Owners- Please take a look at this law.
The law reads:
“The landlord shall not offer for lease any premises that, at the time the landlord and tenant enter into a rental agreement, the landlord knows to be infested by the species cimex lectularius, also known as bedbugs. The landlord may, prior to leasing the premises, obtain an inspection from a licensee under 12 G.S. 106-65.24(15)(ie: a licenced pest exterminator). If no evidence is found, the written report of the inspection shall serve as evidence of the landlord’s compliance with the provisions of this subdivision. G.S. 42-43.1 and this subdivision shall comprise the sole and exclusive duties of a landlord relating to an infestation of cimex lectularius, also known as bedbugs; no other subsection of this section shall be construed to impose any duties or obligations upon a landlord relating to an infestation of bedbugs.”
Bud bug extermination costs can be expensive (example: 1392 sf home can cost $700 to $1700). Given this can happen anywhere and to anyone, the cost of inspection, $75 for example, can be less expensive, a good risk management tool and can make owners in compliance of the law. Another way to put it simply is to say ‘not my issue Mr. Tenant’ please take care of this yourself. Now, tenant can move out and not tell the owner about the existence of bed bugs. At this point the tenant is in violation of the law and their lease. The extermination can come out of their security deposit. Owners- please consider pre inspection for bed bugs as a way to control your costs and reduce your risk. Please call for more information.