Bed Bug Bill and New Jersey Landlords
Assembly No. 3203 of the State of New Jersey has passed the new bed bug act. This act governs the responsibility of landlords of multiple dwellings to ensure that their properties are bed bug-free.
According to this act, landlords are required to provide pamphlets and other related information from the NJ Department of Health and Senior Services. This educational material will hopefully act as preventative medicine. If tenants know more about bed bug signs, they will be able to alert the landlord before it becomes a major infestation. They also won’t be embarrassed to tell their landlord, as they know it’s the landlords’ responsibility. In any event, open communication about the potential problem is the best way to ensure it doesn’t become one.
The landlords are also fully responsible to foot the entire bill for eliminating any bed bug problem.
Any failure to do so can result in fines ranging from $300-$1000. Obviously, tenants will also stay away once folks find out that the dwellings are infested with bed bugs. This will directly impact the landlord’s bottom line, with less rental money coming in.
Landlords who wish to avoid any possible lawsuits, fines or the stigma of owning bed bug infested property, might strongly consider contacting a qualified pest control company like Heritage Pest Control.