California Has Some Bed Bugs Issues
California has been trying to work on getting rid of their bed bug issues. However, the heat and being close to the water, they will probably always have a little bit of a bug issue. Last year, Los Angeles was ranked as the fourth worst city in the nation for bedbug infestations. In 2015 it’s ranked at number 2. Probably not the results they want to show tourists.
History has shown that bed bug issues in California go up and down. Since last year California was ranked fourth, this year it’s second and the year before last was second, maybe there’s a trend there?
Los Angeles should be glad though, at least it’s not a reigning champ for bed bugs, like Chicago who has won that nasty award for several years. Of course, California isn’t ranked fourth in bed bug infestation, just Los Angeles. The bay area, including San Francisco, Oakland and San Jose were ranked in 16th last year.
Of course if you have several towns ranking on high infestation lists, then maybe your state does have a bed bug problem. State Assemblyman, Adrin Nazarian from the San Fernando Valley is trying to work on the bed bugs.
Bed Bugs are nasty little critters. They infest and a suck your blood, so of course you’ll want rid of them. Problem is, they’re expensive to get rid of them. The cost can start at $400 to thousands of dollars for removal. This, according to the Nazarian’s office.
To fully get rid of these nasty little bugs it’s not just a come in and spray job. You have to pay for cleaning services, new mattresses, and total extermination. That’s where some serious comes from. That kind of money can “equate to serious burden” in an Los Angeles home, where most individual incomes average, $27,749 a year.
Plus, people tend to get confused about the California law about who is responsible for bed bug removal. Most rental agreements say that the assuring of a clean, vermin free unit is the responsibility of both the tenant and the landlord.
Nazarian had actually recently announced a bill that could possibly make it clear as to who would be responsible for what for both parties when renting.
Tenants would be prohibited from bringing bed bug infested furnishings to a unit (which should be a rule anyways!). If an infestation does happen to pop up then they have to report it within seven days of discovering it. I would make it an HOUR after finding the infestation, but whatever.
The bill would prohibit landlords from renting out an infested unit, which should also already be a rule, and it would also require the landlords to hire a pest control company to eradicate the bed bugs when they’re known to management. Again this should ALREADY be a rule of renting.
Landlords would also have to keep a pest control company on file for in-case an infestation broke out.
Nazarian Statement:
California Rules on Bed Bugs
Of course since California has so many issues with they would have laws on the issue.
If you’re a landlord California State law then requires you to provide as well as MAINTAIN the following: Weather protection at the roof and exterior walls as well as the windows and doors, you must keep the plumbing and gas facilities, as well as a supply of hot and cold running water, Heat (keeping the electrical system, lighting, wiring, and equipment working), clean premises…meaning no filth, rubbish, vermin, and garbage, adequate trash containers, the floors, stairways as well as railings well maintained.
If you’re a renter then you must: keep the unite clean, dispose of trash in a sanitary manner, properly use the plumbing and electrical fixtures, of course not to willfully destroy the unit in anyway, use the rooms for what they were intended to be used for.
California law also requires the tenant to repair any damage that was caused by their own actions or neglect.
CCHealth.Org Says:
A landlord cannot evict or threaten to evict a tenant because the tenant called a governmental agency or asked for bed bug treatment.
Eviction, also known as “Unlawful Detainer”
Remember that tenants have the legal right to withhold rent when the landlord fails to maintain habitable conditions. This is what’s called an Affirmative Defense to an unlawful detainer (eviction).
Top Bed Bug Infested Cities
Bed bugs are becoming quite common unfortunately. They’re expensive to get rid of and apparently do not plan on stopping re-populating. Exterminators, for the most part, get the dirty job of getting rid of these nasty little creatures.
Orkin is a pest control company who deals with all kind of bugs. They have made a list of cities with the big infestation problems.
Number one, Chicago. In the top five, in order are: Detroit, Columbus-Ohio, Los Angeles, and the Cleveland-Akron-Canton Ohio areas.
Orkin says Americans have to spend a lot of money getting rid of bed bugs. In 2013 American’s spent $446 million! In 2004, Americans only spent $70.
Orkin’s Top 10 Changes in ranking since 2013
Chicago
Los Angeles (+1)
Columbus, Ohio (+3)
Detroit (-2)
Cincinnati
Cleveland/Akron/Canton (+2)
Dayton (+4)
Washington D.C. (-1)
Denver (-5)
Indianapolis (+6)
Daniel A. Gibalevich
DAG Law Firm
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