How to deal with recurring bed bug complaint from tenant

Question

I have one tenant keep reporting bed bugs, approximately every 2 months.

The first time, we sent pest control company, the company found there are few bed bugs in the sofa and did the spray. She visited the other apt in the same complex, and claimed that she saw bed bugs there too, however the inspector didn't find any.

The second time, she reported that she found another bed bug, pest control company went over, she didn't prepare, so we left like that.

2 months later, she reported that she found another bed bug, this time she prepared, pest control company only find 1 dead bed bug, but did the spray anyways. She claimed that she threw out a chesterfield that has lots of bed bugs before the pest control company went in and did the treatment.

Now almost 1 and half month later, she said she found another bed bug and asked for new pest control company.

What will you do if you are in this situation? Thank you!

David S. · Answer

Bed bugs or fleas? That should be verified.Treating bed bugs requires the proper treatment and help from the tenant. If the tenant won't properly prepare the unit by removing everything from the walls by at least 2 feet and won't wash all clothes and bedding in hot water for EVERY treatment, then you may never get rid of them. Further, if it is a severe infestation, it is likely the mattresses or couches will have to be thrown out. If severe enough and if you have carpet, that may have to come up. Also, a SINGLE spraying is not a proper treatment. My pest control company sprays 4 times over a 4 to 6 week period. Pest companies won't give a guarantee of being pest free for bed bugs because they are so hard to get rid of, so a 2nd "round" of 4 sprays may be needed. It is a very expensive add on service. It is much easier to get rid of them in a vacant unit.The fact that she is visiting other units is disturbing. She may bring them there if they hitchhike a ride.Also, how did the bed bugs get there? I have found that tenants are 100% responsible for infestations because they bring them with their clothes or furniture. They also buy 2nd hand mattresses and couches that may be full of them.

Everett Fujii · Answer

Given the history I would say this.I will send a company out there. Provided we are able to give you 24 hours notice to enter the unit if the company is either unable to inspect because you didn't prepare, or does not find an active infestation of bed bugs then any and all service/trip charges will be billed to you.

Michael Gansberg · Answer

I'm not sure what the rules are in Ontario, but if she's been infected multiple times, odds are that she's the problem. Why would you be responsible for it? Tell her to call an exterminator and to leave you alone. You might also tell her that no tenant prior to her(if this is true, of course) has had any issues in this building/apartment.Some states/municipalities require landlords to exterminate certain pests, in my primary area- bedbugs are in sort of a gray area. When they first became big in the news, the local code dept cited landlords and required the building owner to deal with it. Later, the code dept became so inundated with calls from tenants that they realized it wasn't tenable to keep citing landlords(who were not causing the problems.) So code then told tenants, "You caused the problem, you fix it!"The caveat? If the bedbugs are present in more than one unit in the building, then it definitely becomes the landlord's problem. I've had tenants tell other tenants to lie to me(my management) and tell me that they also have bedbug problems to get a freebie extermination. This goes very poorly for them. My residents know me(through management) to be very fair, but I'm a human lie detector! I guess that's what a few decades in Manhattan does to people.

Chuy Gonzalez · Answer

Spraying for bedbugs is ineffective. If even just one escapes the spraying, you are screwed. You have to heat the apartment up to a certain temp to kill all of them.

Marian Smith · Answer

Sorry, I didn't mean to make suggestions for a Canadian. (Month to month in the US means the contract ends and renews each month so it can be ended with adequate notice. And most of the US has no rent control.) So I have no suggestion for you as I am not at all familiar with your situation. Good luck.

Minna Hu · Answer

Greg H. · Answer

Texas has no restrictions or rent controls. If the tenant is month to month, the landlord can raise the rent as much as they want to with 30 days notice. Of course the tenant does not have to accept and may terminate the lease with 30 days notice

Minna Hu · Answer

Marian Smith · Answer

If tenant is month to month you also have the option if raising rent, perhaps in the amount of a bed bug treatment. Then set up a monthly treatment for, say, six months. Then maybe go to bi monthly, then semi-annual, etc.

Shaun Patterson · Answer

It sounds like a headache tenant. If none of the other units have bedbugs but everyone that the tenant gets into some are found would would point to her. Ether she stops complining about these things that look like are caused by her or you think about getting a new tenant. She pays on time but you need to get her on the right track.