The city council of New Jersey City approved an ordinance that makes landlords of buildings with two or more units financially responsible for the first and follow-up bed bugs treatments for each NJ city unit per year. The legislation was inspired by media comments about renters having to pay for the NJ bed bugs extermination procedures.

The positive of the legislation is that renters will now complain about bed bug infested apartments since they will not have to pay for the NJ bed bugs pest control services and this will help to ensure the bed bugs infestations are quickly reported. Prompt extermination is a major factor for preventing the bed bugs from spreading to other units in the NJ City apartments.

The negative factor is that the building owners will have to pay for bed bugs extermination services brought about by irresponsible tenants bringing in bed bugs with used furniture and other ways. Even if the tenants are being responsible the unfortunate building owners have to pay the whole fee which may not be fair.

Will the landlords cut back on maintenance of the NJ City apartment buildings, stop fixing things for renters and leave old appliances in the units. Perhaps they will create a general maintenance fee or some other fee to make up for the bed bugs extermination cost.