CVR 13-140-031 § 6
Pest and Bedbug Control and Management
Operative Text
6.1 Owner Responsibilities: 6.1.1 The owner of a dwelling shall maintain all common spaces free from infestation. 6.1.2 The owner of a dwelling shall be responsible for extermination of infestation in all common spaces. 6.1.3 The owner of a dwelling shall be responsible for extermination of any infestation in any dwelling unit when infestation in a dwelling unit is caused by his or her failure to maintain the dwelling or infestation exists in two or more of the dwelling units in any dwelling. 6.1.4 The owner of a rooming house shall maintain all rooming units and common spaces free from infestation and shall be responsible for extermination. 6.2 Occupant Responsibilities: The occupant of each dwelling unit shall maintain that part of the dwelling he or she exclusively occupies free from infestation and shall be responsible for extermination when the infestation is caused by his or her failure to maintain the dwelling unit except as provided for in Section 6.1.3. 6.3 Extermination of Pest Animals and Bedbugs: Extermination shall be accomplished by eliminating the harborage place of pests and bedbugs, by removing or making inaccessible materials that may serve as their food or breeding ground and by treatments including but not limited to poisoning, spraying, fumigating, heat treating, or trapping.
CVR 13-140-031 § 6 divides pest and bedbug control responsibilities between property owners and occupants based on where an infestation occurs and what caused it. Owners are generally responsible for keeping common areas pest-free and for exterminating infestations in individual units when the owner's own maintenance failures contributed or when two or more units in the same building are affected. Occupants bear responsibility for pest control within their own exclusively occupied space when their own maintenance failures are the cause, except in the situations where owner responsibility applies. Approved extermination methods under this provision include eliminating harborage places, removing food or breeding sources, and treatments such as poisoning, spraying, fumigating, heat treating, or trapping.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under CVR 13-140-031 § 6, compliant property owners routinely inspect and maintain all common areas to prevent pest and bedbug harborage, promptly arrange extermination in common spaces whenever infestation is detected, and take responsibility for unit-level extermination when a building-wide infestation affects two or more units or when deferred maintenance contributed to the problem. Rooming house operators face a broader duty that extends to keeping every rooming unit—not just common areas—free from infestation. Documenting maintenance activities and inspection records can help demonstrate that any unit-level infestation was not caused by an owner's failure to maintain the property.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
CVR 13-140-031 § 6 gives occupants a clear framework for understanding when pest or bedbug control is the owner's obligation rather than their own: if an infestation stems from the owner's failure to maintain the building, or if two or more units in the same dwelling are affected, the owner is responsible for extermination. Tenants who believe an owner is not meeting these obligations may raise the violation as a defense in housing proceedings, file a complaint with their local code enforcement or health authority, or reach out to a tenant-rights organization for guidance on available options. Keeping written records of reported infestations and any communications with the owner can be useful when pursuing any of these paths.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 26, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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