In case of bed bugs found in a leased apartment, who needs to pay for the treatment?
Get Legal Help Today
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
In case of bed bugs found in a leased apartment, who needs to pay for the treatment?
We are staying in an apartment in a gated community managed by a management company. Recently we found a bug infestation. Management had said they do bug treatment, so we told them to do bug treatment. They got a 3rd party and inspected the apartmment. Now they are telling us that they we need a special bed bug treatment which is not covered by them. So we will have to pay $1800 for this special treatment. Is there a way that this expense can be pushed back to the management company?
Asked on April 13, 2012 under Real Estate Law, Georgia
Answers:
M.T.G., Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 12 years ago | Contributor
You would need to chck your state law on the matter but generally speaking, most states have made the clean up of an infestation the responsibility of the landlord (so here the management company) and part of the law that has to deal with keeping the environment of the apartment safe and habitable for tenants. I very much doubt that there are "special" treatments but rather that the cost is more than the management company allocated. Go to court and ask to start a proceeding against the landlord AND management company and ask to pay your rent in to court, for damages and abatement of the condition. Good luck.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.