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  1. #1

    Default Who is Responsible for Bedbug Extermination, Six Months Into Occupancy

    My question involves landlord-tenant law in the State of: Maryland, Baltimore County

    So I was heading yesterday to my rental property to replace a bad fridge. The tenant messaged me that morning indicating that for a while now she's been getting bite marks on her and last night she felt something crawling on her and caught it. She said she googled it and she thinks its a bedbug. She then said she called terminix and it's going to be a free estimate.

    She has been there since September and this is the first I've heard of this.

    Also, she said it was a bed bug. I'm not sure how she knows this, it could be anything. I'm assuming it's likely a bedbug. I was told though that bed bugs are too small to handle or notice. That it's likely a flea.

    I lived there for several months before she moved in and I was never bitten by anything. The home was unfurnished during that time. The carpet was changed as well.

    Upon delivering the fridge, her husband mentioned it again while I was getting finished. I asked him when did this all start and he said a few weeks ago. I told him that bed bugs can come from anywhere (i.e. city buses, hotels etc).

    My question is who's responsible for this in this case. I told her to let me know what the terminix guy says. She said he's coming in on thursday.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2013
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    18,340

    Default Re: Tenant Claims Bedbugs After 6 Mos of Occupancy, Who's Responsible

    Quote Quoting steppinthrax
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    She said he's coming in on thursday.
    Word to the wise: BE THERE. So you have control over what happens.

    Another word to the wise: If you haven't already done so, study the Maryland and Baltimore landlord tenant statutes:

    http://ca.baltimorecity.gov/codes/02...LL.pdf#page=51

    See Subtitle 9.

    I haven't looked. You might be statutorily obligated to pest control.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
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    16,474

    Default Re: Tenant Claims Bedbugs After 6 Mos of Occupancy, Who's Responsible

    Quote Quoting steppinthrax
    View Post
    My question involves landlord-tenant law in the State of: Maryland, Baltimore County

    So I was heading yesterday to my rental property to replace a bad fridge. The tenant messaged me that morning indicating that for a while now she's been getting bite marks on her and last night she felt something crawling on her and caught it. She said she googled it and she thinks its a bedbug. She then said she called terminix and it's going to be a free estimate.

    She has been there since September and this is the first I've heard of this.

    Also, she said it was a bed bug. I'm not sure how she knows this, it could be anything. I'm assuming it's likely a bedbug. I was told though that bed bugs are too small to handle or notice. That it's likely a flea.

    I lived there for several months before she moved in and I was never bitten by anything. The home was unfurnished during that time. The carpet was changed as well.

    Upon delivering the fridge, her husband mentioned it again while I was getting finished. I asked him when did this all start and he said a few weeks ago. I told him that bed bugs can come from anywhere (i.e. city buses, hotels etc).

    My question is who's responsible for this in this case. I told her to let me know what the terminix guy says. She said he's coming in on thursday.
    Adult bed bugs are definitely bigger than a flea (much bigger) and quite easy to see. However you are correct, they could come from anywhere.

  4. #4
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    Default Re: Who is Responsible for Bedbug Extermination, Six Months Into Occupancy

    You have a duty to provide a tenant who moves into a unit a unit that is free from bed bugs. But that does not mean that you are automatically responsible for the cost of extermination of an insect or rodent infestation that is caused by a tenant.

    If a tenant reports an insect infestation, you have a duty to address the infestation. You may be able to charge the tenant for mitigation of an infestation caused by the tenant (directly or through another resident or guest).

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