Bed Bugs in an Arizona Rental: What Landlords and Tenants Should Know
- The Arizona statute in plain words
- Who usually pays
- Letter of findings
- Licensed & insured, AZ #8129
When bed bugs turn up in a rental, the landlord and the tenant both want to know who has to deal with it and who pays. Arizona has a statute on bed bugs in rental housing, and it sets a few duties for landlords and for tenants. Who pays is another matter, and in John Taylor's experience it comes down to the lease.
John is not a lawyer, and this page is not legal advice.
- Tenants can hire John directly
- Findings put in writing when you ask
- One treated unit is covered by the warranty
- Move-in and move-out inspections for a single unit at no charge
Call 623-451-0541 for a free in-home inspection. Calls answered 7 days a week, 7 AM to 7 PM.
What Arizona's bed bug statute says
The statute is A.R.S. 33-1319, on bed bug control and the obligations of landlords and tenants. It defines bed bugs as any insect in the genus Cimex, and its eggs, and it defines an infestation as the presence of bed bugs sufficient to materially affect the health and safety of tenants and their guests.
What the statute asks of a landlord
A landlord must provide bed bug educational materials to existing and new tenants. The statute lists what those may include, such as how to prevent and control bed bugs and what they look like. A landlord may also not enter into a lease for a unit the landlord knows has a current bed bug infestation.
What the statute asks of a tenant
A tenant may not knowingly move materials that are infested with bed bugs into a unit. A tenant who knows that bed bugs are present must notify the landlord in writing or electronically.
What the statute does not do
It does not say who pays for treatment. It does not apply to the landlord and tenant of a single-family residence. And it says that, except as it specifically provides, it does not create a right for a tenant to sue a landlord, or a landlord to sue a tenant, for damages caused by bed bugs. It also states that it does not limit other rights, remedies, or obligations under Arizona's landlord-tenant law.
This is a plain-language summary and not legal advice. Read the statute or speak with an attorney about your situation.
Who usually pays for bed bug treatment in a rental
John says it depends on the lease the tenant signed, and that every rental is different. Most often, he sees the landlord pay the first time, and the tenant pay the second time. Your lease may say something else, so read it.
How John judges who brought the bed bugs in
A landlord may suspect the tenant brought the bed bugs in, and a tenant may believe they were already there. John goes by timing. If the problem started right after the tenant moved in, the chances are very high that the bed bugs were already there. If it started much later, they were more likely to have come in with the tenant.
That is a rule of thumb. It is the kind of professional opinion he can put in a letter after he has inspected the unit.
Common situations, and what John can do
There is no charge for a move-in or a move-out inspection. The exception is a whole building that would take John hours to go through; then he agrees on a plan with you and keeps the price as low as he can. A dispute inspection is free like any other, and the letter is arranged case by case. Call John at 623-451-0541 to talk through what you need.
If you are a tenant
If your rental is covered by the statute, it requires a tenant who knows of bed bugs to give the landlord written or electronic notice (described above). Leave the unit as it is until John has inspected it. Do not throw furniture away or put it outside, and do not set off a bug bomb.
If your landlord does not act, John sees tenants either file a complaint or pay for the treatment themselves to resolve the problem. You can call us directly whether or not your landlord is involved. When a tenant hires us, John deals with the tenant and goes over the prep with them.
If you are a landlord or a property manager
When a tenant reports bed bugs, John checks the unit, confirms whether bed bugs are present, rates the infestation, and assesses whether an adjoining unit may be involved. He does not treat neighboring units automatically. In a managed property, management arranges access to the unit.
Between tenants, John can inspect an empty unit for you.
What the letter says, and what it does not
If you want John's findings in writing, ask. The letter states what he found during the inspection and his professional opinion of the situation. That is all it does. It is not a legal finding, and it does not decide who pays.
Whose warranty it is when a rental is treated
Every treatment includes a second visit two weeks later and a one-year warranty. In a rental, the warranty belongs to whoever paid for the treatment, at that address. If the landlord paid, it is the landlord's. If the tenant hired us directly, it is the tenant's, and it does not move with the tenant to a new home. In an apartment building, the unit John treated is covered on its own, as long as the prep was done and the second visit happened. If there is any reason a job cannot be warrantied, John tells you before treatment.
The price depends on the work the unit needs, and John gives it at the inspection.
What Phoenix-area customers say
Read what customers say about the inspection, the treatment, and John.
Read all our Google reviewsQuestions landlords and tenants ask
Is my landlord required to pay for bed bug treatment in Arizona?
The bed bug statute does not say who pays. John's answer is that it depends on the lease. In his experience, the landlord often pays the first time.
Do I have to tell my landlord about bed bugs?
If the rental is not a single-family house, yes; see "What the statute asks of a tenant" above.
Can you tell who brought the bed bugs in?
Not for certain. John goes by when the problem started, and what he gives you is an opinion.
Can John's letter be used in a court case or an insurance claim?
John will write the letter for a dispute, a court case, or an insurance claim, but it states only what he found and his professional opinion. Whether a court or an insurer gives it weight is up to them; an attorney can tell you more.
Call John, whether you are the tenant or the landlord
Call 623-451-0541 for a free in-home inspection. Calls answered 7 days a week, 7 AM to 7 PM.
What to have ready when you call
- Whether you are the tenant, the landlord, or the manager
- What has been seen, and in which unit
- Whether you need the findings in writing
