Bed bugs continured!

[AlyssaDarling]

I made a rant about this a while ago. But I have new stuff to complain about!!
So mid July my boyfriend and I thought we might have bugs since we were getting bug bites, we let our landlord know that we think they may have come back but aren't 100% sure yet since we do sleep with the window open and it could be mosquitos.
Late July/early August we found a dead one on our bed and put it in a baggy and brought it to our land lord and let her know that we do for sure have them.
We got notice late August that on September 7th in the AM we would get an inspection. Then they changed it (after I altered my shifts around at work) that it would be August 31. Boyfriend had the day off so that worked out okay. They were supposed to come in the morning, we were told that they may bring a dog, so we put our cats in kennels in the morning so that they didn't hurt the dog. The guys didn't show up until about 3 in the afternoon!
Then we were told that yes, we do have bed bugs! Imagine that!
We've been sleeping out in the living room all month because we get bitten less out here than in our bedroom. We've been washing out clothes and bedding and putting them into vacuum seal bags and living out of those too for the last month! Out mattress was INFESTED with bugs so badly that the corners were blackened by their feces so we threw it in the garbage.
We were schedualed for treatment today. We packed up our cats, brought them to my mums for a few hours (very stressful on our poor kittys!) and put our DVD's, CD's, etc outside so it wouldn't get damaged by the heat treatment. We went to work, came home 10 hours after they were scheduled to do the treatment, to find out window barely open, our apartment isn't even slightly warm, our thing for under the dishrack to catch water is still damp... Does anyone else think that we didn't get heat treatment and still have bugs roaming freely in our apartment?! Or am I crazy?? We went downstairs to ask our landlord but she isn't home. Our neighbor across the way said that they never saw anyone come in (doesn't neccessarily mean they didnt come, but it isn't a confirmation that they WERE here) and we knocked on our neighbors door beside us and he said he wasn't even scheduled for treatment! Excuse me?! WE have bugs and you arent going to treat the people beside us also who may be housing the creepy crawlies?!
I WANNA MOVE!!
Tomorrow morning I'm calling someone that has to do with tenants rights in my province and seeing if we're able to move without a full months notice, because this is ridiculous! They may not be causeing health issues by spreading diseases, but they're making me, my boyfriend, and our furry children incredibly stressed out! Not to mention its expensive having to re-wash everything every damn time we wanna use it cause there may be bugs living in it. And when we DO move we have to throw out pretty much all our furniture, get a new bed, mattress, dresser, couch, everything! We're 20 years old, we dont have that kind of money!

Rant done, for meow!

[cath007]

Thats so bad for you Hope it will turn okaie and the landlors will do his job...to fix the situation..

[cath007]

And aunt and uncle have this issue in one of theirs appt...they have a treatment..like a liquid desinfecting spray by specialist,,,and for killing those crapp...it was in the winter...to put all the things outside at like-30 degre...to kill those crap by frozen them and after wash theirs stuff.....in QC it is called ''punaise de lit'' ew....

[cath007]

So if the landlors dont do a treatment soon and maybe offer sort of accomodation...you have a reason to move out...you cannot live like that...they suposed to act fast in those cases....

[cath007]

Did you take some insurance for your stuff...maybe they can do something if this is on the statement paper those case...

[AlyssaDarling]

Unfortunately no insurance for us.
She just called us back, she said thant it wasn't a heat treatment but a steam treatment. I don't know how well it works.. Or if they really got in the closets. Hopefully it works! A month before she does something about it is ridiculous, and based on the past we'll get bugs again in about 3 months or sooner (not that we'll be here that long

[army_girl29]

I threatened to sue and so the landlord let me move within 30 days. You have a right to live in a safe/clean space. If you need further info, check your local tentant board/clinic.

[JennyFromTheRock]

You may be able to contact someone about being able to move without 2 months notice, BUT the landlord may argue that you brought the bed bugs there to start with ( not that you did, but he could argue that ) since your neighbors aren't having the same problem, it might be a valid argument for him, which could prevent you from being able to move. Also, anything you bring from that apartment now, will likely be infested. Even things you wouldn't think would carry them, like books, pillows and unfortunately, even your cats

It only takes 2 bed bugs in your new apartment to cause a future outbreak ( only 1 if its a producing female )

[jonesy]

UGHHH, that is horrible!!! So unfair that you have to deal with this crap.

[abbasgirl]

I live in an apartment building so although I haven't had to deal with bed bugs, I have looked into what I would have to do if I do get them. You actually don't have to wash everything. If it's clean, you can just put it in the dryer because it's the heat that kills them. You can also try using a natural product called "diatomaceous earth." It's a white, really fine and really abrasive powder. I've bought it before at the Home Depot. It's not a poison. It kills them by drying out their bodies when they crawl through it. You would lightly sprinkle it on the baseboards, at the feet of your bed and along the frame and mattress. Don't let your cats in the room when you're sprinkling it because it's irritating if you touch it or breathe it in. But once it's settled, it's safe for pets. It would be slower acting than the treatment from pest control, but since they've already come they are hopefully mostly dead and this is something you can leave out indefinitely to kill whatever may have been left behind.

[lghend]

Just a question: if you paid first and last or a damage deposit, could that not offset any money you would owe by moving early? Also, would it not cost the landlord money to take you to small claims court to try to get a month's rent? You could certainly argue your case there successfully if it came to that. I have had my daughter move before a lease was up because of mouse infestation, and the landlord didn't bother chasing after her.

[abbasgirl]

Unless you're living in an absolute dump, moving probably isn't going to help because you'll likely just move the bed bugs with you (and spread them to your new neighbours). Stuff happens when you live in a building with a lot of different people and people are moving in and out. I live in a nice, clean building but I had cockroaches for the first time last year. The landlord followed the necessary steps, but I also did all the research I could and did everything I could to get rid of them on my own (including the diatomaceous earth I mentioned) and now they're gone.

[matrix82]

I agree with using the diatomaceous earth. It works because it basically absorbs the oil from the bugs and causes them to dry out.

Also tea tree oil will repel bedbugs, they apparently do not like the smell of it, it might be worth a try, mixing it with some rubbing alcohol and spraying down soft furniture. Good luck.

[abbasgirl]

Be careful with tea tree oil. It (and many other essential oils) can be harmful to some cats if they absorb it through their skin and it hasn't been proven to repel bed bugs.

[abbasgirl]

Here's a picture of the container of diatomaceous earth that I have from the CT website in case you need some help finding some:
http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/brows....jsp?locale=en
There are instructions for using it for bed bugs on the back.