Can your rental company just come in with less than 24 hour's notice, and write themselves a blank check to look through all your cabinets, bedding, etc., on the pretense of looking for rodents or pests? And then say they may spray for treatment right then if they feel it is necessary?

I think you have a tenant right to post “Entry Denied” on your door.

In most states, you have 72 hours to answer a landlord’s request for entry. You certainly have the right to decline access without adequate notice.

I would say tell them they can’t spray with the cats in the house, but I don’t know if I would trust them at all. I’d say tell them hold off until another day. Explain your circumstances.

Your cats will get sick if they spray while the cats are in the house.

I did leave a sign on the door, letting them know I have two cats, and asking them not to spray until they have talked to me personally, as I have allergies too. Whether they will abide by that is anyone’s guess.

@yankeetooter: You’re taking a chance – if they do it regardless of your wishes, what’s going to happen with the cats?

What do you mean @jca?

You wrote that you asked them not to spray, and “whether they will abide by that is anyone’s guess.” You seem like you think they might spray anyway, and I feel the same. So if they spray against your wishes with the cats in the house, the cats are going to get sick.

So I’m screwed…

According to most Tenant’s Rights in every state: You can post “Do Not Enter” on your door. You don’t have to explain why. Put down rolled, damp towels on your doorways and window sills. You pay rent, you have the right to decline services.

Why rolled, damp towels, @Blueroses ?

If they are spraying pesticides around your apt, you have some block.

If you can contain your cats into one interior room, open an outside window and block interior intake, you will be fine. If the landlord insists on spraying your apt, you get notice to move your pets out.

It really depends on the state you live in. In California, 24 hour notice is required. In reality, people call us all the time and say, “this time doesn’t work for me” and we try to accomidate them. They don’t have to accomidate you, but you ARE their customer and they have an interest in keeping you happy. Turning over an apartment is expensive.

I would say read your contract. They may have specific rights per the contract.

You have to check the law in your state. Law actually trump contracts, but if you live in an apartment complex the contract probably is in line with the law and you can look at that too. My apartment complex gave us way more than 24 hours notice about things like this. They never entered for pest control unless we asked them to. Once a year they checked our fire distinguishers and we had over a week notice about that.

I would say don’t count on pesticide people knowing or abiding by the law. They probably don’t work for your apartment complex, they are just hired by the complex. What if the guy spraying doesn’t read English, and the note is jibberish to him? You have to count on him getting the guy who reads English. Even if the guy is born and raised in America, and got an A+ in English how many times have you seen someone pushing on a door when it says pull? Put some blue painters tape over your lock to make them think twice before entering, and post the notice.

Talk to management directly if you can and find out what the pest control people are instructed.

My lease here at work says the landlord will give me “reasonable notice” prior to an inspection or other need for entry to this building. I would call your landlord and not rely sticky notes on your door as a means for getting this squared away to your satisfaction.

Yes, @JLeslie is right on. If the contract violates the law, then the contract may be declared illegal, void and unenforceable. If you have a huge problem with what the rental company wants to do, and you are serious about it, you need to check the state law.