What are Bed Bugs?
Bed Bugs, Property Management, & Landlord Liability
Most of us listened to the nursery rhyme warning, "Don't let the bed bugs bite," but grew up without even recognizing what this mythical bed bug was. The fact is that, bed bugs are making a rampant return, and therefore are appearing to be a large annoyance in many urban areas.
Bed bugs tend to be red brown in color, present an oblong structure, and are also about a 1 / 4 inch in length. They love to exist within just 5 feet of their host, which means beds and clutter about the bed are the most likely place for them to gather and breed. Though they do not breed nearly as quickly as some other unwanted organisms, they can indeed be exceptionally resilient, combating both chemical remedies and hunger (they could live up to 18 months with no feeding).
One of the handful of consolations is the fact that bed bugs do not carry just about any known pathogens or medical conditions. In spite of this, they will cost land lords and property management companies in lost rent payments, battered reputations, and law suits, despite the fact that it is usually the actual renters who carry the bed bugs in apartments and rental dwellings.
As a property manager or property management firm, you may desire a detailed bed bug guidelines to circumvent infestations, eradicate colonies should they come up, and stop litigation and other dangers brought on by bed bugs.
Step 1: Prior to signing a Lease Agreement with New Tenants
When your rental unit is empty, have it examined and listed bed bug-free by a qualified pest control management business. Train your staff to recognize bed bugs and clues of their infestation, so that you are in a better position to trap an infestation at the beginning, when it is nevertheless relatively easy to treat.
Step two: The Rental Agreement Itself
Where appropriate, your lease agreement will need to contain verbiage that makes it obvious that the tenant is responsible for paying all pest control companies necessary, which includes bed bugs treatment. It should also require renters to record all infestations sightings, including bed bugs, to the landlord or property management company immediately. It is a good idea that the rental agreement require synthetic encasements surrounding the tenants' mattress and box spring, to prevent bed bugs from making a home there, and make sure you restrict renters from having furniture from dumpsters or other unknown places. There are a few states in which the landlord or property management firm are immediately accountable for bed bug care and problems, such as New Jersey, Maine, and Massachusetts, so be sure your lease agreement is state-specific and is in accordance with all state laws and regulations concerning bed bugs and pest control.
Step 3: Add a Bed Bug Lease Addendum
Renters ought to be given, upon signing the rental contract, a copy of the bed bug certification, and should sign an addendum acknowledging both receipt of the certification and that the rental unit was bed bug-free upon move-in. Identify that the renter is contractually obliged to allow access to pest management exterminators to treat a bed bug infestation if this comes up, and to cooperate thoroughly in eradicating any bed bug contaminations. In addition, indicate that failure to tell of bed bugs or to cooperate in their treatment solutions are a breach of the lease contract, and is cause for lease termination.
Step 4: Include Bed Bug Information and facts Together with your Lease Agreement
Teach tenants about what bed bugs look like, how to identify signs of their presence, where they prefer to reside, preventing their entry to the rental unit, and that decreasing debris in the residence reduces the number of places they can live. It's also worth mentioning that often tenant furniture must be burned or otherwise destroyed once an infestation occurs, an outcome that most tenants will go to lengths to avoid.
Step five: Bed Bug Treatment
To begin with, the earlier you treat a bed bug infestation, the simpler it is to contain and eliminate. Contact your bug elimination business right away upon proof of an infestation. Next, inform tenants to not move any of their own household furniture or belongings before the bug control exterminators show up, relocating belongings can pass on the infestation.
The items which can be laundered, such as bed linens, blankets, couch covers, and garments, really should be cleaned in the hottest possible water, with soap, and dried out with high heat. Home furniture ought to be destroyed, depending on the suggestion of the pest control company.
The pest control company provides a variety of treatments available at their disposal, including the utilization of vapor, intense heat or cold, chemical carpeting treatments, and fumigation. These treatments should only be performed by a licensed professional.
Liability
The legal liability for bed bugs is mostly legislated on the state and local levels, so it is vital to discover the laws in your area. That said, landlords and property management companies can minimize the risk of bed bugs, and their legal liability, by following the guidelines above, and therefore building a document trail of their diligence. A proper lease contract that outlines the tenant's responsibilities is incredibly valuable, and can prevent many disputes before they devolve into litigation. By adhering to the guidelines above, you can document your diligence, and can both prevent bed bug infestations before they happen, and catch infestations early before they become an expensive problem.
The most important thing that you, as a landlord or property manager, can do is to be proactive in preventing bed bug infestations and litigation. Establish a relationship with a local pest control company, have your vacant rental units certified, establish a bed bug policy that includes your lease agreement and addendums and/or disclosures, and act as quickly as possible when treating bed bugs, and you will avoid the worst of the bed bug-related headaches.
What are Bed Bugs?
By: Stirling Gardner
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