38-12-1003. Bed bugs - inspections - treatments - costs

38-12-1003. Bed bugs - inspections - treatments - costs. (1) If a landlord obtains an inspection for bed bugs, the landlord must provide written notice to the tenant within two business days after the inspection indicating whether the dwelling unit contains bed bugs.

(2) If a qualified inspector conducting an inspection determines that neither the dwelling unit nor any contiguous dwelling unit contains bed bugs, the notice provided by the landlord pursuant to subsection (1) of this section must inform the tenant that if the tenant remains concerned that the dwelling unit contains bed bugs, the tenant may contact the local health department to report such concerns.

(3) If a qualified inspector conducting an inspection determines that a dwelling unit or any contiguous dwelling unit contains bed bugs in any stage of the life cycle, the qualified inspector shall provide a report of the determination to the landlord within twenty-four hours; except that, for any such determination that is made by a qualified inspector licensed by the commissioner of agriculture pursuant to article 10 of title 35, the qualified inspector shall provide the report in accordance with rules promulgated by the commissioner of agriculture pursuant to said article 10. Not later than five business days after the date of the inspection, the landlord shall commence reasonable measures, as determined by the qualified inspector, to effectively treat the bed bug presence, including retaining the services of a pest control agent to treat the dwelling unit and any contiguous dwelling unit.

(4) Except as otherwise provided in this part 10, a landlord is responsible for all costs associated with an inspection for, and treatment of, bed bugs. Nothing in this section prohibits a tenant from contacting any agency at any time concerning the presence of bed bugs.