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Bed Bug Law in Michigan - what are landlord's obligations?

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mlambie

Junior Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Michigan

4 months ago, my girlfriend and i discovered mysterious bites all over our bodies, in close proximity, and usually near our arms and elbows. we did some research and found out the lines of bites in proximity was an indicator of bed bugs. We had lived in another rental property of the same landlord across the street and had never had any bed bug problem. We moved from the old apartment into the new one and eventually we found the tell tale signs of bed bugs, including the bugs themselves, on and around our apartment, especially on the bed and the couch. we consulted our landlord immediately, who sent his maintenance man to our apartment to spray for bed bugs. eventually the infestation grew worse, and they spread from just the bed to the couch. we called our landlord again who said he would be sending his maintenance man (not a professional exterminator) every monday to spray the apartment. In the following months the maintenance man has come over a handful of times, usually only when we reminded to send someone. We got bed covers that trap the bed bugs on the inside, but just recently we discovered them on the bed again. We spoke to our landlord again complaining and asking him to hire a professional. He instead wanted us to turn the heat off in the apartment, open the windows and freeze them out, and that failing, would call the exterminator. We are getting very frustrated with his complacency but we do not know what his (or our) legal obligations are in terms of handling the bed bugs.

any help would be appreciated.
 


Isis1

Senior Member
i got to be honest. i have never actually heard of bed bugs being rid of by spraying. what usually happens, is the offending furniture needs to be thrown out.

and trapping them inside a mattress cover......ugh. i got chills up and down my arms from the thought of unzipping that cover one day.
 

JETX

Senior Member
but we do not know what his (or our) legal obligations are in terms of handling the bed bugs.
Bed bugs are NOT a 'landlord pest' as they are usually brought into the premises (not on their own as ants, etc.). Here is a good flow chart of actions for tenants in Michigan:
http://www.michigan.gov/documents/emergingdiseases/BBflowchart_286041_7.pdf

For more: read the 'Infestation & Treatment' information at the following:
Bed Bugs: How to Get Rid of Bed Bugs, Getting Rid of Bedbugs ? Orkin.com
 

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