Property managers

Pest control for landlords and property managers

In apartments and other shared buildings, pests move between units, so control works only building-wide, with management, staff, the pest professional and residents each doing their part. A property can't simply hire out integrated pest management (IPM).[3][4]

The short answer

  • When one unit has bed bugs, inspect the units above, below, on each side and across the corridor.[5][6]
  • For German cockroaches, baits beat sprays; foggers and aerosols can scatter roaches to other units without killing them.[7][8]
  • Make reporting easy and blame-free: residents who fear blame delay reporting, and asking tenants isn't enough to find infestations.[6][9]
  • Use licensed applicators wherever the state requires them, including in vacant units; New York requires DEC-licensed professionals for bed bug treatment in apartments.[10][11]

Set up an IPM program

StopPests defines integrated pest management as coordinating pest and environmental information with control methods to prevent unacceptable infestations at the lowest hazard to people, property and the environment.[12]

EPA describes IPM as starting with an action threshold, the point at which pest numbers or conditions show that control action is needed.[13]

  • HUD-funded IPM guidance says flashlight inspections and monitoring are used to find priority areas where infestations exist or pest risk is high.[10]
  • Every time staff or a pest management professional works on a pest problem, unit-specific records should go into an IPM log.[10]
  • To keep cockroaches out, the guide recommends sealing or fixing cracks and holes with materials such as silicone caulk, copper mesh, screens and door sweeps.[10]
  • Residents need to understand the importance of housekeeping and of letting the pest management professional into their unit for monitoring and treatment.[10]
  • When coaching residents one-on-one, StopPests advises staff to talk about the pest rather than blame the person.[14]
  • HUD-funded IPM guidance tells managers to notify residents before pesticide applications as required by the product label or state and local law.[10]

Bed bugs in apartments

Because bed bugs often wander between apartments, University of Kentucky entomologists say units near a known or suspected infestation must be inspected, including across the hall.[15]

  • When a unit has confirmed bed bugs, StopPests says to inspect every surrounding unit: above, below, on all sides and across the corridor.[5]
  • EPA advises landlords to check adjacent units for infestation, noting some experts suggest treating units on both sides, above and below.[6]
  • University of Kentucky recommends routine building-wide professional inspections, for example quarterly or semi-annually, in multi-unit housing.[15]
  • Texas A&M notes that simply asking tenants whether they have bed bugs is not enough; in one study only half of residents in an infested building acknowledged the problem.[9]
  • Over-the-counter sprays can scatter bed bugs into surrounding areas and drive them deeper into hiding, which makes professional treatment harder.[5]
  • Don't let tenants rely on foggers: EPA says the pesticide often can't reach the cracks where bed bugs hide, and Cornell IPM says foggers don't work and can push bed bugs into new areas.[16][17]
  • Schedule a follow-up inspection 10 to 14 days after treatment, and keep inspecting until three to four monthly inspections in a row find no new activity.[5]
  • EPA recommends giving current and prospective tenants a flyer or brochure explaining the property's bed bug policies and guidance.[6]
  • Tracking when, where and how many treatments a unit has received shows whether bed bug treatments are working or failing.[5]

Cockroaches and rodents

Controlling German cockroaches throughout a building requires a whole-building inspection, and sealing cracks between units helps stop spread.[7]

  • StopPests says baits are preferred over sprays for reducing German cockroach populations.[7]
  • Poor sanitation does not cause cockroach infestations, but it makes existing infestations harder to manage.[7]
  • Trash chutes, compactors and trash rooms can harbor large numbers of cockroaches if not managed properly.[7]
  • UC IPM warns that foggers and aerosols can repel cockroaches and scatter them to other areas without killing them.[8]
  • Successful rat control combines three elements: sanitation, structural exclusion (rodent proofing) and population control.[18]
  • UC IPM says holes larger than 1/4 inch should be sealed with steel wool, wire screen or sheet metal, since rats chew through plastic, foam, wood and caulk.[18]
  • For mice, StopPests advises that dumpsters hold all waste and sit at least 50 feet from buildings.[19]
  • UC IPM cautions that using rodenticide indoors often means mice die inside the building, so trapping is often preferable.[20]
  • EPA requires professional rodenticide bait to be placed in tamper-resistant bait stations wherever young children, pets or nontarget wildlife can reach it.[21]

