Monthly Archives: January 2014

1. Is the landlord responsible for bed bug treatment costs or is the tenant? It is becoming a more common practice that tenants sign a bed bug affidavit when signing a lease. The main purpose of this form is to place treatment costs on tenants. From the landlords point-of-view this problem came from the tenant and so the tenant should be responsible for costs associated with it. While this seems reasonable it also raises a few more questions, such as question 2 and 3. 2. How do we know the tenant brought the problem? For a bed bug infestation to begin someone had to bring them in and the most likely culprit is the tenant. 3. What happens when tenants cant afford to pay for remediation? While the landlord may choose to evict the tenant and keep the deposit, it isnt always a simple decision. Landlords should consider the tenants history do they pay on time, are they a good customer, have they had any problems in the past, are they a good neighbor, etc Landlords should also consider the cost of letting the customer leave what is the likelihood of renting the unit, how long it will take, what will it costs to make it ready for the next tenant, etc Considering our current tough economy, the answer to these last questions may often determine which course of action is best. 4. What are other states doing? Currently two states are fighting a severe battle against this pest, New York and Ohio. Both states require landlords to take action and even have hotlines for tenants to call to report bed bug problems. In New York, bed bugs are a Class B violation, which means that they are considered hazardous. Landlords have 30 days to correct the problem and must keep it corrected. Another question comes to mind 5. Why are New York and Ohio putting responsibility on landlords? The simple answer is they are targeting the person with the deepest pockets in an attempt to keep this problem from getting worse. 6. What are the pros and cons of bed bug affidavits? Pros: The main two benefits are that treatment cost is transferred to tenants and the landlord can evict tenants if necessary. Cons: Because tenants may not be able to or simply wont pay for treatment they take matters into their own hands or say nothing at all. This means they may use unsafe chemicals in excess to correct the problem. Another more common method is to use foggers or bug bombs. The problem with this method is that it has been proven to be one of the best ways to spread the problem throughout a building. Because tenants arent talking about the problem, small infestations can turn into large infestations affecting neighbors (see question 2). Finally, when the tenant does finally vacate they are likely to leave this problem behind causing the landlord more trouble with the next tenant.

Whether you operate a hotel, apartment, rental, restaurant, theatre, church, retail business or pest control company, Inspector Hound is your partner in the battle against bed bugs. Unlike traditional pest control, Inspector Hound only offers canine scent detection.

We do not profit from positive alerts and aim to provide a fast, accurate and confidential service. We believe offering pest control services is a conflict of interest with this inspection service. said Clif Tomasini, President of Inspector Hound

Bed bugs have crept into Baton Rouge homes, hotels, apartment complexes, theaters, restaurants, and retail areas. Inspector Hound was born out of the need to quickly and accurately identify bed bug infestations. "When you identify an infestation fast, bugs don't spread and treatment is less expensive," said Clif.

Along with identifying bed bugs quickly, dogs are better, more accurate than humans; bedbugs are small, they hide in baseboards, carpet, wall cracks, and humans just can't see them. Dogs don't need to see them because they detect through scent. Most pest control treatment companies offer bed bug identification services, but according to Tomasini, "People have mixed feelings about using a treatment company for identification services. There's a conflict of interest there." Inspector Hound is independent of treatment; our services apply only to problem identification.

For more information regarding bed bugs, please contact Inspector Hound at 985-233-1478 or visit our website at http://www.inspectorhound.com

Inspector Hound is licensed with the Louisiana Department of Agriculture

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Inspector Hound: Bed Bug Dog Detection Services in Baton Rouge, LA - New Orleans, LA - Metairie, LA - Kenner, LA - Slidell, LA - Gretna, LA - Mandeville, LA - Covington, LA - Hammond, LA - Houma, LA - Lake Charles, LA - Lafayette, LA - Jackson, MS - Biloxi, MS - Gulfport, MS - Montgomery, AL - Mobile, AL - Little Rock, AR - Dayton, OH - Columbus, OH - Cincinnati - OH

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Louisiana bed bug law - Apartments | PRLog