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September 2, 2009
Bed Bug Dilemma
Hi,
Any advice anyone has on this would be very much appreciated.
Here is my situation--I live in a medium-sized rental apartment building. This past weekend I saw that a tenant (I don't know who) had disposed of roughly 10-15 black garbage bags in the building's garbage alley and had labeled them all: "Bed Bugs"
. Later that day I saw the super of our building systematically going through the bags and sorting some stuff into recycling bags, taking some stuff into his own apartment, and throwing the rest of the stuff away. The next day, two mattresses and some furniture were also outside in the alley.
Having read a lot about the nightmare of having bed bugs and how easily they can spread from apartment to apartment, I wanted to figure out which apartment had the problem and see that it was being dealt with appropriately (and that adjacent apartments were being treated as needed). I called the building's managing agent to inquire. He told me he had heard nothing but would get back to me. He called me back and reported that he had spoken to the super and someone else in the managing office and was told that there have been no complaints about bed bugs and no one has heard anything. I explained to him what I saw and he said that some people had moved out of an apartment but that new people were moving in. I asked if he knew whether those people who moved out were the ones that had thrown away all the bags and he informed me that the apartment had been "redone just a few years ago and was a very nice apartment". I responded that the quality of the apartment had nothing to do with it and that if those people were the ones who had bed bugs then the apartment (and potentially others) needed to be treated to prevent them from spreading through the building. He emphasized to me that there have been no complaints so he didn't know what to tell me. I asked him if he could contact those people that moved out and find out if it was their stuff so that if it was the apartment could be inspected, but I'm not confident that he will actually do it and get back to me.
I'm not really sure what to do here. Having seen the bags in the alley (and it's an alley that has to be accessed through the building, so it's not possible that someone else dumped their trash there) it's clear to me that someone in the building has/had a problem with bed bugs. I would just like to be certain that it has/is being treated appropriately so that the bed bugs are not still in the building and going to spread. If he is really telling the truth that there have been no complaints, do I have any recourse beyond just doing my best to ask around the building if anyone else has seen/heard anything? Please help! All I can think and worry about at night is bed bugs!
Any advice is much appreciated. Thanks!
Comments
"it's clear to me that someone in the building has/had a problem with bed bugs."
I don't find it clear at all. Someone tagged a bunch of bags with a 'bedbugs' sign. They could have just as easily been messing with the landlord. You could be right, or wrong, but all you have is some signs. You don't have bedbugs.
Posted by: denton at September 2, 2009 6:05 PM
You may need to resort to knocking on the doors of your fellow building dwellers and asking some questions (in a nice way of course!) Unless and until you actually get the info from the horse's mouth so to speak, there's really nothing to be done further with the managing agent. I highly doubt that anyone would label bags as having bed bugs/bedbug ridden items for shits and grins, but the managing agent is likely going to just keep telling you that he knows nothing of this. And, he may be telling the truth. If the Super saw the labels on the bags and went through them anyway, he's just a dummy and that doesn't bode well for him being responsible and informing the building management that bedbugs could be in the building. I wish you good luck.
Posted by: InsertSnappyNameHere at September 2, 2009 6:06 PM
Back it up here a second: You saw the super going thru bags labelled "bed bugs" and you called the management company first? What I would do is speak to the Super directly and take it from there.
Posted by: bowl of dicks at September 2, 2009 7:01 PM
Is this building in the North Slope by any chance?
Posted by: slope2009 at September 2, 2009 8:55 PM
I agree w/ Snappy. Go around the building to try to find neighbors of the people who moved/threw out the bags. Then try to find the people to ask what's the deal.
Alternately, it's been my experience that mail forwarding often takes time to start so you might be able to figure out who moved by keeping track of a build-up of undelivered mail. Once you've identified the name, write first class snail mail to him.
Posted by: Arkady at September 3, 2009 9:31 AM
Unfortunately bed bugs are everywhere. The building next door has em. around the corner I saw bags labeled with bugs. Web site about bedbugs shows apts with bedbugs, they are everywhere.
You can go crazy with worry about the building next door, but its not going to help. Put a notice up in your building about how to prevent them and /or not to bring stuff in from the street.
as a landlady I worry about them too, and knock on wood (with termites) I wont get them in my building.
Posted by: tsarina at September 3, 2009 9:59 AM
imo your over reacting a bit.
Posted by: 11211 at September 3, 2009 1:50 PM
move because it's just a matter of time before mr. roper spreads bedbugs through the building. the super is obviously special needs, in a city with so many bedbug infestation this idiot is recycling bedbug laden stuff.
Posted by: foreveryoung at September 3, 2009 4:54 PM
Yes but lets not tell everyone or else they will want them too. Mayor Bloomburg said we could fit another 1 million people in the city. Go ahead move over and make some space.
Posted by: hannible at September 4, 2009 6:48 AM
Bedbugs are an incredible nightmare, as it sounds like you know. I agree with Snappy, and don't think you're overreacting. If the people who moved out bothered to label the bags, they are good enough to know they don't want others to suffer. If you can find them, they'll probably give you the info you need.
In the meantime, if you're really going bonkers, you may be able to take some preventative measures. I can't speak to how effective it would be, but diatomaceous earth is really good for killing the little f-ers. You could maybe put some of that down as a barrier. Talk to an exterminator who specializes in them, and see what you might be able to do to ease your mind.
Posted by: UnprotectedWrecks at September 4, 2009 1:43 PM
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