Comments on: landlord’s duty to tell prospective tenants about bed bugs? http://bedbugger.com/2007/05/07/landlords-duty-to-tell-prospective-tenants-about-bed-bugs/ bed bug news, information, activism, and support Sat, 17 May 2008 08:29:27 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: caroline gentry http://bedbugger.com/2007/05/07/landlords-duty-to-tell-prospective-tenants-about-bed-bugs/#comment-6547 caroline gentry Wed, 24 Oct 2007 16:44:36 +0000 http://bedbugger.com/2007/05/07/landlords-duty-to-tell-prospective-tenants-about-bed-bugs/#comment-6547 I have a question. We are renting a single family home, had an outbreak of bedbugs, began treating just after labor day weekend. Have been through 2 different companies, much more successful with the second. Notified the owner when we were going to go with the second company due to costs and methods which a landlord would need to be in the loop on. She would not help with the cost of treatment, and we have a son highly allergic to the bites, so we had to go ahead and pay the second company as well. Owner claims we brought them in, in fact suggested damages upon our leaving. I have filed a claim in district court (MD) upon advice of attorny generals office - saying let a judge decide. Don't have a court date yet, but need to know what I am up against regarding this not being a multi unit rental I have a question. We are renting a single family home, had an outbreak of bedbugs, began treating just after labor day weekend. Have been through 2 different companies, much more successful with the second. Notified the owner when we were going to go with the second company due to costs and methods which a landlord would need to be in the loop on. She would not help with the cost of treatment, and we have a son highly allergic to the bites, so we had to go ahead and pay the second company as well.
Owner claims we brought them in, in fact suggested damages upon our leaving. I have filed a claim in district court (MD) upon advice of attorny generals office - saying let a judge decide. Don’t have a court date yet, but need to know what I am up against regarding this not being a multi unit rental

]]> By: nyjammin http://bedbugger.com/2007/05/07/landlords-duty-to-tell-prospective-tenants-about-bed-bugs/#comment-6371 nyjammin Thu, 11 Oct 2007 16:37:21 +0000 http://bedbugger.com/2007/05/07/landlords-duty-to-tell-prospective-tenants-about-bed-bugs/#comment-6371 So sorry for your troubles. Thanx for sharing your story. Is it possible to get in touch w/the woman who was a tenant before and you 2 could go to court together? This woman could verify that the problem was there before you even stepped foot in that place. The landlord telling everyone about your bugs and that you brought them in is called "slander" and that is against the law. Maybe you can sue him for slander as well. Just a couple of suggestions. So sorry for your troubles. Thanx for sharing your story. Is it possible to get in touch w/the woman who was a tenant before and you 2 could go to court together? This woman could verify that the problem was there before you even stepped foot in that place. The landlord telling everyone about your bugs and that you brought them in is called “slander” and that is against the law. Maybe you can sue him for slander as well.

Just a couple of suggestions.

