Bedbug Disclosure Law Passed in NYC

Good night, sleep tight, and don't let the bedbugs bite! Such is the mantra that many a mommies and grandmas tell their young children as they tuck them in and kiss them good night. For the most part, bedbugs don't exist. However, where they do they are a big problem.

One thing that many New Yorkers complained about was that landlords didn't have to tell tenants about the bedbug history of buildings. This made many people susceptible to bedbugs and they didn't even know they were at risk.

Bedbugs munch on the blood of humans, which makes it a public health problem. Bedbugs can get bloodborne diseases, and there's no indication that bedbugs can transmit the diseases or not. It's hard to get rid of them once they appear in your living area. This means that people that move from place to place could take bedbugs with them, further spreading the problem.

After WWII, bedbugs were pretty much eradicated by the use of the now-prohibitied insecticide DDT. They are once again gaining ground in an age where people have traveled to affected areas, and then brought them back to the states. The biggest problem is in large international metropolitan areas such as New York City.

The law signed Thursday in the New York State Senate would require landlords to hand over disclosure forms to vacancy leases.

Those against the bill cited fears that property values of buildings would be driven down. This would further exacerbate the budgetary problems experienced in the city.

Still, prospective tenants express relief that they will be fairly warned of the presence of bedbugs should they have to move to a new building.