BED BUG EDUCATIONAL INFORMATION

Transcription

1 BED BUG EDUCATIONAL INFORMATION They're back and they're bigger than ever: After a decades-long hiatus, bedbugs have made a creepy-crawly comeback in hotels, office buildings, department stores -- you name it -- all across the U.S. In fact, according to a recent poll conducted by the National Pest Management Association ( 95% of the pest control companies surveyed reported a bedbug infestation within the last year -- up an astounding 70% from more than a decade ago. The pesky critters can induce itchy, red welts and enough anxiety to make travelers wonder if they should stay home. Luckily, there are plenty of precautionary measures to reduce the risks of an encounter while on the road. Sleep better at night by following these expert tips ( What Do Bedbugs Look Like? Wingless bedbugs range in size from 1 to 7 millimeters, are reddish brown, and flat and oval in shape. Adult bed bugs are flat and are the size of poppy seeds. Fecal droppings (brown or black stains that look like pepper flakes), shed skins, and the tinier translucent eggs and nymphs (juveniles) are evidence of the live pest. Blood stains on mattress seams, sheets, furniture, baseboards and crack in furniture are also signs. Lots of other pests are easily confused with bed bugs. ( ) If you Travel, What Steps Should You Take?? If you travel, a hard-shelled suitcase has fewer folds and seams where bedbugs can hide. Pack your belongings -- clothes, toiletries, shoes -- in sealable plastic bags, and open only when accessing the items. Alternatively, consider wrapping your entire pack in a trash bag to stave off potential infestations during your travels. Many travelers throw a suitcase on the bed or keep the bag zipped up on the floor in hopes of keeping out any wandering scourges. Instead, place your baggage -- including any purses, backpacks, or camera bags -- on a luggage rack or in the bathroom, where there are fewer nooks and crannies. How to Inspect Your Hotel Room and Your Home Bedbugs like to lodge themselves into cracks, crevices, folds, and ruffles in areas frequently trafficked by humans. When you arrive, pull back the covers of the bed and inspect under the linens and pillows. Use a flashlight if necessary. Look in the seams and sides of the mattress, box spring, and frame, and then check behind the headboard. The majority of the pests away from the bed will be within close proximity: under and around nightstands and lamps, and in the pleats of upholstered furniture (a favored hideaway) and drapes. The bloodsuckers can also reside behind wall hangings, such as mirrors and paintings. When You Get Home Even just a few of these critters can start a full-blown infestation, should you inadvertently carry them back to your abode. Conduct a thorough inspection of your suitcase outdoors or in the garage, away from furniture and sleeping areas. If you live in an apartment, use your balcony, bathtub, or shower (bedbugs have a harder time crawling up smooth surfaces and are easier to spot against light colors). In the worst-case

2 scenario, keep the suitcase out in the hallway. Pay special attention to pockets, linings, and seams. Then thoroughly vacuum or steam clean the bag before stowing it away. Wash all of your clothes -- even those unworn -- on a high-heat setting, and dry for at least 30 minutes. This will kill any previously undetected bugs. Other Precautions: Bed bugs can enter homes by latching onto used furniture, luggage and clothing, and by traveling along connecting pipes and wiring. Never bring bed frames, mattresses, box springs or upholstered furniture found on the street into your home. Check all used or rented furniture for bed bugs. If you suspect you have been around bed bugs, immediately wash and dry your clothing on hot settings or store it in a sealed plastic bag until you can. How to Clean and Disinfect: Get rid of clutter to reduce places bedbugs can hide. After checking them for bed bugs, consider putting non-essential belongings into storage until the bed bugs are gone from your home. Check all items again before returning. Wipe off dead bugs, blood stains, eggs and droppings with hot soapy water. Wash all items showing bed bug stains in hot water (140oF) and dry on the highest setting for at least 20 minutes. Other clean items suspected of having bed bugs should be placed in a hot dryer for at least 20 minutes to kill bed bugs. After drying, store items in sealed plastic bags until you are sure you have gotten rid of bed bugs. Vacuum carpets, floors, bed frames, furniture, cracks and crevices daily, using the brush and crevice tools. Empty the vacuum or seal and dispose of its bag outside of your home after each use. Enclose infested mattresses and box springs in a cover that is labeled allergen rated, for dust mites, or for bed bugs for at least a full year. Periodically check for rips or openings and tape these up. Treatment is Required! Any bed bug issue must be treated immediately and you must comply with any protocol provided by the company providing the treatment. Follow up treatments are frequently required. Over-the-Counter foggers and bug bombs are not effective against these bugs. Never spray the top of a mattress or sofa. Tenant: Tenant:

