If my apartment complex is infested with bed bugs and I was forced to trash all of my furniture, canI get reimbursed for it?
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If my apartment complex is infested with bed bugs and I was forced to trash all of my furniture, canI get reimbursed for it?
I need to move, the place is infested in many apts and the office is aware of the problem but there was only 1 time that there was an extermination in my place. That was last month. I know the protocol is back 2 back extermination. All of my furniture is ruined. They also want to charge me for furnitureIi put in the hallway until my daughters friends could move it 4 me but the workers got to it first. If it wasn’t infested it wouldn’t have been there.
Asked on September 15, 2010 under Real Estate Law, New Jersey
Answers:
M.T.G., Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 13 years ago | Contributor
Bed bug infestation generally falls under the theory that a landlord must insure that an apartment is habitable and free of infestation from bugs. This is known as a warranty of habitability. What you need to do is to make some noise. Call the state department /county/ board of health and ask for an inspector to come down. Get the inspector's name. Whether or not you will be able to collect under the laws in your state will depend on many factors, but it should not deter you from bringing a suit as it is clear that you have damages resulting from the infestation. Try a tenant's organization for help with this as well. Good luck.
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