Who Pays for Pest Control in a Florida Rental? Bugs, Rodents and Bed Bugs (2026)

Roaches after a summer storm, ants in the kitchen, a termite swarm in April, or the call every owner dreads: bed bugs. In Florida, pest problems are part of owning a rental. The question that causes the most arguments is simple: who pays to fix it? The answer depends on the type of property and what your lease says, and a 2025 change to the statute added new rules for when tenants have to leave for treatment.

Written by Jon C. Schmitt, Licensed Florida Real Estate Broker & Owner of True Patriot Property Management. Last updated October 2026. Checked against F.S. 83.51, 83.52 and 83.505 (Florida Statutes).

The quick answer

If your rental is an apartment, condo unit or any unit other than a single-family home or duplex, Florida law makes the landlord responsible for reasonable extermination of rats, mice, roaches, ants, wood-destroying organisms and bed bugs, unless the lease says otherwise in writing (F.S. 83.51). If your rental is a single-family home or duplex, that specific rule does not apply, so the lease decides who handles pest control. In every case, the landlord must still meet local building, housing and health codes, and the tenant must keep the unit clean and sanitary.

Florida pest control responsibility at a glance

Rental type	Default rule	Can the lease change it?
Apartment, condo unit or other multi-unit rental	Landlord makes reasonable provisions for extermination of rats, mice, roaches, ants, wood-destroying organisms and bed bugs	Yes, if agreed in writing
Single-family home or duplex	The extermination rule in 83.51(2) does not apply; the lease sets who handles pests	Yes, the lease controls
Any rental	Landlord must comply with building, housing and health codes; tenant must keep the unit clean and sanitary	No, these duties stay in place

What the law requires for apartments and condos

Under F.S. 83.51(2)(a), unless otherwise agreed in writing, the landlord of a dwelling unit other than a single-family home or duplex must make reasonable provisions for the extermination of:

• Rats and mice
• Roaches
• Ants
• Wood-destroying organisms, such as termites
• Bed bugs

“Reasonable provisions” means you need a working plan, such as a pest control contract or prompt service when a tenant reports a problem. The statute does not require monthly spraying or set a response deadline, but slow responses are what turn small problems into disputes.

The 2025 rule change: when tenants have to leave for treatment

Some treatments, such as tenting for termites or certain bed bug treatments, require the tenant to move out for a few days. Florida updated the statute in 2025 with clear rules for this:

• 7 days’ written notice. The landlord must give the tenant 7 days’ written notice if the tenant has to temporarily vacate for extermination. Notice can be delivered in person, by mail, or by email in accordance with F.S. 83.505.
• 4-day limit. The tenant is only required to vacate for up to 4 days.
• Rent abatement. The landlord is not liable for damages for the time the tenant is out, but must reduce the rent for that period.

These rules sit inside the multi-unit section of the statute. For single-family homes and duplexes, following the same 7-day notice and rent reduction is still the safest practice, and your lease should spell it out.

Single-family homes and duplexes

If you rent out a house or a duplex, the extermination rule above does not apply by default. That means your lease is what decides who calls the exterminator and who pays. Many Florida single-family leases make the tenant responsible for routine pest control during the tenancy, while the owner keeps responsibility for termites and other wood-destroying organisms, since those threaten the structure.

Even with a tenant-pays clause, the owner is not off the hook entirely. Under F.S. 83.51(1), the landlord must comply with applicable building, housing and health codes, and where there are none, keep the roof, walls, floors, foundation and other structural parts in good repair. A severe infestation or termite damage can cross into that territory.

What tenants are responsible for

Florida law also puts duties on the tenant. Under F.S. 83.52, the tenant must keep the part of the premises they occupy clean and sanitary, remove garbage in a clean and sanitary manner, and keep plumbing fixtures clean. And under F.S. 83.51(4), the landlord is not responsible for conditions caused by the negligent or wrongful act of the tenant, the tenant’s family, or their guests.

In practice, that means an infestation caused by poor housekeeping, piled up garbage, or a guest who brought in bed bugs can be the tenant’s responsibility. The hard part is proof, which is why documentation matters.

