Comments on: More from Edmonton bed bug evictions case

By: Jim

Jim — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 23:14:55 +0000

It would appear that while there is and will be ongoing issues about this there are pest control companies that are making big profits either by scare tactics or nuturing the already existing paranoia in property managers. The rules they set out for spraying (which of course are a waste of time if there is no infestation and in some cases even if there is ) appear to be for those with next to no belongings. If you have lots of stuff it’s pretty difficult to comply and your open to the draconian measures.
There was a time when a persons property was their own. No more. People can just come into your home cut up your furniture, ruin your clothes, possibly evict you anyway and move on to the next appartment whether or not there’s any sign of bugs. You have No insurance coverage and No recourse but you can hear the jack boots.
It would be a solid good will gesture for the Alberta Govenment to step in and help people but until one of the MLA’s is personally affected as a tenant it won’t happen.

By: nobugsonme

nobugsonme — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 01:00:13 +0000

Jim,

The laws for who deals with bed bugs in a rental situationin various parts of Canada are here:
http://www.cbc.ca/marketplace/webextras/bed_eggs/landlord_tenant.html?bed_eggs

I think that’s what you’re after.

Also, I found this by searching on the Alberta Capital Health website:
http://www.capitalhealth.ca/YourHealth/CHLink/FAQs/Archive2007/Question_bed_bugs.htm

I note the new Alberta Health site does not produce anything from a search for bed bugs.
The above item from 2007 may be out of date, but calling the number listed would probably be a good place to start.

By: Jim Coxon

Jim Coxon — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 00:48:36 +0000

I am looking for information from Alberta Capital Health, what happens when there is a reported site of bedbugs and what the alberta laws are about this nasty little bastard. Thanks, Jim

By: nobugsonme

nobugsonme — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 19:04:39 +0000

Hi Richard,

I hope you will contact a journalist. Media attention may help tenants get the help they need. Keep us posted!

By: Richard

Richard — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 05:51:47 +0000

There are bed bugs in the Chelsea Arms Apartment Complex on 129 Avenue and 65 Street. They came in in March or April of this year, did a 5 minutes spray of the whole apartment and then left. According to my landlord (she owns my suite), they (the exterminators) didn’t even go into every suite since some people didn’t open the doors or they didn’t have a master key. Now we are infested and my child is being bitten. We told the management company about this two weeks ago and they are now avoiding my landlord. Their priority at this time is to make sure that all the vehicles in the parking lot have insurance and registration. I never had bed bugs until I moved here and I can’t afford to throw out my furniture. I have a friend who works for the Sun. I think it’s time to contact him and let the public know about this.

By: nobugsonme

nobugsonme — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 04:39:59 +0000

ed,
I am sorry for your situation. It may be possible to find a lawyer who will help, perhaps on a pro bono basis. I know tenants in one Chicago building filed a class action suit. I am not a lawyer and can’t give legal advice, but I do suggest looking into your options, within the law.

On another note, there have been cases lately where landlords were shamed into dealing with these situations properly after the local news media portrayed the tenants’ plight. It might be worth contacting the Edmonton Journal journalist who wrote the article linked from above nearly two years ago. He may be interested to know the story of tenants in your building.

By: ed

ed — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 13:32:40 +0000

I am a tenent at 10740-107 st. karon manor. The owners have recently sent an exterminator in for bedbugs in my apartment for them. However, I am still being attacked by them over a month later, an there has been no follwup spraying. Further, they are spot spraying apartment by apartment. Does this not just driving them to your nieghbors? These insects hace been in this building for at least 4 months, probobly longer, yet they did not tell me until a month ago. When I asked about this, they said “we didnt want to create a panic”. I also seriously douybt they have informed new tenent about this problem when they rent to them. Because they elected to hide the infestation from me, the insects have acheived a solid foothold in all of my funiture. I intend to move asap, but when i do I feel i need to leave all furniture behide or risk taking the infestation with me… This means i lose over $5000 worth of belonging I purchased new from the brick. i contact my insurance and my policy will not cover this loss, and the attorny I consulted requires a $1500 retainer before he will act. My question is this – is there no advocate, or someone to help me the tenant in this situation. Frankly when you push people into a corner like this and abuse us in this way, you force them to defend themselve outside of the law, simply because you gave them no real recourse, just a bunch of toothless tigers, so called agencys and advocates that will never do anything to help you, and only pay lip service to your rights as tenant. As a tenant in edmonton I am beginging to think there needs to be an example made of these slumlords, and then maybe the city will act to help in situations like this when realize that if they dont act, we will act. Anyone who can offer me guidance or help in this situation would be greatly appreciated because my back is to the wall and I am prepareing to fight to the death.

By: nobugsonme

nobugsonme — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 23:19:55 +0000

Sorry to hear it, Jen.

By: Jen

Jen — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 13:44:32 +0000

I was actually given an eviction notice for failing to prepare my apartment properly for bedbugs on Monday, October 5. This was our fourth treatment in a little over a year and none of the items mentioned were an issue the other three times – and didn’t warrant a call from my resident manager when she inspected the night before, despite us saying multiple times if we needed to do anything else to prepare she just had to call. coincidentally, we live not far from Virginia Arms. What a nightmare!

By: nobugsonme

nobugsonme — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 00:36:01 +0000

Yes–I have noticed this too, ForF.

Occasionally, of course, people do mean fumigation (with gas). Not in most news articles, and I doubt it was so here.