Yes, either can, and the type of pest often points to the answer. Mice and rats usually trace back to the building, so landlords tend to carry them, whilst bed bugs and food flies usually trace back to belongings and habits, so tenants often carry those.

That split is a starting point, not a rule. This guide covers private rentals in England and rests on one question: what let the pests in, or what fed them?

Mice and rats: look at the walls first

Mice can squeeze through a gap about the width of a pencil. Cracked brickwork, missing air brick covers, gaps round pipes and broken drain covers are repairs, and repairs belong to the landlord. So does the treatment bill, which usually runs from £70 to £250 over two or three visits. A rented home must be fit to live in, and rodents count as a hazard your council can act on.

Tenants pay when rubbish, uncovered food or hoarded clutter clearly drew the animals in. Photos taken at move-in settle most arguments, so keep yours.

Bed bugs and fleas: hardest to pin down

Bed bugs travel in luggage, second-hand furniture and clothes, and they can survive for months without feeding. An empty flat can therefore carry them. Bites in the first few weeks of a tenancy point to a problem that was already there. Bites months later point to something carried in. Treatment typically costs £200 to £600, with a follow-up visit about two weeks later.

Fleas usually follow pets. If you keep a cat or dog, expect to pay for treating the animal and the home, unless a previous occupant’s pets left the infestation behind.

Flies, maggots and ants: the bins decide

Maggots and flies mean food waste is sitting somewhere warm, and that points to how rubbish is handled. The tenant pays, unless the landlord supplied too few bins or the bin store is broken.

Ants follow crumbs but enter through cracks, so the blame can be shared. Ask the technician where the trail starts.

Flats, shared walls and wasp nests

In a block, the freeholder or managing agent looks after stairwells, bin stores and roof spaces. Your landlord should chase them rather than send you away. Mice also travel through shared walls, so treating one flat rarely works without the neighbours.

A wasp nest in a roof or soffit belongs to whoever owns the structure. Treatment usually costs £50 to £100.

What each side owes, whatever the cause

Landlords should book the technician quickly and argue about blame afterwards. Ask for a written report that names the entry points, because it is the best evidence if the council gets involved.

Tenants should report the problem in writing, let the technician in and follow their preparation advice. For bed bugs, that means washing bedding at 60°C and bagging clutter near the bed. Landlords must give at least 24 hours’ written notice before a visit. Do not withhold rent, and do not spray the place yourself first, because DIY products can scatter bed bugs into other rooms.

Questions tenants ask

Can my landlord bill me for treatment?

Only where you caused the problem. Ask to see the technician’s report. If the landlord takes the money from your deposit, dispute it through the deposit protection scheme.

Can I claim back a firm I booked myself?

Rarely, unless the landlord agreed beforehand. Ask first in writing and keep the invoice.

What if my landlord ignores me?

Write again after a week, then contact your council’s environmental health team. It can inspect the home and order repairs.

Do councils treat pests for free?

Some charge a fixed fee and some have stopped the service. Check your council’s website.

The deciding question

Landlords or tenants can be responsible for pest control, and the answer follows the cause. Ask what let the pests in or what fed them, photograph everything on day one and put every request in writing. A dated record settles most disputes before they reach the council.