3 CRIME FREE ADDENDUM TO RENTAL AGREEMENT In consideration of the execution of or renewal of a lease of the unit identified in the rental agreement, the parties agree as follows: 1. Tenant, any members of the tenant's household or a guest or other person under the tenant's control shall not engage in criminal activity, including drug-related criminal activity, on or near the said premises. Drug- related criminal activity means the illegal manufacture, sale, distribution, use, or possession with intent to manufacture, sell, distribute, or use of a controlled substance (as defined in Section 102 or the Controlled Substance Act {21 U.S.C. 02}). 2. Tenant, any member of the tenant's household or a guest of other person under the tenant's control, shall not engage in any act intended to facilitate criminal activity, including drug-related criminal activity, on or near the said premises. 3. Tenant, any member of the household or guest, will not permit the unit to be used for, or to facilitate, criminal activity, including drug-related, regardless of whether the individual engaging in such activity is a member of the household or guest. 4. Tenant, any member of the tenant's household or guest, or another person under the tenant's control, shall not engage in the unlawful manufacturing, selling, using, storing, keeping or giving of a controlled substance as defined in A.R.S , at any locations, whether on or near the premises or otherwise. 5. Tenant, any member of the tenant's household, or a guest or another person under the tenant's control shall not engage in any illegal activity, including prostitution, as defined in A.R.S , criminal street gang activity as defined in A.R.S and , threatening or intimidating as prohibited in A.R.S , assault as prohibited in A.R.S including but not limited to the unlawful discharge of firearms, on or near the premises or any breach of the rental agreement that otherwise jeopardizes the health, safety and welfare of the landlord, his agent or other tenant or involving imminent or actual serious property damage, as defined in A.R.S (A). 6. VIOLATION OF THE ABOVE PROVISIONS SHALL BE A MATERIAL AND IRREPARABLE VIOLATION OF THE RENTAL AGREEMENT AND GOOD CAUSE FOR IMMEDIATE TERMINATION OF THE TENANCY. A single violation of any of the provisions of this added addendum shall be deemed a serious violation and a material and irreparable non-compliance. It is understood that a single violation shall be good cause for immediate termination of the rental agreement under A.R.S Unless otherwise provided by law, proof of violation shall not require criminal conviction but shall be by a preponderance of the evidence. 7. In case of conflict between the provisions of this addendum and any other provisions of the rental agreement, the provisions of the addendum shall govern. 8. Tenant hereby authorizes Landlord to use all police generated reports as direct evidence in all eviction hearings and trials for violation of this addendum. 9. This ADDENDUM is incorporated into the rental agreement executed or renewed this day between Landlord and Resident. Tenant acknowledges that if the lease is terminated all rental concessions were become due and owing and that the tenant will be liable for lease-break fees and all rent due for the remainder of the lease term. LANDLORD: TENANT: TENANT: DATE: DATE: DATE:

4 PERMISSION FOR ACCESS FOLLOWING DEATH, INCAPACIATION, or INCARCERATION I, (tenant) hereby authorize the following person(s) to access my apartment/home for the sole purpose of removing all of my possessions in the event that I pass away, become incapacitated, or incarcerated: (contact name) (contact phone number) (contact address) I understand that if the Landlord is unable to contact the above named person at the address and phone number provided by me, or if the above named person fails to respond to my landlord's request to remove the items within ten (10) days, then my Landlord may proceed with deeming these items abandoned under the Abandonment Statute, ARS , and may dispose of all property remaining in the unit pursuant to Arizona law. If the authorized person(s) come to retrieve the property, that person must present to the Landlord a valid United States government issued identification confirming that person's identity before the property can be removed. If the authorized person contacts the Landlord within 10 days of the Landlord's initial attempt to contact them, then that person shall have twenty (20) days, or the last day for which rent is paid, whichever is longer, to remove the property and return the keys, during regular business hours. If the property is not completely removed, the Landlord shall abide by ARS The Landlord may destroy or otherwise dispose of some or all of the property if the value of the property is so low that the cost of moving, storage and conducting a public sale exceeds the amount that would be realized from the sale. Following the above, the Landlord shall have no further liability to the Tenant, Tenant's Estate, and Tenant's Heirs for loss, damage or stolen property. If the authorized person fails to voluntarily leave the premises after the agreed upon access period, the Landlord shall have the right to immediately lock the premises and require the authorized person to leave. If the authorized person fails to leave upon request, the Landlord shall have the immediate right to call the police and have them removed. Nothing in this agreement, or by permitting access, will constitute the creation of a new lease with the authorized person nor otherwise authorize that person to reside in the property during the period that they are removing said items. Landlord: Tenant: Tenant:

5 KEY ADDENDUM Tenants have received the following keys and remote controls: Front door keys: ($55.00 each) Garage door handle keys: ($25.00 each) Mailbox keys: ($65.00 each) Mailbox number: Garage door remote controls: ($45.00 each) Community pool keys: ($50.00 each) Side entry gate keys (padlock): ($15.00 each) Community guarded entry remotes: ($50.00 each) Community gate code: Other: ($ each) If the items mentioned above are not returned at the end of the lease term, replacement costs to the right of each column will be deducted from the tenant s Security Deposit. Tenant Date Tenant Date Property Manager Date

