In an Assured Shorthold Tenancy in England or Wales, pest control responsibility usually falls on the landlord — but the law is conditional. The deciding question is whether the infestation was present before the tenancy started, caused by a defect in the property, or caused by the tenant's living conditions.
When the landlord must pay
- The pests were present at the start of the tenancy (rats in the cavity, woodworm in the joists, pre-existing bed bugs).
- Entry is caused by disrepair the landlord is responsible for under Section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 — broken air bricks, gaps in brickwork, damaged roof.
- The property fails the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018 standard — bed bugs, rats and cockroaches almost always qualify.
- It's a House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) and the infestation is in shared parts — the landlord is responsible regardless of cause.
When the tenant must pay
- The infestation is clearly caused by tenant behaviour — food waste, hoarded clutter, leaving doors open.
- The pests are pets or were introduced by the tenant (e.g. fleas from a cat).
- The tenancy agreement specifically allocates pest control to the tenant AND the pests aren't a public-health issue. The 2018 Act overrides this clause for serious infestations.
How to get a landlord to act
- 01Report in writing (email is fine) with photos and dates of sightings.
- 02Give a reasonable deadline — 7 days for acute (rats, wasps), 14 days for chronic (bed bugs, mice).
- 03If they don't act, complain to Environmental Health at the local council. They have statutory powers to force the landlord to act.
- 04Keep paying rent. Withholding rent puts you at risk of eviction; the law expects you to pursue the landlord through proper channels.
Right to Repair and rent compensation
If the landlord ignores a Section 11 disrepair claim and you have to pay for treatment yourself, you can usually recover the cost from future rent — but get a solicitor or Shelter advice line first, in writing.