The county rule
“601. If dwelling or dwelling unit becomes infested with rodents or insects due to the failure of the owner to maintain the dwelling or dwelling unit in a reasonably rodent-proof or insect-proof condition, extermination shall be the responsibility of the owner. In all other cases, extermination shall be the responsibility of the occupant of the dwelling or dwelling unit.
602. The occupants of a dwelling or dwelling unit shall keep the areas they occupy and control in a clean condition and shall cause no condition of filth, infestation by vermin, or condition hazardous to life or health. The owner of a dwelling or dwelling unit shall be responsible for maintenance and cleanliness of portions of the dwelling or dwelling unit not subject to the use and control of an occupant.” (Housing Regulations for Kent County, Michigan, as amended 2002)
Section 403 adds that no one may offer for occupancy a unit “which is unsanitary or vermin infested.” The Kent County Health Department enforces these regulations and takes reports at 616-632-6900 (Environmental Health, 700 Fuller Avenue NE).
Three defaults, one county
| Jurisdiction | Default for an infestation inside an occupied unit |
|---|---|
| State Housing Law (MCL 125.474) | Owner keeps “the entire building free from vermin”; tenant keeps their part clean |
| City of Grand Rapids (IPMC 309 as adopted) | Owner before renting and for shared areas; occupant ongoing unless a structural defect caused it; both where occupant failure caused it |
| Kent County outside the city (Reg. 601) | Occupant, unless the owner’s failure to keep the unit insect-proof caused it |
The state statute sits above both local rules, and the state manual’s reading is that owners are responsible for the building. In practice a county-area landlord and tenant arguing over who pays are arguing about cause, and cause is what an inspection establishes: where the bugs are concentrated, what life stages are present, whether the neighbors have them, whether there is a gap in the wall.
Which office
The county health department says it handles housing concerns “outside the jurisdiction of the City of Grand Rapids”; inside the city, Code Compliance (616-456-3053). The county publishes no bed bug fact sheet or statistics of its own; its page links the state and EPA.