Tenant or owner: who should pay the bill for bedbug eradication?

Bedbugs are a real nightmare for those who suffer from them. And when they invade a home, the question often arises: tenant or owner, who should cover the cost of bedbug treatment? From detection to financial assistance, discover all the useful information on this unpleasant situation.

Tenant and Landlord Responsibility for Bed Bugs

According to French legislation, the tenant has an obligation to carry out routine maintenance of the accommodation he occupies. However, this does not necessarily include the prevention and eradication of pests such as bedbugs. However, it is important for the tenant to quickly inform the landlord of the presence of these insects so that the latter can take the necessary measures to resolve the problem.

For his part, the owner has the obligation to “guarantee the tenant the proper use and peaceful enjoyment of the accommodation” according to article 6 of law no. 89-462 of July 6, 1989 relating to furnished or unfurnished rentals. A home infested with bedbugs may be considered uninhabitable and therefore not meeting this obligation. Therefore, the owner will have to implement a disinfestation to eliminate bedbugs.

Coverage of detection costs

Detecting bed bugs is an essential step in knowing how and where to treat. This may involve the intervention of a professional or the use of specific traps. This detection may be the responsibility of the tenant who wishes to verify the eradication of pests after treatment, but it may also fall to the owner when he must prove that the accommodation is free of bedbugs before the arrival of a new one. tenant.

Funding for bedbug treatment

Although the law does not clearly specify who must bear the cost of eradicating bedbugs, the text instead invites the owner to take care of it. Indeed, treatment against these insects often requires the intervention of a specialized disinfestation company, which represents a significant cost that the tenant could hardly assume alone.

However, it is possible that the owner refuses to pay the entire bill. In this case, the tenant will then have to contribute financially to the costs generated by the treatment against bedbugs. It is therefore strongly recommended that both parties agree on cost sharing before using an external company.

Financial assistance to eliminate bedbugs

To help people affected by this infestation, certain financial aid can be requested from the competent organizations. For example, in France, the Family Allowance Fund (CAF) offers to cover part of the costs incurred for the eradication of bedbugs if the tenant benefits from certain services such as personalized housing assistance (APL). .

Other aid may be available depending on local authorities or local associations. It is therefore advisable to contact these structures to find out about their systems and to find out if you are eligible for assistance.

Act quickly to avoid proliferation

Whatever the situation, it is essential to act quickly when faced with the presence of bed bugs. The more numerous they are, the more quickly they will spread in the home, making their eradication all the more complex and costly.

Actions to adopt

To limit the risks of bedbug proliferation and facilitate their elimination, it is recommended to adopt some preventive measures:

• Wash bedding regularly at high temperature and vacuum the mattress and box spring
• Treat contaminated items by steaming or freezing them
• Regularly check hidden areas of the bed and baseboards for the presence of bedbugs
• Avoid accumulating too many belongings under the bed to limit refuge areas for pests
• Consult a pest control professional if the problem persists.

Bedbugs aren’t the only pests to deal with

In addition to bedbugs, other pests can invade a home and pose similar problems in terms of liability between tenant and landlord. Among these pests, we find in particular mice, cockroaches and certain types of parasites.

Here again, it is important for the tenant to inform their landlord of the presence of these pests in the accommodation so that the latter can take measures to eradicate the infestation. As for the cost of treatment, it will also be necessary for both parties to discuss sharing the costs incurred, knowing that certain financial aid can also be requested to help people affected by this type of problem.