Being falsely accused and being asked to pay lot of money for bed bugs

By Ajay Mittal

I need advise. How valid is this one sided Bed Bug addendum in the lease agreement which states that renter has responsibility to inform landlord if bugs detected, not treat themselves, accept treatment specified by landlord and pay all charges? This is an unfair one sided agreement. They had to do 4-5 treatments and my life came to a stop for 3 months, actually more. I had pointed out to them that more effective thermal treatments are available and I send them reports of independent evaluations but they did not listen. The heat treatment was going to cost $1100-1200 with warranties and chemical treatment combined. It would not have required me to wash al bedding, clothes, woolens (some 60 loads) and move all furniture to center of room, empty closets, pull put all electronic appliances, carpets, wall jacks, etc. They changed their vendor to Orkin. Orkin’s own web site stated that their treatment is not fool proof. Previously they had a small business as a vendor and they had informed me that they were new and there was another vendor before the. The questions is why did the landlord feel the need to change vendors 3 times in quick succession? Why did 1^st vendor quote them a charge of $150 and this vendor $1900?

Now they are making a false charge against me of bed bug infestation in my apartment which I myself brought to their attention. They are now holding me hostage to paying $1900/- otherwise they will not renew my lease. I have consistently disputed their charges. Meanwhile there are other issues such as broken floor board under the carpet on which management has not taken any issue despite my reminding numerous times since moving in. I also never had this issue in my stay in numerous apartment complexes since last 17 years. They have never presented the bill and have made inconsistent statements to me about past history of inspections, etc. I need help as I can be on the street otherwise. Being unemployed, I will not even find another accommodation easily. They forced me to an ineffective treatment that brought my life to a hold for 3 months, they did not agree to a thermal treatment which was going to cost only $1100/-. First their junior officers told me that before I moved in, their prior inspections by some small vendor did not bring up infestation. Now their director tells me that they never had to do inspection because no previous tenant reported it. They are also lying that my neighbor’s apartment was infected and are charging me for treating one neighbor and neighbors’ neighbor. I had checked with my neighbor and she had told me that she had lived for many years and never had an issue nor did she have an issue now. The vendors sent by management also told me that the treatement at neighbors’ was only precautionary and would be quick. Management is lying and also they have no reason to ask me to pay for neighbor’s neighbor treatment in which one of their employees lived. I also pointed out to them that numerous tenants stayed in this apartment before me and they need not have reported it. Also I was informed by neighbor that this apartment had been vacant for sometime so it is possible that bed bugs hid under the carpet.

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