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Legislator seeks statewide rules for bedbug notification, landlord responsibility
Summary
Senator Kenyon told the committee that S.999/H.1568 would require landlords to inspect and remediate bedbug infestations within defined timeframes, provide tenants with notices and give the Department of Public Health (DPH) guidance and public information.
Senator Kenyon asked the Joint Committee on Housing to report Senate Bill 999 (and companion H.1568) favorably, describing a legislative package that would create notification and remediation requirements for bedbug infestations in rental housing.
The bill would require landlords to engage a certified applicator within 10 business days of notification, conduct an inspection and complete follow‑up visual checks within 30 days after a certified applicator reports control of the infestation. The draft also includes tenant and landlord notice requirements and asks the Department of Public Health to maintain public guidance on prevention and treatment.
Kenyon described the emotional and economic toll of severe infestations, recounting a personal family experience in which a condominium experienced widespread infestation that led the senator’s parents to discard furniture and ultimately move. “The impacts are absolutely devastating,” he said. The bill would also provide that property owners who comply with the statutory requirements are not liable for damages arising from infestations.
Committee members asked whether relocation costs would be covered in large remediations. Kenyon said insurance or renter’s insurance sometimes covers displacement costs, but the bill is intended primarily to provide proactive standards so infestations do not escalate to large building‑wide events.
No committee vote was taken. The senator said he had support from the Greater Boston Real Estate Board and asked for a favorable report.
