Bedbugs - Yikes!

General Landlording & Rental Properties
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Bedbugs - Yikes!

Nancy Molinari
Manchester, CT · Member since 2010 · 21 posts · 2 votes

I own a duplex and live on one side. The tenant came over last night to tell me they found bedbugs in his son's room and he was having someone come over today (Monday) to check out the situation. I felt like he was implying that they were there before he moved in 7 months ago, which I would find hard to believe that they would just now decide to start "feeding". I have the unit steam cleaned between ever tenant, but I realize that wouldn't kill any bedbugs from previous tenants. I've never had a problem before. I'm guessing one of his 3 kids brought them home from school or somewhere else. I don't want a legal issue. If they have tenant's insurance (as stated in the lease), shouldn't the insurance should cover it? Any suggestions or advice on this in case he tries to claim they were there before he moved in? I'm also concerned about those creatures coming over to my side, even though I have a fire wall.

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Will Browm
Investor · Buford, GA · Member since 2012 · 120 posts · 31 votes
14y

I am a newbie, but I actually run a Pest Control company. Bedbugs are hitchhikers; they are brought in. Your tenants could not have had 7 months bite free in an infested unit. Bedbugs can go a LONG time without blood meals,but they won't if there are hosts present. They like to have a blood meal every 48 hours. The child would have been complaining much earlier. The facts above are quite important for LLs. Hotels have issues within days of infestations.

I do not believe most renters insurance covers BBs.

The firewall and such should protect you. Do not let this family into your unit and check yourself, especially hems of pants when you have been in there unit.

I can answer more later but I am off to work.

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  • Will Browm
    Investor · Buford, GA · Member since 2012 · 120 posts · 31 votes
    14y

    I am a newbie, but I actually run a Pest Control company. Bedbugs are hitchhikers; they are brought in. Your tenants could not have had 7 months bite free in an infested unit. Bedbugs can go a LONG time without blood meals,but they won't if there are hosts present. They like to have a blood meal every 48 hours. The child would have been complaining much earlier. The facts above are quite important for LLs. Hotels have issues within days of infestations.

    I do not believe most renters insurance covers BBs.

    The firewall and such should protect you. Do not let this family into your unit and check yourself, especially hems of pants when you have been in there unit.

    I can answer more later but I am off to work.

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  • Christopher Keivit
    Real Estate Investor · Chicago, IL · Member since 2011 · 54 posts · 14 votes
    14y

    Hi Nancy - Will is correct on the insurance. In my 9-5 job we have a situation that now requires vacating and relocating the entire building because the BB's are so bad. In Illinois at least, neither renters nor property insurance will cover bedbugs. You will want to get a professional company in to see how bad they are, and do it quickly!!

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  • David Wedemire
    Real Estate Investor · Bellingham, WA · Member since 2008 · 407 posts · 90 votes
    14y

    Excellent advice. Very unlikely the bed bugs were dormant for seven months and renters insurance does not cover infestation. These policies are designed to cover contents and liability only.

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  • Jim S
    Real Estate Investor · Virginia, DC &, MD · Member since 2008 · 261 posts · 71 votes
    14y

    Insurance covers accidents that are "sudden and accidental". Bugs are not or everyone would be claiming ants and roaches also.
    If it were one of my properties, I would take care of the issue out of my pocket as I would want to make sure the problem was corrected the right way....especially if I lived next door like you do. Plus being proactive is better when it comes to future liability.

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  • Michael R.
    Real Estate Investor · NY · Member since 2008 · 313 posts · 87 votes
    14y

    I had the same situation a few years ago. Tenant was in the house (a single family) for 7-8 months and complained of biting. They did have lots of bites all over their bodies. I hired an exterminator ran about 750$. She wanted me to buy her all new furniture but I refused as she had been living there for 8 months with no problem so it was obviously brought on by herself or family. Claimed they were going to sue me and moved out but I never heard anything else. I didn't want to hire an exterminator because I felt it was not my fault but I wanted to try to do the right thing and felt it would make me look better in case of litigation. Once she moved out I bought some commercial sparyer online and sprayed the whole house and left empty for one month. Have not had the problem since.

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  • Steve Babiak
    Real Estate Investor · Audubon, PA · Member since 2009 · 13k+ posts · 8k+ votes
    14y

    Many BP threads already related to this topic; see Google search link:

    http://www.google.com/search?q=site%3Abiggerpockets.com+bed+bug&btnG=Search&hl=en&gbv=1&safe=active

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  • Nancy Molinari
    OP
    Manchester, CT · Member since 2010 · 21 posts · 2 votes
    14y

    I appreciate all of your great advice, but some of your responses are that I should just pay to have the extermination done, which I was suprised to read. The tenants obviously brought the bedbugs into the house, so are you all telling me that they have recourse through the courts that I would have to pay for the extermination of the situation they caused?

