If you are the victim of a bed bug infestation in your apartment building it is absolutely a difficult challenge to overcome. Riddled by nighttime attacks, many tenants are left not knowing what to do to combat the pests. Unlike cockroaches, which are known to carry diseases, many entomologists believe that bed bugs do not carry diseases to humans, despite the many pathogens that they carry on their body.
When a landlord fails to follow the county or state regulations to eradicate the creatures, or when they do so and damage a renter’s personal property, it stands to reason that the landlord is responsible for the damages that they or their “agents” have caused.
Courthouse News Service reported on September 27, 2012 that a Maryland family is living in a multi-unit apartment building with a severe bed bug infestation. After requesting help for two months, an apartment employee finally came to fumigate the apartment. During the process, reports are that the employee accidentally set off the indoor sprinkler system which subsequently flooded the apartment. Significant damage occurred as black, stagnant, smelly water spewed from the overhead sprinkler system soaking the tenant’s belongings.
Without the knowledge of the tenants, their water soaked personal belongings were thrown away. The tenants claim that he asked for a new apartment because of the disgusting stench of the spoiled water, but that request was denied. The tenants also claim that they requested reimbursement for the damaged property. Instead the tenants have been forced to live in the wet, now mold covered apartment that ironically is still infested with bed bugs.
As a result of the actions of the management and property owner, the Maryland tenants have now filed a lawsuit seeking damages for “negligence, trespass and conversion.”
Landlords/property owners should always hire a licensed pest control professional with experience in bed bug eradication instead of trying to get rid of the bloodsuckers on their own or face the consequences when problems arise!