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bed bug lease requirements

(5 posts)

possiblebugs

newbite
Joined: Sep '09
Posts: 8

Posted 2 months ago
Mon Sep 7 2009 13:40:06
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I've heard about some landlords putting stipulations in leases aimed at preventing bed bugs. For example, a lease saying the tenants coming in are required to purchase a brand new mattress. I just thought it was interesting and maybe a good topic of discussion. Anyone else hear about any of these measures?

Forcing people to buy new mattresses isn't going to keep the building BB free. I mean, how does he check this? What's to stop people from buying a brand new "refurbished" mattress? Do they need to provide receipts? Does he give them select stores to buy from? What about all the other furniture they bring in? I guess it's a nice thought but probably isn't going to do too much.

discuss.
MyWorstFear

member
Joined: Sep '08
Posts: 266

Posted 2 months ago
Mon Sep 7 2009 16:21:11
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Obviously these landlords should do a bit more research on bed bugs because all of us here know that a new mattress is not going to make a difference! It should only be so easy as a new mattress!
bbfiend

junior member
Joined: Sep '09
Posts: 82

Posted 2 months ago
Mon Sep 7 2009 17:18:52
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haven't seen that kind of leases yet, i'm in real estate and haven't come across any.. maybe they've been bb-ed too many times...
Bugbitten Meg

junior member
Joined: Aug '09
Posts: 59

Posted 2 months ago
Mon Sep 7 2009 17:47:26
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Clearly, the 'buy a new mattress' thing isn't really functional-- what might work better would be to write in a 'mutual bedbug check' before anyone moves in, checking both apartment and incoming tenant's stuff... although the check on the apartment would almost have to rely on a bedbug dog (cue 'false positive, a.k.a. the Dog is Not Always Right' discussion...) since there's no bed or near-bed furniture to check.

hm... still thinking.
earthangel

newbite
Joined: Sep '09
Posts: 28

Posted 1 month ago
Sat Oct 10 2009 14:12:09
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I don't think the "new mattress" requirement is so bad. It seems to me that if you required all tenants in a large building to arrive with a new mattress, you would reduce the odds of infestation to a worthwhile degree.

Of course you wouldn't eliminate the problem but to me that's no reason to dismiss a somewhat useful measure.

If I were choosing between two rental buildings, and one had a "new mattress" rule and one didn't, it would be a no-brainer for me.

And - an enterprising and of course ethical mattress company would do well to market a discount product to landlords - so that the landlord could not only require you to get a new mattress, but also steer you to a preferred store, where the product was trustworthy and you would get a discount negotiated by him for his tenants.