After James Joseph's apartment got infested with bed bugs, he sued the building's managing agent for the loss of his "personal property," and was awarded $3,342.83 by the Queens County Civil Court.
While an owner is statutorily obligated to keep a building free of "vermin, dirt, filth, garbage or other thing or matter dangerous to life or health," the Appellate Term, Second Department, could find no basis for property-damage liability--particularly since there was no evidence that the managing agent failed to act with "reasonable diligence," upon learning of the underlying problem.
Think he bugged out?
To view a copy of the Appellate Term's decision, please use this link: Joseph v. Apartment Mgt. Assoc.