Bed Bugs! Chicago Ordinance Rules To Help Prevent Critter Cramps!

Happy Holidays from Levin Law, Ltd!  We are busy at work preparing for 2015 and want to talk bugs.  Bugs?  Yes.  Bugs.  Specifically, bed bugs, and how they can affect even the cleanest, spic-and-span-cleanest-homes, from Detroit to L.A.  Here in Chicago, we hear sometimes about rental issues and the pesky critters, but what is often not clear is how to deal with them, who can do what, and what who should do!  (Yes, I said that.)

What we mean is:  Everyone is responsible to avoid and treat and get rid of bed bugs.  There is no clear language in any law that makes the landlord or the tenant, or the city, or your mother, responsible for bed bugs.  They come in from anywhere, everywhere and somewhere.  Therefore, anyone and everyone and specifically someone is responsible for getting them out-out-out.  That means me, you and THEM!  

Here in the city of Chicago, the Chicago Residential Landlord Tenant Ordinance requires that landlords now provide Bedbug Pamphlets, notifying tenants of specific rules to follow, prevention tips and infestation suggestions to assist with bedbug issues.  Both landlords and tenants have rules to follow, and the landlord is charged with the obligation of extermination.  However, if the tenants don't follow all rules, then anything the landlord does may not work.  Big picture?  Everyone to work together, together. 

Some main ideas and rules I'm sharing today are as follows, courtesy of the City of Chicago!

Bed bugs are small, flat, wingless insects.  They feed on blood and can be a nuisance for individuals. They are named for their tendency to live on mattresses or other parts of a bed.  They can be found in homes, condominiums, apartments, hotels, schools, dormitories, shelters, offices and many other places.  In 2013, the City Council passed an ordinance to help address the problem of bed bugs.  That ordinance is available here. The requirements established by this ordinance follow:

Rental Housing

The ordinance established several requirements for both landlords and tenants.  Among these is a requirement that landlords must provide a brochure on bed bugs to tenants when signing a new or renewing an existing lease or other rental agreement (note this does not apply to owner-occupied buildings containing six units or less).  

Condominium and Cooperative Buildings

All governing associations need to have a written plan to address bed bugs.  A sample plan was created to assist associations in developing their plans.  

Other Requirements

• Requires every business licensed by the City of Chicago to provide pest control services when a bed bug problem occurs on their premises.
• Prohibits hotels or other establishments that provide sleeping accommodations from renting rooms with a bed bug problem.
• Prohibits the disposal of any bed bug infested item except when the item is totally enclosed in a plastic bag and labeled as being infested with bed bugs.
• Prohibits the recycling of any bed bug infested item.
• Requires sellers of secondhand bedding to provide notices to consumers that the bedding is made in whole or part from secondhand material or has been previously owned or used.
• Requires sellers of new and secondhand bedding to inspect it and if found to be soiled, malodorous or infested with pests, prohibits them from selling it and requires it to be properly disposed.

All in all folks.... be sure to keep it clean!  Wash your belongings on HIGH HEAT, and do not bring in trash and used furniture or mattresses from sources you do not know.  Anything can be infested. 

For more news on landlord/tenant laws and news you can use, check out our website at www.levinlawltd.com, or find us on Yelp at Levin Law, Ltd!