6 NOTIFICATION OF ENFORCEMENT OF CRIME FREE ADDENDUM TO RENTAL AGREEMENT To: All Residents Arizona recently passed a Medical Marijuana law that permits the limited use of Medical Marijuana in specific and limited circumstances. The State of Arizona has adopted, or is in the process of adopting, rules that govern the manner of establishing the regulations for the use of medical marijuana. Despite Arizona s new law, the federal Controlled Substance Act (CSA) categorizes marijuana as a Schedule 1 substance and the manufacture, distribution, or possession of marijuana is a federal criminal offense. See 21 U.S.C. 801 et seq. Furthermore, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has sent out a Memorandum that specifically states that the use of marijuana for medical purposes violates federal law and that federal and state nondiscrimination laws do not require landlords to accommodate requests by current or prospective residents with disabilities to use medical marijuana. See Medical Use of Marijuana and Reasonable Accommodation in Federal Public and Assisted Housing dated January 20, This property has determined that the use, possession, distribution or manufacture of marijuana has been determined to interfere with the health, safety, welfare and right to peaceful enjoyment of the premises by other residents. As such, the management hereby informs and reminds all tenants that they signed a Crime Free Addendum when they moved in and, pursuant to that addendum and the supporting federal laws, any use of marijuana (medical or otherwise) by the tenant or their guests will result in an immediate termination. If you have any questions or concerns about this policy, please speak to management LANDLORD: TENANT: TENANT:

7 PEST ADDENDUM This agreement is an addendum to the lease agreement dated between the landlord and the tenant for the premises located at. The parties hereby acknowledge that Arizona is located in a desert and, as such, there are many pests that thrive in the desert and some that arrive from other areas. Both parties hereby acknowledge that they each have independent duties to help control pest issues and that each party must work with the other party to address these issues in a timely manner to avoid pest infestations. The use of the word "pest" includes, but is not limited to: roaches, bedbugs, ants, scorpions, spiders, mice, and rats. Obligations of the Landlord: The landlord agrees to inspect the unit prior to renting the unit for pests and to pre-treat the home in the event that any pests are detected. In the event that pests or vermin are detected in the unit and reported by the tenant, the Landlord agrees to take all reasonable steps necessary to control or destroy the pests by using the proper protocol as determined by a licensed pest control service. This requirement in no way limits the landlord's right to use staff to remedy the situation. Landlord agrees to provide the first treatment at no cost to tenant, unless there is evidence that the tenant and/or their guest created the environment that could have or actually did create the pest problem. Landlord agrees to take all reasonable steps to address any identified pest issue. Obligations of the Tenant: The tenant agrees to take reasonable steps to prevent, control and report any signs of pests within two days. Notification shall constitute Tenant's permission for the Landlord to enter the unit to inspect. Both parties agrees that because a pest issue needs immediate attention, the parties agree that the Landlord shall provide a 48 written notice delivered either to the Tenant, to the door or electronically to the Tenant. Tenant agrees to visually inspect for signs of pests routinely, including after they have visited another home or a hotel, all of their shoes, clothing and luggage. Tenant agrees to prepare their unit for treatment and comply with all recommendations and requests from management and pest control specialists prior to the professional treatment including but not limited to: placing all food in properly sealed containers and cleaning the home and all food preparation areas on a daily basis. Tenant agrees that they will not knowingly or negligently bring any items into the unit that may be infested with pests or create any condition that would cause pest issues. Tenant agrees to keep the home in a clean and debris free condition. Tenant agrees to pay for any treatments in excess of the first treatment and that amount is due and owing as rent and payable on or before the next rental due date. If the Tenant does not have the unit properly prepared for the initial treatment, the Tenant agrees to be liable for that service fee. Tenant agrees that breach of any of these obligations will constitute a breach of the lease and may result in an eviction action and/or a claim for the damages incurred by landlord. Bedbugs: If bedbugs are discovered in the unit or in a surrounding unit, the tenant agrees to comply with additional steps including but not limited to any protocol provided by the pest control company and: 1) Placing all bedding, drapes, and rugs in bags to be transported for laundry or dry cleaning. Wash and dry all machine-washable items in the hottest setting. Dry clean any items that are not washable and notify the drycleaner of the issue so that proper steps may be taken to remedy the issue. 2) Removing or destroying all infected mattresses in sealed plastic and away from the common trash disposal area. Discard any other items that can not be treated in the same manner. 3) Emptying all closets and furniture from the area during treatment and not returning any of those items until they have been cleared by the pest control specialist. Follow instructions on how to properly clean or destroy any infected items. 4) Deeply vacuum all areas of the unit including but not limited to closets and furniture. Follow instructions on how to properly discard vacuum contents. 5) Move all of the furniture away from the walls and leave access to closet areas.

8 Other: The tenant acknowledges that the Owner is not an insurer of tenant's property and in encouraged to have insurance to cover any losses. Furthermore the tenant agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Owner and its agents from any claims, including attorney fees, which the tenant may incur as a result of the negligent or intentional acts of the tenant or their guests. Tenant may be liable for failing to comply with this addendum. Owner and its agents shall not be liable to tenant or their guests for any harm as a result of any pest issue other than for the intentional failure to address a pest issue. By signing below, the undersigned acknowledge and agree to the above addendums. All occupants over the age of 18 must sign this Addendum. Failure to execute and return the Addendum will constitute a material breach of the Lease. Tenant Landlord Tenant