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  • Joel OwensBusiness Member
    Moderator
    Real Estate Broker · Canton, GA · Member since 2010 · 15k+ posts · 11k+ votes
    14y

    I thought bed bugs came from mattresses and stuff like that?? I watched a one hour story on the news about bed bugs but can't remember the link.

    I heard it's from many of these tenants buying used mattresses or going to refurb stores and not knowing the mattresses were used and rebuilt again.

    Thank goodness we have never had bed bugs (knock on wood).

    I bought an Englander pillow top on sale for 1,100 5 years ago.The mattress has a barrier that does not allow bed bugs to enter or breed on the mattress.I can't remember the technical term and jargon. I love my mattress and won't buy that cheap crap.

    I used to buy cheap until a salesman told me one time that back,sleep,tiredness problems where from having the wrong mattress.By getting good sleep the bed would pay for itself in increased productivity and energy and he was right.

    The lower end tenants tend to recycle mattresses and also sofas etc. The tenants can be unclean with roaches and keeping the place dirty as well.This is not the landlords issue.The tenant keeps it clean or they get evicted.Especially in multi-unit buildings where the bugs can affect other tenants.

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  • Michael R.
    Real Estate Investor · NY · Member since 2008 · 313 posts · 87 votes
    14y

    Where I invest the health dept will hold the owner responsible for extermination. The inspector told me I have to remedy the problem and can bill the tenant if i wish.

    It like if a tenant breaks a window. I would have to fix it and bill the tenant. If not the city will write me a violation.

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  • Joel OwensBusiness Member
    Moderator
    Real Estate Broker · Canton, GA · Member since 2010 · 15k+ posts · 11k+ votes
    14y

    Being in New York I think you have rent control among other things some states do not have with their housing.

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  • George P.
    Real Estate Investor · Baltimore, MD · Member since 2008 · 1k+ posts · 268 votes
    14y

    insurance won't cover it.
    refer to your lease on this issue to see who pays for the pest treatment.

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  • Nancy Molinari
    OP
    Manchester, CT · Member since 2010 · 21 posts · 2 votes
    14y

    Well, I learned alot from this experience and hope I never have to deal with it again - but I guess there's always going to be issues in one way or another when you have tenants. Most of you really gave me an eye opening awakening - you were right on the money. State of CT is one of many states that requires the landlord to pay for the extermination of any pest or rodent treatments REGARDLESS of how they got in the unit such as by existing tenants. I was off on my calculation - they have been here 8 months not 7, not that it makes any difference. I spoke with my attorney - CT is NOT a landlord friendly state. I have to pay, BUT suprise! My tenants acknowledge they brought the bedbugs in and are willing to foot the cost. At the advice of my attorney, I am getting this in writing from the tenants. I can't wait to get out of the landlord business - anyone want to buy a duplex in CT?! Thanks all! Nancy

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  • Marcia Langley
    Rental Property Investor · Kingston NY · Member since 2016 · 17 posts · 1 vote
    7y

    Hi - saw these postings - have a question on bedbugs in my multi fam owner occupied home. Here am living in a 3fam, just bought 5 months ago. A bedbug prob was found by accident by a pest control person i brought in in aug or sept. It was in a tenant's unit / inherited tenant... the building has 3 units with one on each floor. The bedbug tenant was on unit 3 and we got him out in sept. we live in unit 2 under the apt he was in  which is unit 3/top floor. Luckily we didn't get any. We rehabbed that apt and paid around $1200 for 5 treatments beginning in sept. Then a new tenant moved in dec 15 and one day (about 6 days later) found a bedbug stuck to her. The pest control company (Ehrlich) did another treatment. About 4 were for the whole building, the last 2 for unit 3 only...

    One week and a few days into the Dec 15th tenancy, the tenant paid for a canine - so two dogs actually came in and showed no bedbugs... now she found young ones in her bed she said today, and showed them to me - angry saying she can't take it anymore...am at a loss - my ehrlich reps didnt call me back... my atty told me to call another pest control company...it is awkward because have done all by the book and more:

    interviewed 4 pest control companies

    chose one that did 2-3 treatments and gave a 60 day guarantee

    The tenant lives upstairs and my home life and privacy are affected. It is horrible she has them... we all want them gone...professionals are saying she may have re infested the bldg...she blames us, it seems... can u say how to play it out ? am hoping all of you are rid of them and all is ok w your tenant/s... 

    we had found 2 in between treatments and that's why we had more than the 3 treatments...

    professionals i am talking to today say she may have brought some in and reinfested...

