What to do if my husband and I moved into an apartment 3 months ago and we started seeing bites?
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What to do if my husband and I moved into an apartment 3 months ago and we started seeing bites?
We did not find evidence of these bites until 1 week ago when we finally saw bed bugs. I notified my landlord and it took 3 days for them to come out. The exterminator confirmed it was bed bugs and told me he knew he was going to be back out because we share an adjacent wall with the neighbors that he said was highly infested. I asked my landlord why I was not informed of this before I signed the lease when she knew that it was an infestation and she said because of a privacy law. I asked for a copy of this privacy law and she does not have one. Can I sue?
Asked on June 27, 2012 under Real Estate Law, North Carolina
Answers:
FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 12 years ago | Contributor
Under the laws of all states in this country a landlord is required to disclose all material facts concerning a rental to a potential tenant affecting desirability and price paid. If the landlord knew that his rental had a bed bug infestation before he rented such to you and did not disclose such material fact to you, the landlord has committed a tort called "concealment".
The "privacy" issue concerning other tenants claimed by the landlord is nonsense.
From what you have written, it seems as though you have the factual and legal basis against your landlord for a legal action for damages which would be a reduced rental value of your unit while infested with the bed bugs.
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