Should my apartment complex pay for furniture I had to throw out?

by Camille H.
(Denver, CO)

We live in an apartment building with 8 units. We had treatment and a follow-up in October, then the bed bugs came back about 4 months later. We were treated again, with another follow-up in April. We got rid of our bed frame and box spring and now think we have to get rid of two expensive couches. When I was first treated, only my apartment was done, not the one next door or below, which is where they were coming from. If the units aren't being treated properly and I'm forced to buy new furniture, should the complex pay for it?

Editor Response

Hi Camille,

We're not lawyers, and the answer depends on your lease and your state and local laws, so this is general information only. Colorado has a bed bug law, in effect since 2020, that requires landlords to pay for inspection and treatment and, once bed bugs are confirmed, to inspect the units that share walls, floors or ceilings with yours. A landlord who doesn't comply can be liable for the tenant's actual damages; whether that covers furniture is a question for a tenant attorney. Keep records: dates of treatments, what was treated, photos, receipts and your written requests to management. Before throwing out more furniture, ask your exterminator whether the couches can be treated and encased instead; discarding furniture often isn't necessary. For reimbursement, put your request in writing, and contact your local tenant rights group, housing authority or a tenant attorney about your rights in Colorado.