The New York Post reports that New York City Council and Bloomberg administration officials will announce stepped-up rules today targeting landlords who neglect bed bug problems in their buildings.

Under the new rules — which take effect immediately — building owners must inspect and treat apartments next to, above and below any unit that has bed bugs. They also must notify all tenants when bedbugs have been detected and distribute a plan on eradicating them.

Property owners who repeatedly fail to take care of bedbug infestations will be required to get a licensed exterminator to fill out a sworn affidavit indicating the problem has been handled.

The Department of Health will be empowered to send landlords who ignore bedbugs to the city’s Environmental Control Board, which can issue fines. Presently, only the Department of Housing Preservation and Development can issue violations to landlords for bed bugs.

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Source: New York Post