State Specific Question About: VIRGINIA (VA)

This is a SFH with a yard. Tenant found a tick on her one day and emailed me: "We had the lawn sprayed by Mosquito Squad, which is good for one month. The guy said that our yard is the ideal habitat for ticks - lots of wet shady spots. He said that according to the Virginia Department of Health, if we were to get Lyme Disease, the landlord would be liable."

Good lord. How can they prove they obtained lime disease from a tick in YOUR yard? Are they under house arrest? Sounds like they need a new place to live.

Oh good lord people are just crazy. No you are not responsible for eradicating all outdoor wildlife! Ticks are everywhere.

Either the pest control guy is misinformed or lying, or the tenant is misunderstood him, or the tenant is lying.

The mosquito squad guy is either nuts, lying...or your tenants are.

Are you also supposed to be out there swatting for mosquitoes every night? How about hopping around the back yard after all those deadly butterflies?

Ticks are only a problem in VA if they infest the house and that is usually an unauthorized pet issue.

If the tenant is responsible for yard maintenance, I would advise them to keep the grass mowed and edges trimmed on a regular basis so the grass dries. Also raking leaves in the fall so that it doesn't build up habitat for creepy crawlies (mostly fleas in September/October).

I would actually get someone out there to do a little spraying and brush removal rather than deal with these people over a long period. A show of good faith will keep them off your back and you will have a receipt to show someone if there is a pesky lawsuit.

You can deduct the cost from your taxes anyway. Then I would give them a can of yard spray and say bye bye for the summer. Tell them where your bought it and suggest they buy some. Plus people in tick areas should wear more clothing and use a spray on their body. It's an Act of God, and really not your problem.

Had this problem with one of our SFH and no animals have have been in the property. but if your neighbors have animals such as dogs, etc. We found out the Neightbor that lives in back of it , had over ten dogs and the Neightbors that lived next door had dogs, so their yards were infested with fleas and ticks. They ended up having to treat their yards to cure the problem.

The ticks that carry Lyme are about the size of a pepper speck,..Yeah Lyme can be very serious but deer ticks are very common in many places. Look up maps of prevalence. VERY common here. Most people never see these ticks and only half the people infected get that bullseye rash that some Dr's think you have to have. Wood ticks are much more visible. They do not carry nearly as many diseases as deer ticks.

Dear Tenny,

You live in a property that has typical landscaping for the area. Ticks. spiders, snakes and other vermin are a fact of life. It is your responsibilty to exercise caution when in the outdoors.

Suggest you don't let dog in areas known to have ticks, and that dog remain indoors at all times to avoid contamination off the property.

Since you are so concerned we feel you might be happier in another location. We will be happy to let you out of your lease in the next 30 days, and please understand we will not be able to renew your lease when it expires.

Thank you for letting us know of your concerns of disease in the big wide world. ;-)

No - don't send that, they'd probably sue you.

Hong,

A call to your Health Inspector will clarify the law about required treatments.

I wonder if the bug guy really told that to the res.

Remember, tenants lie.

Dear tenant,

All of us face our disease laden bloodsucking vermin. Unfortunately we get more than our share here in Virginia from the neighboring district. Recognizing the threat is a great first step. While some vermin are easily taken care of with sprays available at the local hardware store, others have gained a stronger foothold and have continued to thrive under federal protection. We strongly recommend you take action against both as our collective health is at risk.