Help! My Neighbor's Pests Keep Coming Into My Home

You keep your dishes clean, take out the trash and do everything right to keep the pests away — but you can’t say the same for your neighbors. Even just one unsanitary neighbor can cause havoc to the people around them, especially in apartments, condos, townhomes and single-family homes in close proximity.

Having a pest problem that’s not your fault can be frustrating, but there are a few more things you can do to make up for the not-so-tidy people next door.

1.   See If It Could Be You

Before taking any other actions that could accuse someone of wrongdoing and creating an awkward situation with your neighbors, get a second opinion about your own home. A pest control company can help you uncover something you may have missed.

2.   Notify HOA or Management

There may be rules in your HOA that protect you. Or, many rental properties have free pest control services included in their leases that residents are unaware of. See if there’s anything you can do to help your neighbors take advantage of services they may not know about.

3.   Talk to Your Neighbors

It can feel therapeutic to vent in the neighborhood Facebook group, but complaining has never made a bug pack his bags and leave. It also can create a blocker to effective communication. Calmly talk to your neighbor about what you’re experiencing.

Your neighbors may not know where to start. Show up to the conversation with tips, like cleaning dishes regularly and putting lids on trash bins. You can also come prepared with a recommendation for a pest control company you trust.

4.   Make a Plan Together

You and your neighbors likely have the same goal — to enjoy your homes happily and peacefully. Get on the same page about the realities of pests in your area. If you both agree to schedule pest control services on a monthly or quarterly basis, or when there’s a particularly bad season for pests in your neck of the woods, it’ll feel like teamwork.

5.   Make Seals

If your neighbor refuses to be helpful, you can take extra precautions in your own squeaky clean abode. Pests like roaches can easily commute between electrical outlets, sewer pipes, air ducts, vents, skinks and under doors. Seal these off with steel wool and stoppers where possible.

6.   Use Traps

House mice can travel up to 50 ft. from their nest. That’s not wonderful news if you live close to someone who won’t cooperate with your plea to be neater, especially in the winter months. But you can be proactive. Put traps around your house to catch mice and rats that might come over for a warm place to hang out.

If you need backup, give us a call today. Hughes Exterminators is open to keep your home pest-free.