Arizona Considers Bedbug Bill

The severity of the bedbug epidemic has lawmakers in Arizona considering a bill that proposes shared responsibilities for property owners and residents in the prevention and management of bedbugs in multifamily housing. Under the proposed bill, property owners will be responsible for:

• Maintaining bedbug-free units.
• Arranging for a unit inspection by a licensed pest control provider within five days of receiving written notice from a resident, and if an infestation exists, providing treatment within five days.
• Providing residents with a written notice of the pest control protocol at least 48 hours before the initial treatment.

Owners also will be prohibited from leasing units that they know to be infested.

Residents' responsibilities include:

• Maintaining the unit free of infestation.
• Not knowingly moving infested furniture into a unit.
• Notifying the owner in writing within 48 hours of discovering an infestation.
• Providing access to the unit for inspection and treatment.
• Adhering to the pest control protocol established by the owner and/or the licensed pest control provider, which includes any pretreatment activities, evacuation of the unit before and after treatment for a required period of time, post-treatment activities, and immediately notifying the owner of reinfestation.

Arizona property owners will be responsible for pest control expenses when their residents comply with the obligations. But residents who don't comply completely with the pest control protocol may be held liable for pest control expenses for their unit, as well as all surrounding units that become infested.