questions & answers

Question: It is time to renew my lease and a Bed Bug Addendum was added. It has harsh provisions for tenent payment of treatment expenses, even being responsible for adjacent units, even if you did not cause the infestation. The AZ law states you can be charged only if you fail to report. Is this Addendum legal. If I refuse to sign it can I legally be denyed the right to renew my lease? If I do sign it to renew the lease, will it hold up in court? Can you point me toward a lawyer in the Phoenix area who has experience with this? Thank you!

Answer: - As far as can be recollected, the Arizona “bedbug” bill was squashed (pun intended) and therefore has not become law. With respect to other questions involving leases, it would be best to speak with an attorney who can read the specifics of the lease. Two links that may be helpful are: (1) the Housing Counseling Hotline link here, which provides help to tenants and their rights; and (2) The Arizona State Bar link here, which can help locate an attorney.