]]> By: betimeryhmecometolifeinstlouis http://bedbugger.com/2007/05/07/landlords-duty-to-tell-prospective-tenants-about-bed-bugs/#comment-6369 betimeryhmecometolifeinstlouis Thu, 11 Oct 2007 15:20:51 +0000 http://bedbugger.com/2007/05/07/landlords-duty-to-tell-prospective-tenants-about-bed-bugs/#comment-6369 Hello everyone, I just stumbled across this site. For many months I have been looking for advise and help on what to do with a case of BED BUGS and the landlord is calling them "Fleas" because you want them to get rid of the bugs. I have ran into Who Knows Who. When I made phone calls I got no response out of people like the Inspectors & Attorney's instead the landlord made up some bull crap to the inspector MONTHS after I called and they finally show up and tell me there is no evidence to proove what the landlord said but if this place is infested with bed bugs you have to move out in SEVEN days. I was already in the process of it at this point but I had rented a retail store and an apartment, I had to go through everything I owned and throw most of it away everythng I wanted to save I treated with a spray I bout at the Pharmacy then wraped it in plastic and it worked I hope it has only been a month and we haven't really unwraped anything we mostly saved personal items that can't be replaced and the rest went in the trash. My family thought we walked into a dream, I was in the middle of a divorce and I found an apartment and a store front down stairs. It ended up being our worst nightmare I lost my job, my investment, my belongings, Stress is unbelievable my family has been seperated, my grandchildren had to stop coming to grandma's house while mommy or daddy was at work, one of them is now afraid to go to sleep at night one is afraid to stay at grandma's house now.Some of us have scars from head to toe. These people are still running a business in this building I know for a fact it is in three parts of the building. I don't know how long the problem has been there but I do know it has been more than two years. I had a woman reach me that said she lived there prior to my moving in and she lost everything because of the bugs and the landlord would not do anything about it, she wished she would have been able to do something about it but now I can't find her but I did find the sister. I am going forward with court proceedings without an attorney trust me we are scared but we are going to do what we can to get someone to take care of this problem. I did not want to go public with this problem because I have teenagers and we are getting embarrassed by those that already know about the problem because now the landlord is going around telling people we brought these bugs. I have alot of support from friends and family along with past landlords saying this is a new problem in my life and I had way too many nice things to want to be loosing due to a bug. Pictures will tell all in the court room I hope. I would not wish this problem on anybody and the only quick fix is to send everything to the dump. I could not take the problem with to the new place and I wanted out of that nightmare and then I was given a dead line so we lost thousands in furniture etc. I wish all of those that are battling this problem lots of luck it's a rough one. I hope the Judge makes him shut the building down and treat it the right way. You can't get anything done if you don't try and you will only know if it makes a difference if you try, that saying is what is getting me through this I'm not one for sueing but this uis something to far gone to let them get away with this effected everyone in my family and friends. This falls in a case of Breech of Implied Warranty of Habitability the hardest part is prooving if they were there and the landlord did not treat for them. Good Luck to all this is a very costly and streesful pest to deal with until now I only knew they were a cute saying not a real bug. Hello everyone, I just stumbled across this site.

For many months I have been looking for advise and help on what to do with a case of BED BUGS and the landlord is calling them “Fleas” because you want them to get rid of the bugs.

I have ran into Who Knows Who.

When I made phone calls I got no response out of people like the Inspectors & Attorney’s instead the landlord made up some bull crap to the inspector MONTHS after I called and they finally show up and tell me there is no evidence to proove what the landlord said but if this place is infested with bed bugs you have to move out in SEVEN days.

I was already in the process of it at this point but I had rented a retail store and an apartment, I had to go through everything I owned and throw most of it away everythng I wanted to save I treated with a spray I bout at the Pharmacy then wraped it in plastic and it worked I hope it has only been a month and we haven’t really unwraped anything we mostly saved personal items that can’t be replaced and the rest went in the trash.

My family thought we walked into a dream, I was in the middle of a divorce and I found an apartment and a store front down stairs. It ended up being our worst nightmare I lost my job, my investment, my belongings, Stress is unbelievable my family has been seperated, my grandchildren had to stop coming to grandma’s house while mommy or daddy was at work, one of them is now afraid to go to sleep at night one is afraid to stay at grandma’s house now.Some of us have scars from head to toe.

These people are still running a business in this building I know for a fact it is in three parts of the building. I don’t know how long the problem has been there but I do know it has been more than two years. I had a woman reach me that said she lived there prior to my moving in and she lost everything because of the bugs and the landlord would not do anything about it, she wished she would have been able to do something about it but now I can’t find her but I did find the sister.

I am going forward with court proceedings without an attorney trust me we are scared but we are going to do what we can to get someone to take care of this problem. I did not want to go public with this problem because I have teenagers and we are getting embarrassed by those that already know about the problem because now the landlord is going around telling people we brought these bugs.

