The bed bug bill

jrmb

I'm sorry it's not a more pleasant topic, but I've just moved into a shared flat where there are three other guys. The guys have talked about experiencing lesions for a couple of months. Now they've concluded that the cause is bed bugs, and we need someone to treat the house. The question now is who pays the bill.

In the great scheme of things it's not a lot of money but I've just finished college and on top of rent, deposit and workwear, it's quite a big unforeseen expense. Even if the responsibility would lie with the tenant (See what I did there?), surely this is like being sold something faulty.

The apartment and the location are fine, but by no means perfect. If it weren't a rental, I would be replacing the beds, carpets etc immediately, simply because they're long past their best. It's clearly an old building with quite a few flats, and the carpet in the stairwell has seen much better days.

The pest control company presumes that the landlord is paying, and of course then it would be a company expense (no tax, or the chance to pocket the "tax"). It sounds to me like that's the norm and he knows it. He's cheekily agreeing to "make a contribution" (which could of course mean anything) but "one of you brought them in". After this I probably wouldn't sign anything for this guy.

Personally, I haven't seen evidence or felt any effects of this. It doesn't feel like my own expense, and as I'm the only local in the house, I feel like fighting these guys' battle is becoming an expectation more than a favour :mad:

To thicken the plot, I haven't signed anything. I "bought out" the last person who left and got a receipt from him, with the landlord's knowledge. Would there be any consequence if we paid for the treatment and deducted it from the coming month's rent? He said nothing about the PRTB, and I've got a feeling that we would win in a small claim.

Thanks for your replies, and apologies for the itching you're probably feeling

runawaybishop

jrmb wrote: »

I'm sorry it's not a more pleasant topic, but I've just moved into a shared flat where there are three other guys. The guys have talked about experiencing lesions for a couple of months. Now they've concluded that the cause is bed bugs, and we need someone to treat the house. The question now is who pays the bill.

In the great scheme of things it's not a lot of money but I've just finished college and on top of rent, deposit and workwear, it's quite a big unforeseen expense. Even if the responsibility would lie with the tenant (See what I did there?), surely this is like being sold something faulty.

The apartment and the location are fine, but by no means perfect. If it weren't a rental, I would be replacing the beds, carpets etc immediately, simply because they're long past their best. It's clearly an old building with quite a few flats, and the carpet in the stairwell has seen much better days.

The pest control company presumes that the landlord is paying, and of course then it would be a company expense (no tax, or the chance to pocket the "tax"). It sounds to me like that's the norm and he knows it. He's cheekily agreeing to "make a contribution" (which could of course mean anything) but "one of you brought them in". After this I probably wouldn't sign anything for this guy.

Personally, I haven't seen evidence or felt any effects of this. It doesn't feel like my own expense, and as I'm the only local in the house, I feel like fighting these guys' battle is becoming an expectation more than a favour :mad:

To thicken the plot, I haven't signed anything. I "bought out" the last person who left and got a receipt from him, with the landlord's knowledge. Would there be any consequence if we paid for the treatment and deducted it from the coming month's rent? He said nothing about the PRTB, and I've got a feeling that we would win in a small claim.

Thanks for your replies, and apologies for the itching you're probably feeling

Rent is pretty much always did in full by default. You may be able to come to an arrangement with the ll. It needs sorting, both for you and future tenants. Afaik it is the LLs responsibility to get rid of them.

jrmb

runawaybishop wrote: »

Rent is pretty much always did in full by default. You may be able to come to an arrangement with the ll. It needs sorting, both for you and future tenants. Afaik it is the LLs responsibility to get rid of them.

Thank you. Yeah, the pest control company appears to think that's the case. The statute says that work on the structure and the fittings are his responsibility, but pest control isn't mentioned. I think he's playing dumb. Thanks.

wordofwarning

runawaybishop wrote: »

Rent is pretty much always did in full by default. You may be able to come to an arrangement with the ll. It needs sorting, both for you and future tenants. Afaik it is the LLs responsibility to get rid of them.

Why would it be the landlord's responsibility? One of the tenant's clearly brought them into the property. They are not mice or rats, which come in by their own. A tenant brought this into the property

jrmb

wordofwarning wrote: »

Why would it be the landlord's responsibility? One of the tenant's clearly brought them into the property. They are not mice or rats, which come in by their own. A tenant brought this into the property

It could have come through a neighbouring flat - often there's discarded old furniture inside the front door. The spraying involves work on the structure and furniture (which aren't mine) and the problem predates me moving in (albeit by a dubiously long time, from what they're saying).

Having to organise and pay for a deep clean in my first fortnight here leaves quite a bitter taste.

Ms Doubtfire1

it's the LL responsibility-unless you brought them in yourself..the feckers can be dormant for a long time

Vermin and pests (bed bugs etc)

Normally it would be you the tenant, as occupier, that would be responsible for dealing with vermin and pests such as bed bugs although your landlord may be liable if they fail to provide storage facilities for waste and ensure that your property is in good structural condition and that external walls do not contain holes or cracks that would allow vermin to enter the property.

runawaybishop

wordofwarning wrote: »

Why would it be the landlord's responsibility? One of the tenant's clearly brought them into the property. They are not mice or rats, which come in by their own. A tenant brought this into the property

Which tenant? The old ones or the current? Unless the LL has proof he got pest control in when the old ones left tenant can easily claim they were there all along - they can hibernate for 18 months.

The op is only in the door and the other tenants seem to have had them months before.