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Not a nice subject

Posted: Jun 8, 2012

I am so angry now I can't see straight. The guy who lives downstairs gave me a gift I never wanted or expected. . . . . cockroaches. I saw the first one late Wednesday night, and last night saw the second one. I called my landlord, who lives next door to me. His house is connected to mine. He says he will get right on it and will call an exterminator. A few years ago I had mice due to the guy downstairs. He is a likeable enough guy, and I know my landlord likes him because he is very quiet and pays on time, but how can I push the issue of getting this guy to be more careful with cooking and garbage, etc.? He literally eats at any hour of the day or night, and at times I can smell what he has made up in my kitchen for about two days.

I am super careful, and the only thing that goes in my trash can in the kitchen is paper, etc. Any leftover food, wrappings for meat and fish, any food whatsoever goes immediately into a bag which is tied and placed in my freezer. On trash day I collect what is in the freezer and put it with the other trash and take it to the curb. That way you have no odor, and you are doing your part to discourage pests.

I think my landlord should do a periodic check of his apartment. I feel sick to my stomach. Even if the exterminator goes over the entire house, if the guy's habits don't change it will continue. Sorry for the vent. I needed an ear.

;

Maybe they're not coming from him directly - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
Perhaps another neighbor has them and they have migrated to your units? They don't have to be an adjoining structure - it could be a home or building a few doors down and they just go one place to another. Cockroaches are easy to bring into someone's home and it's not because of uncleanliness. A guest could accidently transport one in their duffel bag, purse or whatever. All it takes is one to be in a shopping bag or box that happens to be pregnant and there you have it - instant infestation. They eat really weird stuff - not food trash.

Here's the reason I think it's from downstairs - An unhappy tenant

[ In Reply To ..]
Several times I have smelled garbage coming from his apartment that was apparently being kept in his kitchen until trash day. It was bad enough that it made a strong odor in the hall. One time he actually left a whole fish . . head and all, on one of the front steps of the house in 100 degree weather. How it got there I will never know, but the landlord came out to help me clean it up at 10 p.m. that night and remarked how the tenant loves to go fishing. As I said, this guy cooks strong food literally at 3 and 4 a.m. with no sound of running water to wash dishes afterwards. I heard him run the vacuum cleaner only one time in years, and that was at midnight about a month ago. That to me indicates he may have seen them then. Also, about 5 years ago I mad seveal mice in my apartment, and when my landlord called him and asked if he ever saw any downstairs, he said he did, but just didn't do anything about it. My friend had mice from people next to her and ended up catching 50 of them in traps. In my opinion, when someone sees a mouse or a roach they have an obligation to those living in close proximity to do something about it immediately. All of the above leads me to think the roaches are coming from his apartment. Of course, I could be wrong.

I feel your pain - MT

[ In Reply To ..]
For the past couple of summers, I was having problems with ants from the neighbor's unit. I spray inside and out all around my side of the building, but the ants were coming through the common wall in the bedroom and bathroom. It was just horrible, they were coming in through the closet, on my clothes. I had to move my bed away from that wall because they would climb on my bed when I was sleeping. I finally looked outside one day and saw the ants entering through their front door. I do not understand how people can live with so many ants crawling around their apartment. I have to clean them up anytime I see them, makes my skin crawl. Well, anyway, those people finally moved and after they were gone, I put toothpaste as caulking in the spot where the ants were coming in, and so far so good, no ants yet.

Apartment living definitely does have its drawbacks, living next door to people who lack even common courtesy. Just the other night, they started hammering on the bedroom wall at 11:30 at night. In what universe do they live in that they think that's okay?

