As an exterminator and a landlord I have noted many occasions where tenant panic caused bed bugs to spread to other areas in multi family complexes. Notably people immediately treated their bed bugs with non residual pyrethroids (RAID, KONK, etc) which caused the bugs to move to other suites, dragged their mattress down the hallway infesting other suites via the hallway, and shaking out their infested clothing in the laundry room causing the suites beside the laundry room to become infested. As such I revised my rental agreement for my own apartment block to warn tenants of these dangers. Also I found that tenants that sleep on beds with legs do not spread bugs throughout the suite as thoroughly because the bugs are mostly in the box spring. I prefer to carefully wrap these items and heat sterilize them which gets rid of the bugs and is safer for neighbouring suites. The following are items added to my rental agreement in the age of bed bugs:
Do not bring used furniture or items into the building from unknown sources (ie pawn shops, salvation army, used stores, dumpster, alleyway, etc.).
All insect and rodent control measures must be authorized by the landlord. Never use “RAID” or similar domestic products. Always seek the advice of the manager before taking any action. Any tenant that sprays “RAID” on a bed bug will be evicted immediately and assessed all costs for all damages that result.
Tenants must have a bed with legs and must sleep on this bed. Mattresses on the floor are not allowed.
Tenants that move any item out of a bed bug infested suite without wrapping it in plastic will be evicted and assessed all costs for the damages that result.
Tenants agree to purchase bed bug friendly furniture. Large couches that, when stood on end, do not fit easily under the doorway, should be avoided. If it is determined that a suite has bed bugs and a couch is larger than outlined above it will be cut in half and discarded to avoid infesting common areas as it is removed.
Tenants agree to take all safety precautions (such as wearing freshly dried clothing after visiting potentially infested homes) when visiting homes known to contain bed bugs. Tenants agree to refuse entry to visitors known to have bed bugs in their home.