I have alot of support from friends and family along with past landlords saying this is a new problem in my life and I had way too many nice things to want to be loosing due to a bug. Pictures will tell all in the court room I hope. I would not wish this problem on anybody and the only quick fix is to send everything to the dump. I could not take the problem with to the new place and I wanted out of that nightmare and then I was given a dead line so we lost thousands in furniture etc.

I wish all of those that are battling this problem lots of luck it’s a rough one. I hope the Judge makes him shut the building down and treat it the right way. You can’t get anything done if you don’t try and you will only know if it makes a difference if you try, that saying is what is getting me through this I’m not one for sueing but this uis something to far gone to let them get away with this effected everyone in my family and friends. This falls in a case of Breech of Implied Warranty of Habitability the hardest part is prooving if they were there and the landlord did not treat for them.

Good Luck to all this is a very costly and streesful pest to deal with until now I only knew they were a cute saying not a real bug.

]]> By: nobugsonme http://bedbugger.com/2007/05/07/landlords-duty-to-tell-prospective-tenants-about-bed-bugs/#comment-3917 nobugsonme Wed, 20 Jun 2007 05:24:52 +0000 http://bedbugger.com/2007/05/07/landlords-duty-to-tell-prospective-tenants-about-bed-bugs/#comment-3917 Nita, I don't know what to say. I suggest you read about some of the bed bug lawsuits involving tenants, which might give you a better idea about whether you can take some kind of legal approach (you could also ask a lawyer): http://bedbugger.com/2007/03/17/faq-where-can-i-read-about-bed-bug-lawsuits-can-you-help-me-find-a-lawyer/ Is your landlord treating your unit as well as the rest of the infested units? Have PCOs been inspecting the other apartments? The best thing, in my opinion, is to simply make sure this is being taken care of. We have tenants info on our FAQ for tenants which outlines various NYC options including calling 311 (though I'd only do that if s/he STILL is not treating properly). http://bedbugger.com/2006/10/22/faq-tenants-landlords-owners-and-bedbugs/ Finally, if you are getting treatment, you should know that it is hard to eliminate bed bugs if you are not sleeping in your usual spot. Bed bugs need to be tempted to come out in search of food, cross the poison and die. If you sleep elsewhere, there's no bait. They can remain dormant for a year. However, there is hope. We have FAQS on protecting your bed and isolating it so you will be bait but do not need to be bitten! Also, we have a FAQ on how to deal with clothing so it's less likely you take bed bugs out with you. We all stayed at home and many of us followed these guidelines and they can work well. Hope that helps. Nita,
I don’t know what to say. I suggest you read about some of the bed bug lawsuits involving tenants, which might give you a better idea about whether you can take some kind of legal approach (you could also ask a lawyer):
http://bedbugger.com/2007/03/17/faq-where-can-i-read-about-bed-bug-lawsuits-can-you-help-me-find-a-lawyer/

Is your landlord treating your unit as well as the rest of the infested units? Have PCOs been inspecting the other apartments?

The best thing, in my opinion, is to simply make sure this is being taken care of. We have tenants info on our FAQ for tenants which outlines various NYC options including calling 311 (though I’d only do that if s/he STILL is not treating properly).
http://bedbugger.com/2006/10/22/faq-tenants-landlords-owners-and-bedbugs/

Finally, if you are getting treatment, you should know that it is hard to eliminate bed bugs if you are not sleeping in your usual spot. Bed bugs need to be tempted to come out in search of food, cross the poison and die. If you sleep elsewhere, there’s no bait. They can remain dormant for a year. However, there is hope. We have FAQS on protecting your bed and isolating it so you will be bait but do not need to be bitten! Also, we have a FAQ on how to deal with clothing so it’s less likely you take bed bugs out with you. We all stayed at home and many of us followed these guidelines and they can work well.

Hope that helps.

