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Good Evening, bedbugs anyone

RE123RE

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Jan 22, 2016
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Hello,
Good evening,
A friend has rude tenants in one of his apartments. They curse him loudly, often, and tell everyone they know how much they hate my friend.
Most of his other tenants will say he is the best landlord they have ever had.
Now the rude tenants found bedbugs in their apartment. It is a 3-plex and no bedbugs were found in the other 2 unit.
Therefore, the rude tenants or/and their visitors probably brought the bedbugs.
My friend has just paid a reputable pest control company to spray/treat their apartment for bedbugs.
Can he ask the tenants to pay him for his expense? Would you do that? Is it more legit to only ask for half? Does he have a good chance to win in court if they don't pay?
He never asked tenants to pay for that before but these are so mean he will gladly do that if possible.
Thank you
 

Paresh

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What is your obligation in Alberta as Landlord? Does landlord pay even though lot often bedbugs comes from tenant using used furniture or used mattresses?
 

Courtney Hammond

Courtney Hammond
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Jan 18, 2016
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In Alberta- the landlord is responsible to get rid of the bugs. They may attempt to ask for compensation from the tenant but the chances of winning in court if the tenant disagrees is slim.

If it is a single family home and the landlord can prove that the house was bedbug free when the tenant rented it (very hard to do- I was told that if you lived there before then you'd have better ground, and/or had a bedbug dog come through the unit documenting that the house was free of bugs upon rental... or if the tenants were there for multiple years).

In the case posted above- because it's a multi family it becomes really hard to win as bedbugs travel. You would have to prove that it was them that brought them in- by proving the other units didn't have any. You would also have to prove that they weren't in the unit before.

It is hard to win in court. Much better to have tenants agree to share costs- but the above tenants do not sound like they would be willing.
 

RE123RE

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Much better to have tenants agree to share costs- but the above tenants do not sound like they would be willing.
Ontario's law is similar.
Correct, they would not be willing. Is there any risk taking the case to court asking the tenants to pay Half? In other words, while it may be uncommon to ask (even disgusting) tenants to pay for bedbug treatment, is it also unreasonable land-lording? In other words, nothing to lose (upsetting the court/pissing off the judge etc.) by taking them to court for this, right?
Thank you
 

Courtney Hammond

Courtney Hammond
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I'd say it would be a waste of my time and court costs. But that's just me. I would call the landlord/tenant board for Ontario and ask.
 

dpeacock

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We rented a condo in calgary a few years ago and noticed flour bugs crawling around and they got into neighbouring tenants units. We eventually found the source. A bag of flour we had bought was infested with the bugs. Easy to prove we were the culprits. We paid for pest control. Bedbugs? Can you prove the source?
 

Cory Sperle

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Sep 1, 2010
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It's a shame you weren't in Alberta or Saskatchewan, you could just double his rent. Missing from the conversation is whether they actually found bugs or not, as I have had tenants in the past that just didn't like me (or anyone) and it was a fun game for them to see how much money they could cost me. Typically they set traps and or get a dog and only spray if they actually find some, not sure if this is the case here.
 

adriano

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If I had tenant like that and was abusive I would get rid of them anyways. I would do whatever I had to , to get rid of this kind of tenant and find new , better tenants. Besides you are already out the money and I wouldn't waste anymore time on this. Just my thoughts
 
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