Chicago couple sues landlord over bed bug infestation

Two tenants have sued their landlord over an alleged infestation of bed bugs that has gone untreated.

Paul Banfield and Peggy Miller filed suit March 11 in Cook County Circuit Court against Joenile Albert-Reese.

According to the complaint, Albert-Reese, who lives in the 6500 block of W. Wabansia Ave., Chicago, owns Unit 3, next door to the plaintiffs in Unit 2, at 2312 N. Nagle Ave. The plaintiffs also lease the unit from the defendant.

The suit says in May 2014, Unit 2 experienced an infestation of bed bugs and, when the plaintiffs contacted the landlord June 9, 2014, they were told she was "aware of the bug infestation and that it had been remedied by pest control services."
But the problem persisted in Unit 2, the lawsuit states, which required the plaintiffs "to pay for monthly heat and chemical treatments to remediate."

Despite sending a Jan. 21, 2015, letter to the defendant, demanding the infestation be remedied by Feb. 2, no remediation has been done to eradicate the infestation, which migrates often into Unit 2, the suit states.

The plaintiffs cite a public nuisance in violation of city code and a private nuisance.

Banfield and Miller seek unspecified preliminary and permanent injunctive relief, including attorney fees and court costs. They are represented by attorneys Susan A. Stoddard and Mark E. Shure, of Latimer, LeVay and Fyock, in Chicago.

Cook County Circuit Court case number: 15-CH-04130.