What A Renter Should Do If They Find Bed Bugs

One of the benefits of renting a home is that you do not have to worry about hefty bills from repair and maintenance. Things such as the roof, air conditioner, or garage door are the responsibility of the homeowner or property management. As a renter you might be liable for the cost of landscape or pool maintenance. As a renter you may also be responsible for the cost of pest control, including bed bugs.

Your lease agreement will indicate what you as the lessee (tenant) are responsible for. Most modern lease agreements will include a section about pest control and will describe who will be responsible for the cost of pest control services. The lease will also describe what procedures a lessee must follow when specific pest control services are required.

Some leases will state that the tenant must hire a pest control company on their own if they ever need the service. Most often, however, the lease will state that you must use the pest control company that is designated by the property management company. The property management will likely choose the company that gives them the best deal, not the best service.

Each state has different laws regarding who will be responsible for the cost of bed bug treatment in owner/lessee relationships. The lease agreement you signed should follow your state’s laws and will explain who will pay for bed bug treatment.

In some states, the law will say that the property management must pay for bed bug treatment regardless of who is at fault. In other states, the property management decides who will be responsible for the treatment according to their lease agreement.

Many leases will indicate that the property management will charge the lessee for the pest control services. The charges may be an ongoing cost that is included in your monthly invoice. Other times pest control is only charged on an as-needed basis. You only pay when you use the service.

If your lease mentions bed bugs, it will likely include a separate bed bug addendum. This bed bug addendum will describe the procedures that a lessee must follow if they find bed bugs. There may be timelines listed in the addendum so pay close attention.

The bed bug addendum may say that if a lessee finds bed bugs within 30 days of move in then they must notify the lessor (property management) in writing. You must comply with these rules if you want the property management to cover the cost of the treatment. Why 30 days? Because the bed bugs may be in the property from the previous tenant. If you don’t notify them within 30 days then the property management assumes that you brought them in.

Just like the provisions regarding pest control, the leesee may (or may not) be required to use a company designated by the lessor.

Yes. If you are leasing (or renting) then you do not own the property. You cannot just call a pest control company to come and provide services without notifying the property management. In most states (if not all) a pest control company must provide documentation of any pest control work performed, including pesticide applied, to the owner or management and the tenant of the property.

If you find bed bugs in your rental home the first thing you should do is review the lease agreement that you signed. Read the section in the lease about pest control and what you should do if you need service. If your lease agreement includes a bed bug addendum, then read it entirely. After careful review of your lease agreement, follow the instructions therein. The lease or addendum may indicate that you must notify management within a certain number of days.

You may or may not be able to choose your own company to provide the bed bug treatment. Refer to your lease agreement about the steps you should take if you find bed bugs. The property management may require you to use their vendor, or they may allow you to use a vendor of your choosing.

We hear this a lot unfortunately. The tenant followed all of the proper steps when they found bed bugs according to their lease. They notified property management timely, they scheduled service with the vendor, they prepared their home prior to treatment, maybe multiple times, and the treatment is not working. There are still bed bugs, and they’re worse than ever.

In this situation the property management should allow the tenant to hire a vendor of their choice, pending verification of license and insurance. A tenant should be able to choose the bed bug exterminator, especially if the tenant is paying for the service. The tenant, however must still obtain permission from property management prior to taking this action.