Bed bugs: the hardest case

Bed bugs are expensive to treat and hard to trace. In a multi-unit building they can travel between units, and they often arrive in luggage or used furniture. To protect yourself as an owner:

• Inspect and photograph the unit before move-in, including mattress areas, baseboards and furniture if furnished. Our move-in and move-out inspection checklist covers what to document.
• Add a bed bug clause to the lease that requires the tenant to report signs right away and cooperate with treatment.
• Treat fast. Waiting usually spreads the problem to more rooms or neighboring units.
• Have a licensed pest control company inspect and write a report. That report is your best evidence if you later need to show the tenant caused the problem.

What if the landlord does not act?

Florida treats the extermination rule differently from the core repair duties. F.S. 83.51(2)(c) says a tenant cannot raise the landlord’s failure to meet the 83.51(2) duties as a defense to an eviction. The rent withholding process in Florida is tied to the landlord’s duties under 83.51(1), such as complying with housing and health codes. So a routine ant problem generally does not give a tenant the right to stop paying rent, but an infestation bad enough to violate a local health or housing code can. Our guide on whether a tenant can withhold rent in Florida explains that process.

A pest control checklist for Florida owners

• Put it in writing. Say who handles routine pest control, who handles termites, and how bed bugs are handled. Our Florida lease agreement guide covers the key clauses.
• Keep termite coverage. Termites damage the structure, and that cost lands on the owner.
• Set up routine service. Regular exterior treatment is common in South Florida because of heat, humidity and rain.
• Respond quickly to reports. Log the date of every report and every treatment.
• Give proper notice. Use 7 days’ written notice for any treatment that requires the tenant to leave, and give reasonable notice before entering for routine service. See when a landlord can enter a rental in Florida.
• Document move-in and move-out. Photos are what let you charge a tenant for an infestation they caused.

Frequently asked questions

Who pays for pest control in a Florida rental?

For apartments, condos and other units that are not a single-family home or duplex, the landlord must make reasonable provisions for extermination of rats, mice, roaches, ants, wood-destroying organisms and bed bugs, unless the lease says otherwise in writing (F.S. 83.51(2)(a)). For single-family homes and duplexes, that rule does not apply, so the lease usually decides.

Is a Florida landlord responsible for bed bugs?

In units other than single-family homes and duplexes, yes. Bed bugs are on the list of pests the landlord must make reasonable provisions to exterminate, unless the lease shifts that duty in writing. The landlord is not responsible for conditions the tenant or the tenant’s guests caused through negligence (F.S. 83.51(4)).

How much notice does a landlord need to give for extermination in Florida?

If the tenant has to leave the unit for extermination, the landlord must give 7 days’ written notice, in person, by mail, or by email under F.S. 83.505. The tenant does not have to stay out more than 4 days, and the landlord must reduce the rent for that time.

Can a tenant withhold rent because of roaches or ants?

Generally not under the pest control rule itself. Florida law says a tenant cannot use the landlord’s failure to meet F.S. 83.51(2) as a defense to an eviction. The rent withholding process applies to the landlord’s duties under F.S. 83.51(1), such as complying with housing and health codes, so a severe infestation that breaks a local code can be a different story.

Does a single-family home landlord have to pay for termites?

Florida’s statute does not require it for single-family homes and duplexes, but the landlord still has to comply with building, housing and health codes and keep the structure in good repair (F.S. 83.51(1)). Termite damage to the structure is usually the owner’s problem, so most owners keep termite coverage in place no matter what the lease says.

This article is general information for Florida rental owners and is not legal advice. Local codes and your lease terms can change the answer, so consult a qualified Florida attorney about your specific situation.

More Florida Landlord Guides

• Florida AC rules for rental owners
• Can a tenant withhold rent in Florida?
• Florida move-in and move-out inspection checklist
• When a landlord can enter a rental in Florida
• Florida security deposit law: return deadlines and deductions
• What should be in a Florida lease agreement
• The Florida landlord-tenant law cheat sheet
• The Florida eviction process for landlords

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