Frequently Asked Questions

Your first stop for self-help is a review of our FAQs. Take a look at the ever increasing collection of questions asked by Ontario’s small-scale landlords as well as the actual answers provided by Landlord’s Self-Help Centre.

Landlords should first determine the amount of time it will take to resolve the issue. If only for a few hours or one day, the landlord can pay the tenant compensation for that one day. The tenant also has a responsibility to comply with preparation to fumigate. If the tenant is persistent about staying in a hotel, the landlord can either help them pay for the temporary accommodation OR they can give the tenant compensation (based on the number of days the tenant has to be out of the unit).

How to calculate compensation for a day: (rent per month x 12)/ 365= daily rate

It seems that your question is more about how to deal with the owner of the neighbouring property, as a possible source of the infestation, than it is about eradicating the infestation from your own property.

I can offer the following links – one dealing with the bylaw enforcement side of things, and the other from our own website which deals with the problem from the landlord perspective. You may get your answer from speaking with the Municipal Licensing and Standards or Public Health staff person. However, we can only help you address the pressing issue of eradicating the pests.

You should arrange with a pest control professional if possible, as soon as you can, to begin treatment of your own property. They may wish to notify the neighbour based on their own protocols.

It is not the tenant’s responsibility to treat or spray for pests or vermin of any kind, as a landlord you will have to deal with the problem yourself. It is not usually a good idea to let the tenant take the lead on this for practical reasons.

Regarding entry into the property, a landlord can enter a rental unit and do a maintenance inspection provided that the landlord provides the tenant with 24 hour written notice, specifying the date and time of entry between 8am and 8pm, as well as the reason for entry, the day of entry and the time of entry. The time of entry must be between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. It is advisable to specify that the inspection will be done by a pest control company, along with you or your designated agent if you are out of town.

This link from our website explains the landlord’s obligations in treating the property, paying for the treatments, etc.: https://landlordselfhelp.com/blog/tenants-not-responsible-treatment-bed-bugs/

This link from the City of Toronto (as an example) covers the issue of furniture and usual disposal practices: https://www.toronto.ca/community-people/health-wellness-care/health-programs-advice/bed-bugs/

The lease wording will not override the landlord’s obligations to maintain the property and comply with health and housing standards. Working with the pest control company and getting proper cooperation from the tenant is crucial, so open communication, giving proper notices to enter, etc., will be very important in dealing with this problem.

It is the responsibility of the landlord to ensure the property is pest and vermin-free. This means that you are expected to do and pay for a thorough pest eradication, and this is best done by professionals. It is not relevant to the Board how the bugs get into the building, the landlord is responsible for the maintenance of the building including pest control.

Although the Residential Tenancies Act does not address the issue of bed bugs specifically, bed bug infestations still fall under maintenance issues and the landlord’s obligation to ensure that the unit complies with health, safety, housing and maintenance standards.  Please refer to the City of Toronto Fact Sheet on bed bugs at http://www.toronto.ca/health/bedbugs/

It is the landlord’s responsibility to maintain the rental unit which includes any problems with bed bugs and other pests. It is not relevant to the Board how the bugs get into the building, the landlord is responsible for the maintenance of the building including pest control rankhaya.com.

The Residential Tenancies Act requires landlords to maintain the property and ensure that it complies with health, safety, housing and maintenance standards. It is usually very difficult to prove how bed bugs were introduced to the rental property, therefore it is up to the landlord to take steps to correct the problem. To ensure the effectiveness of your efforts, a landlord will also need the tenant’s help and co-operation. Here is a link to the City of Toronto’s information about bed bugs, http://www.toronto.ca/health/bedbugs/

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