BED BUGS AND OTHER INFESTATIONS – tenants

If you find evidence of bed bugs, inform your landlord in writing right away, and request that they treat the problem. Remember to keep a copy of the signed and dated letter that you send them. It is also a good idea to take pictures and take other steps to gather evidence of the problem, such as having a friend come over to witness it. If you find a bug, try to trap it and keep it in a sealed plastic bag. This will be helpful to show to both your landlord and the pest control company.

You can use our template letter Bedbugs, Rodents or Pests.

Your landlord should hire a professional pest control company to inspect your unit, and if bed bugs are confirmed, treat it. Neither you nor your landlord should attempt to treat the bed bugs on your own.

If your landlord has not hired a pest control company within a reasonable period of time, you can apply for dispute resolution at the Residential Tenancy Branch (RTB) and request an order for your landlord to treat the unit. See our page on Applying for Dispute Resolutionfor more information.

You can also contact the city that you live in. Some cities have Standards of Maintenance bylaws, which often require landlords to treat infestations. A city may send a bylaw, health, or building inspector to inspect your unit and order the landlord to treat the infestation.

Do not throw away your belongings without getting instructions on how to dispose of items properly. It is also not a good idea to start sleeping on the couch, as this will just spread the infestation to the living room.

Discovering bed bugs is usually not an accepted reason for ending a tenancy early.Nor is it a valid reason to withhold rent, even if your landlord is ignoring the problem. Again, you will need to apply for dispute resolution through the RTB.

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BED BUGS AND OTHER INFESTATIONS - tenants