Bedbugs: Information for Tenants and Building Owners - NYC Health

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Bedbugs: Information for Tenants and Building Owners

The resources on this page can help you prevent bedbug infestations and safely control them when they occur.

Prevention

Bedbugs can enter homes by latching on to used furniture, luggage, clothing and by traveling along connecting pipes and wiring.

Tenants

Ask your landlord or building manager to seal any cracks and crevices to prevent bedbugs and other pests from entering the home. Never take in furniture found on the street. If you think you have been around bedbugs, immediately wash and dry your clothing for at least 30 minutes on high heat, or store them in a sealed plastic bag until you can wash them

Building Owners

Provide tenants with information on how to identify and prevent bedbugs. Help tenants if they cannot move furniture themselves or need help getting rid of clutter.

Encourage tenants to report bedbugs as soon as they think they have a problem. If an apartment is found to have bedbugs, notify and inspect all units that are across, above and below the infested one.

Hire a pest management professional to treat for bedbugs. Give advance notice to tenants of the planned use of pesticides. Be wary of companies that make unrealistic claims about controlling infestations with just one visit. Seek a company that provides a warranty as well as a follow up visit.

Inspect your units after vacancy. Make sure vacant units are thoroughly cleaned and free of pests before a new tenant moves in.

Stop Bedbugs Safely (PDF)

Choosing and Working with a Pest Control Company (PDF)

NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development: Bedbugs

Tenant Rights

Tenants in New York City have the right to a bedbug-free environment. Bedbugs are specifically named in the list of insects that building owners are legally required to eradicate.

New York City lists bedbugs as a Class B violation. This means they are considered hazardous. The landlord has 30 days to correct this problem. The landlord must get rid of the infestation and keep the affected units from getting infested again.

Property owners must provide tenants with a written bedbug history notice (PDF). This should disclose any bedbug infestations that have occurred in their building in the past year.

You can file a bedbug complaint online or by calling 311.

Additional Resources

Disposal Protocol (PDF)
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Is it a Bed Bug, Cockroach or Carpet Beetle? (PDF)
Other languages: Español | 繁體中文 | Русский | Kreyòl ayisyen | 한국어

Minimal Pest Control Practices (PDF)

More Information

Bedbugs Main Page