New law forces landlords to notify tenants of bed bug infestations in NY
NEW YORK (PIX11) – It's every New Yorker's worst nightmare and lawmakers are pushing to stop the spread of bed bugs.
A law signed by Gov. Kathy Hochul will now require landlords to notify tenants of bed bugs within three days of the infestation. They'll only be forced, though, to let renters in close proximity to the infestation or directly at risk know.
Other tenants in the building can be informed by a publicly posted notice if the infestation reaches common areas.
There is a similar law already in effect in New York City, which requires landlords to provide a history of any bed bug infestations within a building over the prior year at the time the lease is signed.
The law goes into effect on Dec. 22.
New York City took second place for the city with the most calls for bed bug issues in 2023, according to Orkin. The city with the most calls was Chicago.
Erin Pflaumer is a digital content producer from Long Island who has covered both local and national news since 2018. She joined PIX11 in 2023. See more of her work here.