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  • Marcia Langley
    Rental Property Investor · Kingston NY · Member since 2016 · 17 posts · 1 vote
    7y

    Hi - saw these postings - have a question on bedbugs in my multi fam owner occupied home. Here am living in a 3fam, just bought 5 months ago. A bedbug prob was found by accident by a pest control person i brought in in aug or sept. It was in a tenant's unit / inherited tenant... the building has 3 units with one on each floor. The bedbug tenant was on unit 3 and we got him out in sept. we live in unit 2 under the apt he was in which is unit 3/top floor. Luckily we didn't get any. We rehabbed that apt and paid around $1200 for 5 treatments beginning in sept. Then a new tenant moved in dec 15 and one day (about 6 days later) found a bedbug stuck to her. The pest control company (Ehrlich) did another treatment. About 4 were for the whole building, the last 2 for unit 3 only...

    One week and a few days into the Dec 15th tenancy, the tenant paid for a canine - so two dogs actually came in and showed no bedbugs... now she found young ones in her bed she said today, and showed them to me - angry saying she can't take it anymore...am at a loss - my ehrlich reps didnt call me back... my atty told me to call another pest control company...it is awkward because have done all by the book and more:

    interviewed 4 pest control companies

    chose one that did 2-3 treatments and gave a 60 day guarantee

    The tenant lives upstairs and my home life and privacy are affected. It is horrible she has them... we all want them gone...professionals are saying she may have re infested the bldg...she blames us, it seems... can u say how to play it out ? am hoping all of you are rid of them and all is ok w your tenant/s...

    we had found 2 in between treatments and that's why we had more than the 3 treatments...

    professionals i am talking to today say she may have brought some in and reinfested...

    0Reply
  • Steve Babiak
    Real Estate Investor · Audubon, PA · Member since 2009 · 13k+ posts · 8k+ votes
    7y
    Originally posted by @Marcia Langley:

    Hi - saw these postings - have a question on bedbugs in my multi fam owner occupied home. Here am living in a 3fam, just bought 5 months ago. A bedbug prob was found by accident by a pest control person i brought in in aug or sept. It was in a tenant's unit / inherited tenant... the building has 3 units with one on each floor. The bedbug tenant was on unit 3 and we got him out in sept. we live in unit 2 under the apt he was in which is unit 3/top floor. Luckily we didn't get any. We rehabbed that apt and paid around $1200 for 5 treatments beginning in sept. Then a new tenant moved in dec 15 and one day (about 6 days later) found a bedbug stuck to her. The pest control company (Ehrlich) did another treatment. About 4 were for the whole building, the last 2 for unit 3 only...

    One week and a few days into the Dec 15th tenancy, the tenant paid for a canine - so two dogs actually came in and showed no bedbugs... now she found young ones in her bed she said today, and showed them to me - angry saying she can't take it anymore...am at a loss - my ehrlich reps didnt call me back... my atty told me to call another pest control company...it is awkward because have done all by the book and more:

    interviewed 4 pest control companies

    chose one that did 2-3 treatments and gave a 60 day guarantee

    The tenant lives upstairs and my home life and privacy are affected. It is horrible she has them... we all want them gone...professionals are saying she may have re infested the bldg...she blames us, it seems... can u say how to play it out ? am hoping all of you are rid of them and all is ok w your tenant/s...

    we had found 2 in between treatments and that's why we had more than the 3 treatments...

    professionals i am talking to today say she may have brought some in and reinfested...


    It is more expensive, but I suggest you find somebody who will use heat treatment to deal with the problem. Also, the tenant's personal property could have been harboring eggs that hatched. Or the tenant might have been unfortunate enough to have visited someplace that was infested, and some hitched onto the tenant and came home with the tenant. Or the tenant might have picked up used furniture that had been infested. Heat treating the unit should be effective, as long as the instructions for preparations are followed. Also, plastic items (such as mini blinds) should be removed so the heat does not cause deformation.
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  • Brian Ploszay
    Investor · Chicago, IL · Member since 2009 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    7y

    Don't assume they are bedbugs.  If they are, they are not easy to exterminate.  

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