"We just found out that we have bedbugs. Our landlord is prepared to shell out for the exterminator to come in, but doesn't want to assist with the huge laundry bill we will now have to pay. He is adamant that he doesn't know how the bugs got there and that it could be our fault and that we need to do our part. Shouldn't laundry services, purchasing new mattresses and bed frames, couches and rugs be the landlord's responsibility, as well as the extermination?"
Thanks,
Rachel
First the disclaimer: I'm not your lawyer, and since state laws differ, it's difficult to be one hundred percent certain on this question. The only way to be sure you've got the correct answer for your area is to check with a local lawyer.
Inform Your Landlord About Bed Bugs
That said, there's one key rule that you MUST stick to if you are a tenant: ALWAYS speak to your landlord before doing anything on your own. Why? If you don't, you might do something that would give your landlord a reason not to pay for treatment. Doing something single-handedly always carries a risk that the bedbugs will spread (foggers are notorious for doing this), making your problem worse.
Some locations have policies that require certain types of treatments. Your landlord may say that whatever treatment you tried to do yourself is actually the cause of the problem. So always ensure you have at least spoken to them and informed them of what you're planning to do.
If you clean, change mattress covers, etc. it would be hard for anybody to hold you responsible (unless you are moving objects around out of the bug-ridden rooms in a way that could spread the infestation), so you're much less likely to run into a problem by taking these measures. Your landlord is on the hook for treatment under the law in some parts of the country, so you don't want to do something that would let them off.
Most regulations dealing with bed bugs only mention the liability for getting rid of them, and that's the problem with being compensated for laundry bills, new furniture, etc. The laws usually don't talk about what should happen when the renter has to pay out money on other stuff - laundry, etc. You are probably stuck with using your state's "tort law" - the general ability to take legal action against somebody for being careless and harming you somehow - if you reside in the United States.
Where Are The Bed Bugs Coming From?
But your landlord may be right that it is not possible to accurately tell how the bed bugs got into your place. You might have brought them in without knowing from traveling somewhere (they often arrive uninvited in people's suitcases).
The previous tenant might have brought them in. They might have crawled in through the walls from someone else's apartment if you're in a multiple-unit property. The fundamental point is that if you want to get paid for your laundry and furniture, you will have to be able to show that it was your landlord's negligence that caused the bed bugs to be in your rental property.
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