Pest control – more accurately referred to as ‘pest management’ – is the process of preventing insects, arachnids, rodents and other pests from infesting human habitats. Normally, pest management takes places in and around buildings like homes and offices.

Different phases of pest management include:

• Prevention (stopping pests from entering buildings)
• Detection (having systems in place to detect or kill pests when they do enter buildings)
• Treatment (exterminating pests that are currently infesting a given location)

At Arena Pest Management, we use modern technology and a range of low-impact physical and chemical solutions to prevent and kill pests.  Our approach is focused on early detection and prevention – we want to minimise the risk to you, the property owner, by stopping pests before they have the chance to do any damage.    

The cost of pest control varies hugely depending on the type of pest being managed and the phase of pest management being implemented.  For example, an annual termite check costs between $200 and $300 on the Gold Coast; treating a live termite infestation normally costs a few thousand dollars to destroy.

To get an idea of approximate pricing for a specific pest control service, get quotes from a few different providers.  We offer free quotes on all of our pest control services. 

Although there are dozens of different pest control methods available for different pests, they can be broadly grouped into four different categories:

• Environmental
• Biological
• Physical
• Chemical

Environmental pest control methods involve making the building environment less desirable for pests.  This can range from basic hygiene like cleaning up food scraps to removing old piles of wood around the outside of the building.

Biological methods are normally used by farmers and gardeners to protect plants in a safe, natural way.  They can involve encouraging or introducing predators that target pests, or stimulating the growth of microorganisms that deter pests.

Physical methods are exactly what they sound like: physically destroying the pests with traps or manual extermination methods.  This can range from nest destruction and heat treatment of contaminated objects to poison and traps.

Chemical methods are the most expensive type of pest control method, and are also often the most effective.  They include sprays, chemical barriers, fogging, and fumigation.     

On the Gold Coast, the best time of year for pest control is normally August to December.  Although our winters are relatively mild, pests such as spiders, ants, termites, and cockroaches are normally less active over the colder months, making spring the perfect time to pre-empt summer infestations.

According to the RTA Queensland:

“If the property was free of pests at the start of the tenancy the tenant must ensure the property meets that same standard at the end of the tenancy.

However, the property manager/owner cannot require the tenant to:

• leave the property in a better condition than it was in at the start of the tenancy (e.g. require pest control when the property had pests when they moved in, or require professional pest control if this was not done at the start)
• use a specific pest control service
• pay a set fee for a pest control service
• use a particular pest control product

These are offences under the Act.”

Although this is a good rule of thumb, there may also be specific clauses in your tenancy agreement that clarify whose responsibility pest management is.

If you’re having a dispute with your landlord over pest control, we recommend using the Residential Tenancy Authority’s dispute resolution service.

The time it takes for a pest control treatment to work really depends on the type of treatment and the type of pest.  For example, most sprays and chemical-based treatments will begin to kill insects and spiders within 48 hours, but it may take much longer to fully exterminate a large infestation. 

According to Food Standards ANZ, “your business must do everything it reasonably can to prevent pest problems.

This means:

• pests are stopped from entering or living in your food premises
• pests are eradicated from your premises and vehicles used to transport food.”

They recommend the following factors be considered in your pest management plan:

• The type of pests that need to be managed
• Which areas of the workplace are most prone to pests (dark places with food and water, like inside walls cavities, under fridges, inside coffee machines, and in packaging).
• The type of pest management method, including its suitability for use in food premises
• The placement of pest management devices (traps and baits should aim to prevent pests from coming into contact with food and food surfaces)
• The frequency of pest inspections and treatments
• Keeping records of pest management operations