What sits next to Randwick
Centennial Parklands
Greater Sydney Parklands says grey-headed flying foxes hang from the trees in Lachlan Swamp, and 130 bird species live across the Parklands. In NSW all native birds and mammals are protected, so these are neighbours, never pest jobs.
Possums
Possums live in Centennial Park too, and they don't stop at the fence. If one's in your roof, the job is proofing, plus catch and release by someone licensed if it can't be left to leave.
Funnel-webs
The Australian Museum's main range for the Sydney funnel-web runs from the Central Coast south to the Georges River, which takes in Randwick. Any big black spider bite is a 000 call.
Renting here? Who deals with what
Check when it started
NSW landlords are generally responsible for pests at the start of a tenancy, as part of handing over a reasonably clean property that's fit to live in.
Look at how they got in
Tenants are generally responsible for pests that turn up later because of their own activities, such as rubbish drawing cockroaches, ants or mice. NSW advice is that a tenant may not be responsible if pests came in another way, such as through a hole in the wall.
Put it in writing
Tell the agent or landlord what you've seen, when, and where, with photos. It keeps the conversation about facts.
If you can't agree
NSW Fair Trading runs a dispute resolution service for exactly this.
Fumigation at the end of a lease
Only do it if your lease or pet agreement requires it. In NSW, a term making a tenant fumigate is banned unless the landlord agreed to an indoor mammal pet, and where that condition was agreed it applies whether or not there's an infestation. Our Sydney end of lease page goes through it.
What we'd do about pests in Randwick
Whether you rent or own, get the pest identified first, because that decides who's responsible as much as who does the work. A photo of the droppings or the insect is enough to start. Tell us what you've found, with your postcode.
Want someone to look at it?
Tell us what you've seen and your postcode, and a local pest business that handles exactly that calls you to talk it through.
