Pest control

Pest control is the prevention, monitoring, and treatment of pests such as insects, rodents, birds, bed bugs, termites, and other infestations in apartment communities. In multifamily housing, it often works best as integrated pest management (IPM): a coordinated approach that combines prevention, resident reporting, staff documentation, and targeted treatment. It involves residents, maintenance teams, property managers, and pest management professionals working together.

A resident reports roaches in a unit. The maintenance team creates a work order, documents the pest type and location, checks nearby units or shared-wall areas if needed, schedules treatment, and sends the resident follow-up instructions about access, sanitation, and next steps.

Pest issues can spread quickly in multifamily buildings because units share walls, floors, and common areas. Clear pest control protocols help teams respond consistently, document incidents, coordinate vendors or specialists, and protect resident satisfaction. Operations leaders also need visibility into repeat issues so they can address root causes instead of only treating one unit at a time.