Some Lawrence landlords are worried a proposed city policy to battle bedbugs will end up biting them in the wallets.

City commissioners at their Tuesday evening meeting unanimously agreed to postpone a vote on a bedbug policy until they can assure landlords that they won’t have to pay thousands of dollars to solve a bedbug problem caused by tenants.

Lawrence landlord Greg Polk said he recently had a bedbug problem at one of his rental units that was caused by the tenant purchasing a couch from a thrift store.

“Am I going to have to inspect everything a tenant brings into their apartment?” Polk asked commissioners.

The proposed policy calls for landlords to have a licensed pest control company treat any unit found to have bedbugs within 72 hours of a complaint being filed. But city officials noted on Tuesday that the policy doesn’t say whether the landlord or the tenant must pay for the treatment.

“A lot of times that may end up being a civil matter,” said Brian Jimenez, the city’s code enforcement manager.

Pest control companies have said a typical heat treatment for an apartment or small home could easily run from $900 to $2,000.

Jimenez said he’s aware of some landlords adding a “bedbug addendum” to their lease agreements that spell out the tenant’s responsibility in paying for bedbug treatments.

The Lawrence-Douglas County Health Department reported they received 17 complaints of bedbugs in 2013. Both Jimenez and pest control companies report that the numbers are rising significantly in the community. If left untreated, the bedbugs can spread rapidly to other living units. The tiny pests suck the blood of humans and can cause skin irritations and other health issues.

Commissioners asked city staff members to have more discussion with the landlord community, and bring the policy back for further discussion in future weeks.

In other news, commissioners:

• Unanimously agreed to send out a request for information from companies interested in partnering with the city on providing better broadband service in the community. Proposals will be due in mid-March.

• Unanimously agreed to purchase a $1.2 million combination fire engine and ladder truck. The new vehicle will replace two aging vehicles in the city’s fire department fleet.