]]> By: Nita http://bedbugger.com/2007/05/07/landlords-duty-to-tell-prospective-tenants-about-bed-bugs/#comment-3916 Nita Wed, 20 Jun 2007 04:11:33 +0000 http://bedbugger.com/2007/05/07/landlords-duty-to-tell-prospective-tenants-about-bed-bugs/#comment-3916 Hello my name is nita and i'm going through the same thing. But my landlord told me six or seven months ago someone up stairs had them but they moved out. I need sugguestions on were to start. Because they did not spray the whole buildding now I have them and that sucks because i've only been living there for six months. So either they knew when i moved in our it happened right after i moved in. And since then they could have said something. And i work at a daycare so I have not been staying home, living out of trashbags. Please give me some kind of hope. Hello my name is nita and i’m going through the same thing. But my landlord told me six or seven months ago someone up stairs had them but they moved out. I need sugguestions on were to start. Because they did not spray the whole buildding now I have them and that sucks because i’ve only been living there for six months. So either they knew when i moved in our it happened right after i moved in. And since then they could have said something. And i work at a daycare so I have not been staying home, living out of trashbags. Please give me some kind of hope.

]]> By: nobugsonme http://bedbugger.com/2007/05/07/landlords-duty-to-tell-prospective-tenants-about-bed-bugs/#comment-2664 nobugsonme Wed, 09 May 2007 09:08:32 +0000 http://bedbugger.com/2007/05/07/landlords-duty-to-tell-prospective-tenants-about-bed-bugs/#comment-2664 I do understand hymenoptera's reservations about jumping to conclusions. There are cases like PIA's, though--we've seen them before--often the landlord will even admit to tenants that they knew, (I've heard of other cases where the landlord told the tenant they came from a second neighbor--as if that lets the landlord off the hook as far as solving the problem is concerned.) Anyway, PIA/Pissed, we're glad you found us (and MIchele too!) and hope we can help. I do understand hymenoptera’s reservations about jumping to conclusions. There are cases like PIA’s, though–we’ve seen them before–often the landlord will even admit to tenants that they knew, (I’ve heard of other cases where the landlord told the tenant they came from a second neighbor–as if that lets the landlord off the hook as far as solving the problem is concerned.)

Anyway, PIA/Pissed, we’re glad you found us (and MIchele too!) and hope we can help.

]]> By: LMK Entomologist http://bedbugger.com/2007/05/07/landlords-duty-to-tell-prospective-tenants-about-bed-bugs/#comment-2661 LMK Entomologist Tue, 08 May 2007 23:09:22 +0000 http://bedbugger.com/2007/05/07/landlords-duty-to-tell-prospective-tenants-about-bed-bugs/#comment-2661 The California Guidelines for the Control and Prevention of Bed Bug Infestations recommend that landlords in California inform current and future tenants of a bed bug infestation. However, the Guidelines are not a legislative mandate and no inspectors can enforce the Guidelines as if they were Government Code. Hopefully, landlords inform future tenants to reduce their liability! Check out the California Guidelines here: http://www.dhs.ca.gov/ps/dcdc/disb/pdf/California%20Bed%20Bug%20Guidelines%20FINAL%202-1-07.pdf The California Guidelines for the Control and Prevention of Bed Bug Infestations recommend that landlords in California inform current and future tenants of a bed bug infestation. However, the Guidelines are not a legislative mandate and no inspectors can enforce the Guidelines as if they were Government Code. Hopefully, landlords inform future tenants to reduce their liability!

