Best Way To Deal With Bedbugs?

[Ontariolandlord]

I'm curious about potential solutions.

In today's Toronto Star there there were several perspectives:

New Democrat MPP Cheri DiNovo is pushing for a law forcing landlords to be licensed and their premises inspected for bedbugs, saying Ontario is “doing nothing†to stop the growing scourge of pests.

“The landlord simply doesn’t get their license renewed if they don’t have a bug-free unit,†the MPP for Parkdale-High Park said Thursday in proposing a private member’s bill.

“It protects good landlords and calls bad landlords to account.â€

Landlords would be charged a small fee for each inspection, making the initiative self-funding, DiNovo said.

A group representing landlords who own five units or less—often in the same building where they live themselves—accused DiNovo of “political opportunism†for trying to lump bedbugs in with the larger issue of landlord licensing.

“Let’s focus on the bedbugs first,†said Stuart Henderson of the Ontario Landlords Association, which encourages its members to inspect and thoroughly clean units when tenants leave.

Landlords are “heavily regulated†as is and are required to treat any infestations reported, said Mike Chopowick of the Federation of Rental Housing Providers of Ontario.

another bedbug bill by Liberal MPP Mike Colle (Eglinton-Lawrence) in June that would require landlords to present prospective tenants with a “bedbug information report†before a lease is signed.

http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/bed...ill-would-force-inspections-on-landlords?bn=1

 

[Polkaroo]

I guess it depends on whether you live in and rent the place, live in and own it, or own it but rent it out to someone else. As a renter my way of dealing with bedbugs would be to simply move out.

 

[cdr108]

I found New Democrat MPP Cheri DiNovo's suggestion ridiculous.

bedbugs are typically carried in ... so why should a LL be responsible if a tenant decided to buy a used bed, sofa, etc ... was transferred by someone they sat next to on the bus/subway, etc ...

 

[dt_toronto_geek]

I guess it depends on whether you live in and rent the place, live in and own it, or own it but rent it out to someone else. As a renter my way of dealing with bedbugs would be to simply move out.

Oh that's clever, take the bed bugs with you to your new home for another landlord to deal with.

To my mind the keys here are -

1) Education and assistance - blitz the city with bus shelter posters, ads on the TTC, mailings from the City of Toronto, create a comprehensive website with information on these critters and a budget to help seniors and those not able to deal with the problem to come to their home to help prep. and clean prior to treatments.
2) Improved, safe pesticides to kill these things more efficiently.

This problem is going to get a whole lot worse here before it gets better. At the rate that they are spreading, a year from now everyone will know someone who has had an encounter with bed bugs.

 

[Ontariolandlord]

I found New Democrat MPP Cheri DiNovo's suggestion ridiculous.

bedbugs are typically carried in ... so why should a LL be responsible if a tenant decided to buy a used bed, sofa, etc ... was transferred by someone they sat next to on the bus/subway, etc ...

I personally agree. The organization standing up to DiNovo is www.ontariolandlords.ca A non-profit, educational group. They support good tenants and good landlords...and come down HARD on scum on both sides...support them!

A group representing landlords who own five units or less—often in the same building where they live themselves—accused DiNovo of “political opportunism” for trying to lump bedbugs in with the larger issue of landlord licensing.

“Let’s focus on the bedbugs first,” said Stuart Henderson of the Ontario Landlords Association, which encourages its members to inspect and thoroughly clean units when tenants leave.

 

[PinkLucy]

Check out the Bedbugs thread in the Toronto Issues section

 

[Ontariolandlord]

Check out the Bedbugs thread in the Toronto Issues section

Sorry about that. Could this thread be merged with that one.

Again, sorry about making a new thread on this.