Who is responsible in a rental
Section 20(1) of Ontario's Residential Tenancies Act makes the landlord responsible for keeping a residential complex, including the units, in a good state of repair and fit for habitation, and for complying with health, safety, housing and maintenance standards. The Landlord and Tenant Board's guideline on maintenance lists an infestation of rodents or vermin as an example of a condition that can make a unit unfit to live in.
Tenants have duties too. The Board's guide to the Act says a tenant must keep the unit to ordinary cleanliness. The Board's guide explains when a landlord may enter for work or inspection, including the usual requirement for 24 hours' written notice stating the reason and a time between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.; exceptions can apply.
Tell your landlord in writing as soon as you see signs, and keep a copy. If the landlord does not act, a tenant can ask the Landlord and Tenant Board about a maintenance application. Keep records of the problem, notices and access arrangements.
Who is allowed to treat
Under Ontario's pesticide rules, anyone who applies pesticides commercially on property they or their employer do not own needs an exterminator licence, unless exempt. A pesticide extermination business may also need an operator licence unless exempt. Structural extermination is one Ontario licence category.
Ask any provider who proposes pesticide work which Ontario exterminator and operator licences or exemptions apply, and request the treatment instructions in writing.
Health Canada strongly recommends hiring a licensed professional pest control operator for bed bugs. Ask the provider which products and preparation steps apply to the property.
Heat or chemical treatment
Heat works because bed bugs cannot survive high temperatures. Health Canada says bed bugs die at 50°C. Heat treatment should be planned and carried out by a professional; the method, duration and follow-up depend on the property and the provider's assessment.
A licensed provider can explain whether a registered pesticide is appropriate, where it would be used, and whether return visits are needed. Do not assume a fixed visit count.
In a multi-unit building, ask management and the provider whether nearby units also need assessment. Health Canada says treatment is effective when physical control and prevention are used together.
Costs depend on the unit, treatment method, preparation and proposed visit plan. Ask a local contractor for a written quote that explains scope and follow-up.
How to prepare the unit
Your pest control company will give you a list. Follow it closely. Preparation depends on the provider's instructions. Health Canada describes steps such as these for a multi-unit dwelling:
Empty dressers, night tables and storage furniture so they can be inspected. Bag your belongings and keep them sealed. Wash bedding, mattress pads, curtains and clothing in hot water and dry them on the hottest setting. Put small items that cannot be washed, and dry-clean-only items, in a hot dryer for 30 minutes or more. Move furniture away from the walls.
Vacuum daily, with a stiff brush attachment on mattress seams, and seal the vacuum contents in a bag before throwing it out. Do not move furniture or bags into another unit, a storage locker or a friend's place. That is how bed bugs spread.
After treatment
Ask the provider what signs to monitor after treatment, whether furniture should be moved, and when follow-up is appropriate. Follow the written instructions for the chosen method.
Do not rely on outdoor winter temperatures as a treatment. Health Canada says freezing small items requires four days of consistent cold at -19°C and may still not kill every bed bug; ask a professional how to handle larger items.
Report any new signs to your landlord in writing, and keep records of every visit.