Bed bug issue? It happens in even the best of hotels and apartments. Bed bugs can grab a ride in the suitcase, used furniture, on the clothing, or even in the mattresses. These ugly little creatures can even travel from one apartment to the other building. 

In this article, let’s discuss how residents should deal with a bed bug infestation. 

Report the Bed Bug Issue to The Landlord

If a bed bug infestation is suspected in the home or building, contact the landlord or manager right away. It is the responsibility of the landlord to hire an equipped exterminator to inspect for and estimate the bed bugs in the house, and in the adjoining units also. Before any exterminator enters the unit, the owner should give the tenant proper notice of entry for the inspection of the exterminator, or work with the tenant to come up with a method for accessing the unit that works for both the tenant and landlord.

There are some specific laws on the books regarding the duties of landlords and tenants concerning bed bug infestations. For instance, state laws might ask residents to take steps like:

• report a possible infestation in a determined time, usually 24 to 48 hours after discovering the bed bugs
• reasonably cooperate with the extermination efforts of the landlord, and
• assent with the specific control measures that the landlord puts in place.

Get Ready for an Exterminator’s Inspection

The tenant should ask the landlord what to expect from the bed bug inspection. Usually, a pest management specialist will inspect the main bed bug site like the mattress and bedding, along with other common bed bug hiding areas, like shelves, closets, and drawers. Also, a specialist will try to find where the bed bugs came from, and determine whether and how the issue has spread. 

Planning the infestation might help to determine when a particular unit became infested. This will help the landlord to apportion financial accountability for the extermination. In some cases, the landlords are allowed to charge the expense of extermination from residents who recklessly or willfully cause an infestation, or who fail to report an infestation on time.

How to Get Rid of Bed Bugs

Usually, exterminators suggest that residents in bed bug-infested areas take the following measures:

• Remove all clutter.
• Wash all bedding and clothing. 
• Put washed things in sealed plastic bags.
• Remove all items from shelves, closets, and drawers.
• Thoroughly vacuum.
• Destroy infested things that cannot be treated like mattresses.
• Move out during the exterminator’s treatment. 

Final Words

Keep in mind that if the exterminator’s advice is not followed accurately, and the bed bugs reappear, the tenant has to start the complete process all over again. In some cases, the tenant could face fines for not following or cooperate with the landlord’s bed bug control measures.

To know more about the landlords’ responsibility for bed bugs, attend the Compliance Prime webinar.