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What Landlords Need to Know about Bed Bugs in Cleveland, Ohio

Landlords, whether of single family homes, duplexes, or apartment complexes are going to experience bed bugs at some point. Here are some great tips and resources for you to get ready to act or take action if you already have a bed bug infestation.

  • Preparation is Key
  • Respond the Right Way
  • Additional Resources for Landlords
  • Tenant Literature & Handouts

Preparation is Key

  • Make sure to stay up to date on your municipality and state mandated requirements regarding response time, eradication, financial responsibility, etc. Lakewood Bed Bug Tenant-Landlord Responsibilities, for example, requires a tenant to notify the landlord within 72 hours and precludes the landlord from terminating a lease or raising rent.
  • Make sure both you and your staff are well educated on the identification of bed bugs and how to perform a proper inspection.
  • Maintain an adequate plan for the prevention of bed bugs. Some steps may be:
    • Routinely conducting thorough inspections.
    • Conducting an inspection using a certified bed bug dog upon tenants departure.
    • Having policies and guidelines in place for the prevention of bed bugs.
    • Providing clear instruction to both staff and tenant of what to do in the event of finding a bed bug.
  • Provide literature and resources to tenants to educate before an infestation takes place:
    • Give a flyer or brochure to both current and prospective tenants to explain policies and guidance on bed bug prevention/management. Email [email protected] and we would be happy to provide you with examples you can print and use!
    • Make it very clear how important it is for quick reporting at the first suspicion of bed bug infestation or sighting.
    • Do not blame the tenant for the infestation! It is very important for both the landlord and tenant to understand often there is no fault involved. Blaming your tenants can cause residents to avoid reporting which leads to worse infestations. A culture of blame will both cost you more money and time.
    • Utilize only accredited and certified Bed Bug exterminators, like Bed Bug BBQ who use a comprehensive heat treatment. Do not, under any circumstances, hire a chemical treatment company as this could open you up to health and hazard claims while not actually eradicating the problem on the first try.
    • Retain on file a clear plan for identifying, treating, and eradicating an infestation. The plan should:
      • Be comprehensive and include pest management techniques.
      • Ensure residents are aware of basic prevention and management techniques.
      • Ensure your residents are prepared for the treatments, especially in areas of high infestation probability.
      • Provide tenants with common items utilized on combating an infestation such as mattress and pillow covers.
      • Include routine inspections of the property.

Respond the Right Way

  • Don’t wait until the last hour of mandated inspection times – perform an inspection as soon as the tenant reports a potential infestation. It is cheaper to identify the problem early than save a few hours waiting.
  • Involve the tenants in the identification and treatment process. Their willing cooperation is an integral part of ensuring treatments are successful.
  • Inspect adjacent units for potential outbreaks.
    • Bed bugs will migrate to adjoining units in apartments, condos, duplexes, hotels, etc. during treatment so it is almost always recommended to treat 100% of units within a structure.
  • Help residents to both prepare for the inspection and understand what is needed to stay bed bug free post treatment.
  • ACT! The most important step is to actually use the plan you develop.

Additional Resources for Landlords & Tenants

  • https://www.bedbugbbq.com/category/get-bed-bug-help/
  • http://www.cuyahogabedbugs.org/
  • http://www.onelakewood.com/bed-bugs/
  • https://www.epa.gov/bedbugs/what-landlords-need-know-about-bed-bugs

Handouts for Your Tenants

Do you need flyers, brochures, or forms to hand out to your tenants? Bed Bug BBQ is Ohio’s #1 resource for literature on the identification, management, and prevention of Bed Bug infestations. Just give us a call or email [email protected] and we would be happy to help!

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