D.F. from Hartford County, Connecticut writes:
Dear Mister Condo,
Bedbugs and cockroaches have become a problem. Is there any standard on who is responsible for paying for elimination of these pests? We have Board Members who says “you brought them in, you get rid of them”. We do not live in a high rise, but individual units attached to each other.
Mister Condo replies:
D.F., I am sorry that you are living with unwanted pests in your condominium. While I don’t think the Board needs to comment on how the vermin got into the building, they are likely correct in that the extermination is up to the individual unit owners. I am not aware of any standard that would make the association responsible for such extermination. I will say that it might make sense for the unit owners to work together, especially those side by side where infestation have occurred. Even the smallest gap between buildings can allow the vermin to move from one unit to the next. Speak with an extermination company and see what they have to say on the matter. If their recommendation is to treat the entire condominium (all units), the Board might reconsider simply handling the task and assigning the costs to the individual units. All the best!