Bed bug laws: who must do what

Rules differ by state and city, and several places put specific deadlines on landlords and tenants. Check your own state and local code; these are examples.[22][23][11]

  • In Maine, a landlord must inspect a unit for bed bugs within 5 days of a tenant's written or oral notice of a possible infestation.[22]
  • Once an infestation is confirmed, Maine landlords must contact a pest control agent within 10 days, and the agent must carry current liability insurance.[22]
  • Maine landlords must tell prospective tenants if an adjacent unit is currently infested with or being treated for bed bugs, and may not rent a unit they know or suspect is infested.[22]
  • Arizona requires landlords to give bed bug educational materials to new and existing tenants and bars leasing a unit the landlord knows is currently infested; single-family residences are excluded.[23]
  • Arizona tenants may not knowingly move bed-bug-infested materials into a unit and must notify the landlord in writing or electronically when they find bed bugs.[23]
  • New York requires property owners to disclose a unit's bed bug infestation history for the past year to new tenants using the Bedbug Disclosure Form.[11]
  • NYC multiple dwelling owners must file an annual bed bug report each December, and must give tenants the filing receipt or post it prominently in the building.[11]
  • New York requires owners to hire only DEC-licensed pest control professionals to treat apartments for bed bugs.[11]
  • Under Chicago's bed bug ordinance, tenants must tell their landlord within 5 days of suspecting bed bugs, and landlords must arrange professional pest control.[1]
  • Philadelphia's bed bug law gives tenants five business days to notify their landlord in writing. Landlords must hire pest control professionals within 10 business days.[2]
  • In Texas, multifamily housing, hotels and other lodging businesses must be treated for pests by a licensed pesticide applicator.[9]
  • Cornell IPM notes that anyone who misapplies an insecticide, or applies one without a license, to other people's property is legally liable.[24]

Hiring a pest contractor

  • State clearly in a pest control RFP that you want IPM services, so low bidders who aren't proposing IPM can be rejected.[10]
  • The pest management professional must be licensed where the state requires it, even when applying pesticides in vacant units.[10]
  • Under IPM, pest professionals document building conditions, monitoring results and every pesticide or treatment used.[10]
  • For bed bugs, StopPests advises managers to spell out the treatment details they expect from a contractor and hold the contractor accountable.[5]
  • EPA tells landlords to hire bed bug professionals with documented experience who use a comprehensive strategy, not just pesticide spraying.[6]

Hotels and offices

  • University of Kentucky notes hotel bed bug infestations are usually limited to a few rooms, often starting behind the headboard.[15]
  • Cornell IPM advises hotel guests to inspect mattress seams and look behind the headboard and wall decor for signs of bed bugs.[25]
  • EPA says bed bug infestations are very unlikely, though possible, in offices; watch break rooms, coat closets and areas with upholstered furniture.[26]
  • Office bed bug infestations tend to be limited and are often confined to workstations and seating, according to University of Kentucky.[15]

Common questions

Should tenants treat bed bugs themselves?
Generally no. Over-the-counter sprays can scatter bed bugs into surrounding areas and push them deeper into hiding, making professional treatment harder.[5]
How long after a bed bug treatment should a unit be re-inspected?
Schedule a follow-up inspection 10 to 14 days after treatment, and keep inspecting until three to four monthly inspections in a row find no new activity.[5]
Do I need a licensed applicator in vacant units?
The pest management professional must be licensed where the state requires it, even when applying pesticides in vacant units.[10]

Related guides

Sourced pages for the pests and paperwork property managers deal with most.