Check out the California Guidelines here:
http://www.dhs.ca.gov/ps/dcdc/disb/pdf/California%20Bed%20Bug%20Guidelines%20FINAL%202-1-07.pdf

]]> By: Bugalina http://bedbugger.com/2007/05/07/landlords-duty-to-tell-prospective-tenants-about-bed-bugs/#comment-2653 Bugalina Tue, 08 May 2007 15:58:17 +0000 http://bedbugger.com/2007/05/07/landlords-duty-to-tell-prospective-tenants-about-bed-bugs/#comment-2653 Michele...Can you call an attorney?? I believe some advertise on this Blog....I hate to hear stories like yours...and Pissedinastoria...I do think that it is possible to prove that an apt. had a prior infestation, esp. if the bldg. has infestation problems. Like Jess says, the law really has no choice but to side with the tenant...There are many, many problems involved in bed bug infestations....One of the biggest problems for people living in multi-family dwellings is that if the landlord ignores the signs of infestation then it will start to spread to other apts...and you wind up with a bldg. infestation. I think that if you are in a bldg. with known prior infestation , in which the landlord is treating inadequately, you have a decent shot at a law case...I know people don't like this but you have to protect yourself, and it cannot be easy to get rid of an infestation in a bldg. that isn't getting proper treatment. Document everything... Michele…Can you call an attorney?? I believe some advertise on this Blog….I hate to hear stories like yours…and Pissedinastoria…I do think that it is possible to prove that an apt. had a prior infestation, esp. if the bldg. has infestation problems. Like Jess says, the law really has no choice but to side with the tenant…There are many, many problems involved in bed bug infestations….One of the biggest problems for people living in multi-family dwellings is that if the landlord ignores the signs of infestation then it will start to spread to other apts…and you wind up with a bldg. infestation. I think that if you are in a bldg. with known prior infestation , in which the landlord is treating inadequately, you have a decent shot at a law case…I know people don’t like this but you have to protect yourself, and it cannot be easy to get rid of an infestation in a bldg. that isn’t getting proper treatment. Document everything…

]]> By: pissedinastoria http://bedbugger.com/2007/05/07/landlords-duty-to-tell-prospective-tenants-about-bed-bugs/#comment-2652 pissedinastoria Tue, 08 May 2007 14:41:22 +0000 http://bedbugger.com/2007/05/07/landlords-duty-to-tell-prospective-tenants-about-bed-bugs/#comment-2652 I just had the saddest laugh ever. I was thinking how great it would be to meet you all in a real support group because you seem so nice. Then I realized that's out of the question. Can't get rid of bedbugs by hanging out with other people who have them. le sigh. but i am totally going to become an active member of the online community, and i do hope that we can all come up with solutions to these bastards. I just had the saddest laugh ever. I was thinking how great it would be to meet you all in a real support group because you seem so nice. Then I realized that’s out of the question. Can’t get rid of bedbugs by hanging out with other people who have them.

le sigh.

but i am totally going to become an active member of the online community, and i do hope that we can all come up with solutions to these bastards.

]]> By: Michele http://bedbugger.com/2007/05/07/landlords-duty-to-tell-prospective-tenants-about-bed-bugs/#comment-2649 Michele Tue, 08 May 2007 12:08:23 +0000 http://bedbugger.com/2007/05/07/landlords-duty-to-tell-prospective-tenants-about-bed-bugs/#comment-2649 I live in NewYork city. I have been battleling Bedbugs four months. I spend sleepless nights and I am stressed all the time. I lost every thing including my life savings trying tio get rid of them. They are not leaving. My Management sends me a half fast exterminator who never shows up so more bugs will fester. If he does show up he doesn't do the job right the same story with the exterminator comapny I had hired for about $700 dollars. 311 did nothing for me but send HPD to confirm I had bed bugs something I already Knew. I live in NewYork city. I have been battleling Bedbugs four months. I spend sleepless nights and I am stressed all the time. I lost every thing including my life savings trying tio get rid of them. They are not leaving. My Management sends me a half fast exterminator who never shows up so more bugs will fester. If he does show up he doesn’t do the job right the same story with the exterminator comapny I had hired for about $700 dollars. 311 did nothing for me but send HPD to confirm I had bed bugs something I already Knew.

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