Are you worried about bed bugs?

According to a recent article in the Toronto Star, some who work in the real estate industry are wondering when home buyers will start including conditions in their offers with respect to whether a property is contaminated with bedbugs.

Apparently, in many major cities, the incidents of bedbugs are on the rise in residential apartments, condos, houses, and even commercial buildings. They are difficult to get rid of and spread very easily.

I don't know of any recent outbreaks in Ottawa, but there have been outbreaks in Toronto, Calgary, Regina and Vancouver.

What can you do to protect yourself as a home or condo buyer? Like most things involving buying a property, the rule of thumb is always "buyer beware". It's probably better to hire an inspector to tell you whether bedbugs (or other insects for that matter ) are present at a property. You might have the option of putting a condition in your offer whereby the seller warrants that the property is free from any insect infestation. However, I think you might have a difficult time after closing trying to prove that there were insects at the property before you took possession.   

This blog entry is intended as general information only and does not constitute legal advice. If you need legal advice, please speak to a lawyer.

Kerry Fox is a real estate lawyer practising in Nepean, Ontario.