How to Document a Bed Bug Infestation
A dated 311 complaint number, the HPD inspection and violation record, and your own photos and written notices together form the evidence record that supports any later claim about a bed bug problem. Building it starts the day you notice bed bugs — not after the situation escalates. This page walks through each layer and where to find the official record for each one.
Informational only — not legal advice. Consult a qualified attorney or free tenant legal service for your specific situation.
Step 1 — Notify the landlord, then file with 311
NYC HPD's own bed bug guidance tells tenants to report the problem to the property owner first. If the owner doesn't address it, the next step is a complaint through NYC 311 — online, by phone, or through the NYC311 app. HPD schedules an inspection from that complaint.
A gap worth knowing about
NYC's own 311 service-request data shows that HPD does not log bed bugs as their own complaint type. Pest complaints — bed bugs included — are recorded under the complaint type "Unsanitary Condition" with the descriptor "Pests," the same bucket used for other pest issues. Across that category, HPD logged roughly 351,700 such complaints citywide between January 2020 and July 2026 (NYC Open Data, dataset "311 Service Requests from 2020 to Present," ID erm2-nwe9). Because the category itself doesn't distinguish bed bugs from other pests, your own record of the complaint date, the service request number, and what you actually reported matters — the 311 category alone won't say "bed bugs" for you.
Step 2 — Know what the HPD inspection covers
Per HPD's published bed bug guidance, when an inspector responds to a complaint they ask the tenant where bed bugs have been observed, then examine that area — mattress edges, around headboards, bed frames, the crevices of sofas, other furniture, and door frames. A violation is issued only if the inspector visually confirms live bed bugs during that visit; a suspected infestation that isn't seen at the time of inspection may not result in a violation on that visit. Being present, or asking a household member to be present, for the scheduled inspection gives you the chance to point the inspector to what you've observed.
Step 3 — Track the violation, the order, and the correction deadline
If HPD confirms bed bugs, the property owner is issued a Notice of Violation (NOV), and for bed bugs specifically, the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) issues an accompanying Commissioner's Order. That order requires the owner to inspect the cited unit plus adjacent, above, and below units and common areas; hire a pest management professional licensed by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC); and keep a record of the actions taken. The owner certifies the correction back to HPD — there's no separate response owed to DOHMH. In NYC Open Data's violation records, bed bug NOVs are typically written up under the NYC Administrative Code's nuisance-abatement provisions — §27-2018 (vermin nuisance) and §27-2005, alongside New York Multiple Dwelling Law §309 — the same code sections that appear verbatim on the notice itself, which is worth cross-checking against your own copy.
HPD violations carry a class and a correction window: Class A (non-hazardous) gets 90 days, Class B (hazardous) gets 30 days, and Class C (immediately hazardous) requires correction within 24 hours. Worth knowing: in NYC Open Data's Housing Maintenance Code Violations records (dataset ID b2iz-pps8), of the 523,748 violation records whose description text mentions "bed bug" since 2002, 522,968 — about 99.85% — were logged as Class A. Only 774 were Class B and 6 were Class C. In other words, most bed bug violations carry the 90-day window, not a fast-track deadline, which is one more reason a tenant's own dated record matters while the official process runs its course.
You can look up a specific building's open and closed violations, inspection dates, and correction status on HPD Online. The same tool also publishes filings made under Local Law 69 of 2017, which requires owners of multiple dwellings to submit a Bed Bug Annual Report to HPD every December covering bed bug history from the prior November through October.
Step 4 — Keep your own record alongside the official one
The 311 complaint number, the HPD inspection outcome, and the violation record are the official layer. Alongside it, a simple personal log strengthens the overall record:
- Dated, time-stamped photos or video of bites, bed bugs, shed skins, or fecal spotting — taken each time you notice a new sign, not just once.
- A copy of the written notice you gave your landlord, and the date you gave it.
- The 311 service request number and date, saved from the confirmation you receive.
- The date of the HPD inspection and, if issued, the violation number and class.
- Receipts or invoices from any pest control treatment — your own or the landlord's — including the technician's name and license number where shown. When a landlord's own exterminator handles treatment, most licensed NYC operators, including Mike Jacoby, a licensed NYC exterminator, will provide a service record you can request a copy of for your file.
- A copy of your building's Bed Bug Annual Report filing receipt, if your landlord has provided or posted one.
This page describes a documentation process, not legal strategy.
Nothing here is legal advice, and keeping a record does not by itself determine what remedies may be available. For advice about your specific situation, see free and low-cost legal help or consult a qualified attorney.