New California Legislation Tackles Bed Bug Problems in Rental Units
July 1, 2017 Implementation
The California legislature has determined that bed bugs are a significant habitability issue in rental properties, so much so, they have drafted and passed Assembly Bill 551 which imposes new disclosure requirements on landlords, property managers, and owner of rental properties. Beginning July 1, 2017 the new law modifies California Civil Code Sec. 1941.1 and requires landlords, property managers, and owners to provide a prospective tenant (and all other tenants by January 1, 2018), a written notice which provide information about bed bugs, including identification, biology, typical behavior. Importantly, the notification requires tenants to cooperate with landlords, property managers, and owners with prevention and treatment procedures, including the importance of prompt writing reporting by the tenant regarding suspected infestations.