I feel your pain - Me Too

[ In Reply To ..]
What Universe??? Their own of course. It is all about them. I have a smoker who lives downstairs from me and it is horrible. I have even been to court, with the judge stating, "I'm sorry your neighbor is a jerk, but he has his rights." I said what about mine, I was dismissed! Also some of the cooking smells are horrible as well. I cannot even go out on my deck and then to top all that off, I have people upstais who kept their dog outside on a deck, which has slats and let it go to the bathoom and it would drop and drip onto my deck. I am moving the end of this month. I just can't take it any more and I actually have to sell my place, as it is a condo that was converted from apartments. I will never, ever do that again. Perhaps the Dept of Health can help you. Good luck.

The apartment complex is not - see message

[ In Reply To ..]
responsible for spraying for cockroaches? When I lived in apartments, they provided that service and had a certain time of the month so you would be ready for them to come in and spray. Those little buggers are really hard to get rid of even when keeping things clean. It takes persistence in getting and keeping them out. They are going to survive us all.

Wonderful landlord - An unhappy tenant

[ In Reply To ..]
I live in a private semi-detached house. The guy downstairs has the first floor, I have the second and third. My landlord lives in the house that is attached. He is wonderful, and got right on this for me. The exterminator said he will return in two months to retreat our apartments.

I think roach infestation would fall under the "Implied - Warranty of Habitability". (sm)

[ In Reply To ..]
If in violation of the IWOH, if I'm not mistaken, it voids out tenant contracts (so they can leave!). Landlord might also be subject to fines, etc. That probably has a lot to do with why he got on it so fast. Plus who wants their building to get reputation for being a "cucaracha-hotel?"

Happened to me also with the tenant below me - lka

[ In Reply To ..]
It took months and several exterminator applications to finally get rid of them. It made me sick to my stomach and I complained constantly. Everytime I walked into the kitchen I would find one on my counter or in my coffee pot and sometimes on the refrig. I could have strangled the person downstairs. When I knocked on their door one night, a peson answered the door that spoke NO English and had about 8 pair of fli-flops sitting inside the door......... that's what I had to contend with until I finally moved into a brand new building, and I will just friggin' scream if I see one in here I swear.

I know what you mean - An unhappy tenant

[ In Reply To ..]
Nothing, and I mean nothing makes me more angry than people who care nothing of how their uncleanliness affects others. Today the exterminator was here. He said what I described to him sounded like roaches (I found two), but without seeing them he can't be sure. I saw pictures of the American cockroach, and that's what I saw Wednesday and Thursday night about midnight here. He said I may see "increased activity" for the next 7-10 days. He said their nervous system will targeted, they will run, not knowing where they are going, and then finally die. He said I may see other insects, as this will kill them as well. I am already tired of constantly looking around the apartment, fearing something will run up my leg, or the leg of the chair I'm on.

What is people who can't be clean? It takes only minutes to thoroughly clean the stove, burners, oven, and wash dishes. The exterminator said the thing they love more than anything is grease; thus, the reason so many are behind stoves. I have no tolerance at all for filth of any kind. I am glad you moved, and I'm praying you see NO MORE bugs. Wish me luck!! Sorry this was a long post . . . Gotta get this off my chest!!

Apology for typos in my post - An unhappy tenant/SM

[ In Reply To ..]
It "bugs" me (ugh) . . . when I make mistakes!

Have you told landlord about your "freezer trick" ? - Maggie May

[ In Reply To ..]
Perhaps the landlord could request that your downstairs neighbor do the same thing you do. Maybe he just never thought of it. Men are from Mars, you know. :)

My freezer trick - An unhappy tenant

[ In Reply To ..]
Sorry for the delay in answering your post. Just saw this tonight.

I told my landlord about putting anything in my freezer that has a food odor, etc. Tonight I opened a can of almonds, and I put the foil pull-off top in the freezer.

I ran into the guy downstairs this past Friday, and we talked in the hall. I told him what I do regarding my trash. He said he knows I am clean, and he said my apartment is "spotless." He was in my apartment one time a few years ago to help me with something. It is certainly not spotless, but I sure do try to discourage any pests. Since the exterminator was here last Monday (now one week ago), I have only seen one roach about 3:30 a.m. Sunday morning when I turned on the bathroom light.

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