Answer by Gina Chirico

Jerry, Legislation recently introduced in the New Jersey Legislature as Assembly Bill 3203 would force landlords to shoulder the entire financial burden of combating bed bugs by making them solely responsible for conducting annual inspections, distributing and displaying educational material created by the state, immediately treating reported bed bug infestations, and maintaining a bed bug-free environment throughout the apartment building or complex. Similar bills are under consideration in other states. http://knol.google.com/k/landlords-vs-tenants-who-pays-when-bed-bugs-invade# Larry already linked the pdf file but the link above is to his article. Douglas Stern is located in Secaucus, NJ and is the managing partner of Stern Environmental Group and a bed bug extermination expert. I suggest maybe giving him a call or sending him an email. His phone is 888-887-8376; email info@sternenvironmental.com; website: http://www.sternenvironmental.com. Hope you find the answers you are looking for and I think we all agree that regardless of who pays for it, bed bugs must be handled properly.