Pest Infestation Notice to Landlord (Bed Bugs, Roaches, Rodents — Free Template)

[Your Full Name]
[Rental Unit Address]
[City, State ZIP]
[Phone] [Email]

[Date]

[Landlord's Name or Property Management Company]
[Landlord's Address]
[City, State ZIP]

Sent via certified mail, return receipt requested
(Email copy also sent to [landlord email] for the record.)

Re: Formal Notice of Pest Infestation and Demand for Professional Extermination — [Rental Unit Address]

Dear [Landlord's Name]:

I am the tenant at the above address under the lease dated [Lease Date]. I am writing to give you formal written notice — pursuant to the implied warranty of habitability and the specific pest-control provisions of [State / city] law (see, e.g., Cal. Civ. Code § 1941.1(a)(6); Tex. Prop. Code § 92.052; Fla. Stat. § 83.51(2)(a)(2); RCW 59.18.060(4); NYC Admin. Code §§ 27-2017 et seq. (Local Law 55); SF Health Code Art. 11A § 621; Chicago Mun. Code Ch. 7-28 Art. VIII) — of the following pest infestation in the unit:

  Pest type: [bed bugs / German cockroaches / mice / rats / other]
  Locations within the unit:
    • [e.g., "bedroom mattress seams"]
    • [e.g., "kitchen baseboard along east wall"]
    • [e.g., "shared wall with unit 3B"]
  First observed: [Date]
  Subsequent observations: [Dates]
  Evidence enclosed: [photos, video stills, exterminator reports, neighbor complaints, 311/HPD complaint numbers if filed]

Prior reports:
  • [Date — verbal/text/email — to whom]
  • [Date — same format]

I am requesting that you, within [city/state deadline — e.g., 10 days under Chicago Mun. Code Ch. 7-28 for bed bugs; 7 days under Tex. Prop. Code § 92.056(d); 30 days under Ohio Rev. Code § 5321.07; "reasonable time" otherwise]:

  1. Engage a licensed pest control operator or pest management professional (not a building employee with a can of pesticide) to inspect the unit and any adjacent units where the infestation is likely to have spread.

  2. Treat the unit using an integrated pest management approach consistent with [NYC Local Law 55 / SF Health Code § 621 / Chicago Bed Bug Ordinance / state pesticide rules].

  3. For bed bug or cockroach infestations in a multi-unit building: inspect and, if needed, treat the units directly above, below, and on each side of mine, as required by Chicago Mun. Code Ch. 7-28-840 and by sound pest-management practice everywhere else.

  4. Provide me with written documentation of (a) the pest control operator's findings, (b) the treatment plan and dates of service, (c) any follow-up treatments scheduled, and (d) any prep instructions I need to follow.

  5. If treatment will require me to vacate the unit temporarily, provide written notice consistent with my lease and applicable state law (Florida § 83.51(2)(b) allows up to 4 days vacate with rent abatement), and propose a plan for any alternative accommodation.

I am also putting on the record any state or city pre-lease disclosure rights I may have:
  • [California: bed-bug disclosure required at lease signing under Civ. Code § 1954.603]
  • [NYC: bed-bug history disclosure to incoming tenants under Admin. Code § 27-2018.1]
  • [San Francisco: 2-year bed-bug history disclosure required under Health Code Art. 11A]

If you do not respond in writing within [Number, commonly 5] days, or fail to address the infestation within the timeframe above, I intend to pursue the remedies available under [State / city] law, including filing a complaint with the local housing or health department, repair-and-deduct where authorized, rent withholding into escrow where the procedure exists, and termination of the lease for breach of the warranty of habitability. NYC HPD penalties for noncompliance with LL 55 can reach $10,000 per violation; Chicago Mun. Code Ch. 7-28 imposes fines of $300–$2,000 per day for bed-bug ordinance violations.

I would prefer to resolve this cooperatively and quickly. Please confirm receipt and a proposed schedule.

Sincerely,

[Your Signature]
[Your Printed Name]

Enclosures: [photos, prior text/email reports, any exterminator estimates, city complaint numbers]