Does Bed Bugs Break a Lease?
WouterIf you are a tenant and you notice bed bugs in your apartment, it may be possible to terminate your lease and move out. However, you must provide your landlord with notice of the infestation (which varies by state) so that they have enough time to take steps to correct the problem. If you don’t, you may face liability in court and may have to pay damages.
The first step is to contact HPD. They can help determine if bedbugs were introduced to your property by accident. For example, the bedbugs may have been introduced to the property by a recent purchase of furniture or from travel. You must promptly notify HPD, as well as any current tenants, of any infestation.
You should also consider filing a complaint with your landlord for failure to provide regular extermination services. In addition, you should ensure that you do not bring in any additional pests. Depending on the circumstances, you may have to pay for relocation and the costs of extermination. If the landlord refuses to do so, you can request that the landlord pay the costs or deduct them from your rent.
In most cases, you’ll need to hire a professional exterminator to get rid of bed bugs. The exterminator will inspect the affected area and make recommendations for controlling them. You must also follow any instructions given by the landlord or exterminator.
