unkempt property, it's difficult to imagine that your own home might be the problem.

Meet with a qualified pest control service before you meet with neighbors or other authorities. Have the professional assess the situation and offer their guidance. You may even be contributing to the problem without realizing it. 

3. Prevent Pest Entry

Whether you expect this will be a quick outcome with your neighbor or that it could be difficult to resolve, take steps to protect your own property and family. Start by having a professional exterminator inspect your home for places where critters are—or could be—getting inside. They can help you take proactive measures to better protect food and other attractors. And they'll help set up deterrents outside your home. 

It's no fun to pay for the failings of your neighbors, but your first priority should be protecting your own home. Pest control costs are often not worth getting into an argument with a disgruntled neighbor or creating drama with other tenants. If you can successfully minimize the impact on your life, everyone might be able to continue getting along. 

4. Offer to Share Costs

Pest elimination and maintenance services are a financial investment, but perhaps your neighbor doesn't want to make that investment. Maybe they can't afford it, or they worry that they won't be able to afford it.

One of the easiest solutions, then, is to share the cost. Get an estimate for how much it would be to treat and complete follow-up visits for both properties. Then, approach your neighbor not with the problem but with a solution in hand.

5. Talk with Management

Sometimes, it's necessary to involve a higher authority during neighbor disputes. If your neighbor has ignored the problem, rebuffed your overtures, or denied the issue is theirs, it may be time to talk with management or your homeowner’s association.

Renters should report the problem to the landlord or property manage. Whether or not the neighbor's home is under the same ownership as yours, your landlord or property manager can step in with more weight to resolve the problem.

Homeowners may also be able to get help from the homeowners association or even the city or county. At the very least, you might be able to get property owners and managers to perform more preventative pest control in common areas around your home. 

6. Lend Your Pest Control Service

Are you hiring a pest control service to help keep shared pests out of your own home? Why not ask your neighbor if they would appreciate the professional offering them some helpful tips? Because you're footing the bill, the neighbor has little or nothing to lose. An examination of potential problems areas, like standing water or entry points into the house, might help them identify where they could improve on their own. 

The advantage of this approach is that the neighbor may not feel singled out or picked on. You are already having your property treated for pests and receiving helpful guidance. Frame it as a courtesy to your neighbor rather than any kind of accusation. 

No matter what types of pests your neighbor has a problem with, start by learning how to better protect yourself and find solutions that have worked for others. Meet with Paffy's Pest Control. We'll assess the causes of any infestation, how to keep them out of your house, and local agencies you may be able to ask for help. Call today to make an appointment.