Bedbugs – HPD – NYC.gov

Bed bugs are small insects that feed mainly on human blood. Bed bug infestations are increasingly common in New York City. Bed bugs can enter homes by latching onto used furniture, luggage and clothing, and by traveling along connecting pipes and wiring. Left untreated, bed bugs can spread quickly.

Property owners are required to address bed bug infestations promptly. The surest strategies to keep bed bugs from spreading are prevention, early detection, and rapid treatment. To learn more, see the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH)Stop Bedbugs Safelyguide.

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Tenants should report the presence of bed bugs to the property owner. If the property owner does not address the condition, file a complaint online or call 311.

When responding to complaints about bedbugs, HPD inspectors will ask tenants where they have observed bedbugs and will perform a thorough inspection of the corresponding area. Additionally, inspectors may check the edges of mattresses, around headboards, bed frames, the crevices of sofas, various furniture items, door frames, etc. A violation will be issued if the inspector is able to visually confirm the presence of live bed bugs.

Property Owner Requirements

The Housing Maintenance Code and Health Code both require that property owners address infestations promptly.

The surest strategies to keep bed bugs from spreading are prevention, early detection, and rapid treatment. To learn more, see the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) Stop Bedbugs Safely guide.

Bed bug infestations usually require the services of well-trained, licensed pest management professionals, also called exterminators. New York State law requires that property owners hire only pest control professionals licensed by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC)to treat apartments for bed bugs. The pest control professional should perform an inspection to confirm the presence of bed bugs and to eliminate bed bugs, if necessary. Property owners are expected to make follow-up visits to ensure that there are no signs of a bed bug infestation.

Property owners of rental residential properties are now required to file a Bed Bug Annual Report. See the Bed Bug Annual Report Requirement section of this webpage for the additional requirements. Once the Bed Bug Annual Report has been filed, the property owner is required to either provide the filing receipt to each tenant (upon commencement of a new lease and with each lease renewal) OR post the filing receipt in a prominent location in the building. In addition, the property owner must either distribute to each tenant or post the DOHMH Stop Bedbugs Safely guide, which provides information on the prevention, detection, and removal of bedbugs.

Bed Bug Annual Report Requirement

Local Law 69 of 2017 requires that all multiple dwelling property owners must attempt to obtain the bed bug infestation history from the tenant or unit owner, including whether eradication measures were employed for a bedbug infestation.

Complete your Annual Bed Bug Report. Pursuant to the law, HPD will make the submitted information publicly available through HPDONLINE. This filing is FREE and requires only five pieces of information which you must provide. Please be aware that some companies are reaching out to property owners attempting to obtain significant fees for the filing of this report. This report is required to be filed by the property owner or agent and has no cost associated with the filing.

The online application will only allow validly registered property owners and managing agents of multiple dwellings to disclose bedbug infestation history. A buildings property registration must be current. If you have not registered your property, please do so by visitingProperty Registration.

Based on public feedback, HPD made a paper form available for property owners who are not able to file electronically due to lack of email or access to a computer. HPD is adopting rules that will clarify that only non-corporate owners, who generally own smaller buildings and may have less available resources for electronic submission, may submit paper reports, as well as clarifying that submission of paper bedbug reports by corporate owners will be rejected and the submission will be deemed noncompliant. Corporate owners, including corporations, LLCs, condominium corporations, cooperatives, and other corporate ownership types must use the electronic form as stated in section 27-2018.2

This adopted rule will make it easier for smaller property owners to file the required bedbug reports while ensuring that corporate property owners continue to meet the electronic filing requirements.

Property owners will be required to file annually between December 1and December 31 for the previous year from November 1 through October 31.

Property owners will be required to report the following information:

When submitting, the owner will certify that either:

Once the Bed Bug Annual Report has been filed, the property owner is required to either provide the filing receipt to each tenant (upon commencement of a new lease and with each lease renewal) OR post the filing receipt in a prominent location in the building. In addition, the property owner must either distribute to each tenant or post the DOHMH's Stop Bed Bugs Safelyguide, which provides information on the prevention, detection, and removal of bedbugs.

Only property owners who file as individual owners or joint owners can file a report using theBed Bug Annual Filing Forminstead of using the portal above. Please follow all instructions carefully. The Form is also available in the following languages:

Please note that New York State law requires property owners to disclose bedbug infestation history dating back one year to new tenants through theBedbug Disclosure Form. For more information, visit theNYS Homes and Community Renewalwebsite.

Questions?See theBedbugs Annual Report FAQs.

Tenants should report the presence of bed bugs to the property owner. If the property owner does not address the condition, file a complaint online or call 311.

If the HPD inspector finds bedbugs, the property owner is issued an HPD Notice of Violation (NOV) ordering that the condition be addressed. When a NOV is issued by HPD, the property owner also receives a DOHMH Order of the Commissioner. The Commissioners order provides property owners more detail on the requirements for addressing bedbugs, including:

Certification of HPD's NOV is the only required notification back to the City that the condition has been corrected as instructed. There is no response directly to the DOHMH. The HPD Certification of Correction requires a sworn statement that the above corrective actions have been taken, in compliance with the DOHMH Commissioners Order.For information about completing your certification documents for HPD, you can contact your Borough Service Center or certify online usingeCertification.

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Bedbugs - HPD - NYC.gov