Sources

  1. Chicago Department of Public Health, “Bed Bug Brochure (Oct 31, 2013).” www.chicago.gov/content/dam/city/depts/cdph/environmental_health_and_food/BedBugBrochureOct312013.pdf (accessed 2026-10-06)
  2. City of Philadelphia, “Report a bed bug law violation.” phila.gov/services/property-lots-housing/report-a-bed-bug-law-violation/ (accessed 2026-10-06)
  3. StopPests in Housing (Northeastern IPM Center, HUD-funded), “Integrated Pest Management: A Guide for Affordable Housing.” stoppests.org/what-is-ipm/guide/ (accessed 2026-10-06)
  4. StopPests in Housing (Northeastern IPM Center, HUD-funded), “Using IPM.” stoppests.org/what-is-ipm/using-ipm/ (accessed 2026-10-06)
  5. StopPests in Housing (Northeastern IPM Center, HUD-funded), “IPM for Bed Bugs: A Guide for Property Managers.” stoppests.org/stoppests/assets/File/Bed-bug-guide-for-property-managers-v11.pdf (accessed 2026-10-06)
  6. U.S. EPA, “What Landlords Need to Know about Bed Bugs.” www.epa.gov/bedbugs/what-landlords-need-know-about-bed-bugs (accessed 2026-10-06)
  7. StopPests in Housing (Northeastern IPM Center, HUD-funded), “IPM for German Cockroaches: A Guide for Property Managers.” stoppests.org/stoppests/assets/File/Cockroach-guide-for-property-managers-v10.pdf (accessed 2026-10-06)
  8. University of California Statewide IPM Program, “Cockroaches.” ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7467.html (accessed 2026-10-06)
  9. Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, “Bed Bugs and Apartments.” citybugs.tamu.edu/factsheets/biting-stinging/others/ent-3013/ (accessed 2026-10-06)
  10. StopPests in Housing (Northeastern IPM Center, HUD-funded), “Integrated Pest Management: A Guide for Affordable Housing.” stoppests.org/stoppests/assets/File/IPM-Guide-for-Affordable-Housing.pdf (accessed 2026-10-06)
  11. NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development, “Bedbugs - HPD.” www.nyc.gov/site/hpd/services-and-information/bedbugs.page (accessed 2026-10-06)
  12. StopPests in Housing (Northeastern IPM Center, HUD-funded), “What is IPM?.” stoppests.org/what-is-ipm/ (accessed 2026-10-06)
  13. U.S. EPA, “Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Principles.” www.epa.gov/ipm/introduction-integrated-pest-management (accessed 2026-10-06)
  14. StopPests in Housing (Northeastern IPM Center, HUD-funded), “Working with Residents.” stoppests.org/working-with-residents/ (accessed 2026-10-06)
  15. University of Kentucky Entomology, “Bed Bugs (ENTFACT-636).” entomology.mgcafe.uky.edu/ef636 (accessed 2026-10-06)
  16. U.S. EPA, “Should I Use a Fogger?.” www.epa.gov/bedbugs/should-i-use-fogger (accessed 2026-10-06)
  17. Cornell University, New York State IPM Program, “What to do About Bed Bugs.” cals.cornell.edu/integrated-pest-management/outreach-education/whats-bugging-you/bed-bugs/managing-bed-bugs (accessed 2026-10-06)
  18. University of California Statewide IPM Program, “Rats.” ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn74106.html (accessed 2026-10-06)
  19. StopPests in Housing (Northeastern IPM Center, HUD-funded), “IPM for House Mice.” stoppests.org/stoppests/assets/File/StopPests_org%20IPM%20for%20House%20Mice_110521.pdf (accessed 2026-10-06)
  20. University of California Statewide IPM Program, “House Mouse.” ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7483.html (accessed 2026-10-06)
  21. U.S. EPA, “Restrictions on Rodenticide Products.” www.epa.gov/rodenticides/restrictions-rodenticide-products (accessed 2026-10-06)
  22. Maine Legislature, “14 M.R.S. §6021-A. Bedbug infestation.” legislature.maine.gov/statutes/14/title14sec6021-A.html (accessed 2026-10-06)
  23. Arizona State Legislature, “A.R.S. 33-1319. Bedbug control; landlord and tenant obligations.” www.azleg.gov/ars/33/01319.htm (accessed 2026-10-06)
  24. Cornell University, New York State IPM Program, “Bed Bug FAQs.” cals.cornell.edu/integrated-pest-management/outreach-education/whats-bugging-you/bed-bugs/bed-bug-faqs (accessed 2026-10-06)
  25. Cornell University, New York State IPM Program, “Avoiding Bed Bugs.” cals.cornell.edu/integrated-pest-management/outreach-education/whats-bugging-you/bed-bugs/avoiding-bed-bugs (accessed 2026-10-06)
  26. U.S. EPA, “Protecting Yourself from Bed Bugs in Public Places.” www.epa.gov/bedbugs/protecting-yourself-bed-bugs-public-places (accessed 2026-10-06)

Updated 2026-10-06. General information, not medical or veterinary advice. Built from sourced records. Spot an error? Tell us.