Who is responsibile for ex-termination for an apartment? Landlord/Leasor?

Hi,
I rented an apartment in Pittsburgh from February 2008. I could see my apartment was infested with Bed bugs. It was only around 3 months I moved into this new apartment. I compalined to the Apartment Lease office and they were rude. They told that they will be exterminating my apartment. But they asked me to pay for extermination which costs around or more than $500 based on the number of infection treatments.
I don't have any furnitures or moved any bed/matress from other place. I bought everything newly once I moved to Pittsburgh.The apartment guys were so rude. The reply that they had given is like 'YOU DO WHATEVER YOU DO, I WILL DO WHATEVER I DO, BUT YOU WILL BE BILLED'.
Is this extermination cost be on the Property owner(Landlord's) or me(Leasor)?

I don't buy any old furnitures or nothing. Moreover I don't have a bed. I use my new airbed and comforter alone. That too I bought after moved to Pittsburgh.

I have been there and done that, and I am sorry you have to go through this.

Your landlord does have to pay, bed bugs fall under the category of health and safety risk. Your landlord does need to take action, and they do need to exterminate not just your unit, but the whole building repeatedly (which is why they are normally so reluctant to do so).

I am willing to bet you moved into an already infected apartment. Bed bugs are a huge problem in urban areas these days. It is likely that your neighbours have a problem, and possibly even a few extra units on the block.

So to start you not only want to call the health department, you want to call the tenants rights board. I would recommend also picking up a large quantity of diatomaceous earth (you can buy it at most nursaries) It is only of the few things that will actually kill bed bugs.

Keep on working with the health department and the tenants rights board. Lean on them, your landlord and document EVERYTHING. Registered letter, email, written correspondences, who and when you spoke to people. DOCUMENT EVERYTHING.

At the end of it all, you will probably by finding a new place to live and replacing many of your belongings.

As a side note you can save some stuff, if you can steam clean it, heat it, or wash it on the hottest of hot water you can save it. If you can seal it in a bin with diatomacioes earth and live without it for 18 months, you can save it.

There is a light at the end of the tunnel. I know what you are going through is terrible and it is only compounded by the fact that your landlord is being an ***. Just fight, for your rights.

Bed bugs are not personal vermin, they live in the carpets, in the walls, on animals, not on people. Sure you are thier favorite snack however they do not live on you. Also bed bugs leave obvious large black stains on everything. Had you have purchased an infected item you surely would have noticed the staining.

In Michigan, it is the Landlord's responsibility. I would check w/your local landlord association and check the library for the rules in your state. You can with hold rent as long as you put it into an escrow account to pay the rent once the problem is solved. If it starts getting ugly, check w/Legal Aid or an attorney, depending on your budget.

If you bought a refurbished bed it could have had bed bugs.

Bed bugs are personal vermin, you bring them with you, they do not come from outside. Your landlord would be no more responsible for them then if you had lice. Is is your bedding that needs treatment, not the landlords property.

I would call a lawyer that offers a free consultation because they will be familiar with your state laws. It sounds like they are slum lords. Good luck.