How to Proactively Manage Bedbug Infestations and Minimize Liability Issues: A Breakfast Seminar for Managing Agents

You can’t watch the local or national news without hearing about “bedbugs,” those pesky creatures that are making a major resurgence throughout the country.  According to a recent report by a national pest control company, New York City tops the list as the most bedbug-infested city.  To date, there have been 12,768 bedbug complaints and 4,808 violations this year in New York City alone, according to the Department of Housing Preservation and Development.

The surge in bedbug infestations has caused a heightened awareness among managing agents. From the best neighborhoods to the worst, bedbugs have been reported all over and are not only causing pain and discomfort to residents, but proving to be a liability nightmare for building owners and operators.

We will help you understand how these insects enter and spread throughout buildings  and evaluate the different remediation techniques for this timely, annoying, and growing issue.  Please join Seyfarth attorneys Dennis Greenstein, Barry Mandel, Richard Resnik and Entomologist Matthew Remmen, Field Supervisor at Bell Environmental Services, for a useful and practical discussion on how to proactively manage bedbug infestations and the liability issues that may arise.  We will also demystify whether it is ok to sit on fabric chairs in your doctor's waiting room or wood benches in City parks, or whether you may ever safely go to the movies again!

Topics include:

• Effective strategies in prevention and treatment
• New York City Bedbug Disclosure Law
• Warranty of habitability for co-op shareholders and tenants and tenants of condominiums
• Responsibility of abatement and cost for cooperatives, condominiums and rental buildings (Landlord vs. Tenant) 
• Enactment of cooperative house rules and condominium rules and regulations

The briefing is geared toward managing agents and is intended to provide a thorough discussion of the issues raised by boards and residents.

For questions, please contact Jamie Lee at jllee@seyfarth.com.