Queens, New York, is known for making many contributions to the world of music and sports. For example, the punk rock band, the Ramones, hails from the Queens area as do rappers 50 Cent and Nikki Minaj. Comedian Jerry Seinfeld and musician Paul Simon graduated from Queens College. In sports, the Citi Field Stadium – one of the most recognizable ballparks in the nation – proudly calls the Queens region home.
Unfortunately, Queens is also known for bed bug infestations within its numerous rental units. These infestations have resulted in litigious landlord-tenant disputes over the years. Landlords are often targeted in these lawsuits, which can result in huge financial losses if the tenant wins his or her case.
Our attorneys would like to offer our landlord neighbors a few tips for avoiding landlord-tenant disputes revolving around the presence of these tenacious pests. By working to ensure that you remain protected if your tenants complain about bed bugs, you can save your reputation as a responsible landlord. You can also keep your money where it belongs – safely in your financial accounts.
- Make sure your rental units are inspected regularly for bed bugs
- Before renting out a home, search for bed bugs yourself in the unit’s walls, floor cracks and electrical outlets
- Take photos of the bed-bug free unit before your tenants take residence
- Consider having an attorney look over your rental agreements to see what kind of protective clauses you may wish to include in your contracts
In most litigious landlord-tenant disputes involving the presence of bed bugs, landlords are not well-protected. However, it is possible to overcome these conflicts if property owners take steps to prevent infestations before they have a chance to occur.
In cases where a tenant brought the pests into a building, landlords may wish to consider asking an attorney for guidance. You can learn more about your legal options when facing landlord-tenant disputes by reading more of our website.
