Comments on: Halifax: where the bed bug “blame game” is the law

By: nobugsonme

nobugsonme — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 19:10:52 +0000

Hi KJL,

This is an old post and most people will probably not see comments on it.

Please copy your story and post it in the Bedbugger Forums, where you will likely get more responses and support: http://bedbugger.com/forum/

By: KJL

KJL — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 18:54:58 +0000

In reading this back, I’d like to clarify: I do NOT believe in the blame game; however, we were told by a professional that the guy who was swimming in an infestation downstairs was most likely where it started. The landlord was informed and advised by the PCO to exterminate the WHOLE building! As a result of the landlord’s carelessness, I think it’s now his responsiblity to provide humane living quarters for his tennants.
Also, by opening this rant with a plea for help, it was more of a plea for the lend of an ear. I am greatful for this forum and my being able to vent. It’s unfortunate, yet comforting to know others are experiencing the same thing.
KJL

By: KJL

KJL — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 18:02:14 +0000

HELP ME SOMEONE!!! I’m going absolutely insane! My apartment is infested for the THIRD TIME in a year! We did EVERYTHING we were told to do before the extermination and after. BUT My landlord was doing the same thing as Deedee’s, a unit at a time, months apart…so where are the bugs going to go? Into the units that no longer have the barrier, duh. I’m sick to death. My mental state is questionable. I don’t sleep at night. I get bitten and react BADLY! The bites swell and itch sooo bad. I have a job to keep, it’s hard when I’m not sleeping. I sit in my chair at work and scratch profusly at the thoughts of having to go back to my bug infested apartment after work.
It’s also playing a toll on my love life: Who wants to be intimate on a sofa or a bed with BEDBUGS? Social life: Who wants to invite friends over and chance they get bitten or even better carry them back to their own homes? Not to mention my mental and physical states.
I don’t care if you pay $1000 a month or $500 NOBODY should have to live like this. I paid for the first extermination cus I was the only one who seemed to be having the problem. PCO told the landlord to do the WHOLE BUILDING cus they would just move on and on…but he didn’t listen. Come to find out, it WASN’T ME who started the infestation it was the guy downstairs who we’ve seen hauling second hand EVERYTHING into his apartment. When he was finally evicted due to the stench coming from his apartment, it was discovered that he was SWIMMING IN BEDBUGS, as was the gentleman in the unit next to us. My “infestation” was mild in comparison. I didn’t pay for my second extermination and I’m not paying for my third. This is an epidemic, they are running rampid throughout our cities, people WON’T speak up due to the emabarrassment and the stigma attached. I think it’s time our government got involved and try to find a way to get a handle on this. It’s a viscous mind warping cycle that someone has to end. In the meantime I’m off wash my WHOLE LIFE in hot soapy water at the laundromat for the third time in a year.
Frustrated and Insane in Dartmouth, KJL

By: Deedee

Deedee — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 13:20:09 +0000

Hey all! I moved into a building in the Northend of Halifax October 2008 and recieved a letter from Templeton Management about 2 wks later stating that the pest control were coming to do a YEARLY INSPECTION of the building as percaution. little did we know that it was not a precaution the ppl below us were completely infested with bedbugs. They were made to get rid of everything and were not allowed to get new stuff until they were rid of the bugs and the new stuff was inspected. they came from a couch they had got from a furniture bank. Not even a mth later we were being bit..I have 3 small kids and always thought bed bugs were just in a nursery ryme. I know diffrent now. We have been fighting the owners with this problem for a yr now. Been sprayed 8 times and keep getting them back. They have never sprayed the whole building at 1 time. They spray eaach apt as the complaints come in so I know they will never rid the place of the pests. They sprayed about 2wks ago and my 1yr old has just got 11 welts on her leg in a circle. when we told the owners they said they ar not spraying any more. If I want out of my lease they will let me. Thats all fine and good but what about in the meantime!!!! What about all my stuff. We have not been infested yet so our furniture is fine but it will NOT be coming with me. I have tons of toys and cloths. I cant afford to let everything go. By the time I find a place my stuff will be unusable. the day the owner let us out of the lease my husband confronted him about the bugs cause we have a hard time getting rsponses back from that office. The owner said “Bed Bugs….the building dont have bedbugs” He lost it! My husband ran upstairs and grabbed the bug I had caught climbing around my 4yr olds head and brought it to him, opened the lid and the owner jumpd out of his skin. They are such high mucks, you know it just discussed any of them to talk with us low life. I pay 900 for rent plus myutilities I dont deserve to be treated like I dont matter.. I have looked online for answers to my delema…. these comments have help alot. Im gonna talk to the tenecy board. Im allowed out of my lease but I need to be sprayed again. at least when they spray we usually get a week to a mths grace. I can get sleep, otherwise im up makin sure they are not around my kids. another thing that bothers me is that we are in a 13 unit building and one of 4 tenents left in the building everyone else moved . Templeton Place is letting new pple move in!!!! There has been 2 apts occupied since the summer and they were not told. Many pple have been told by my husband while coming to look at the place, and they turn right around and leave. Thank you everyone for the info and guidance
signed
out numbered

By: nobugsonme

nobugsonme — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 01:03:57 +0000

katie,

I am sorry to hear that you have bed bugs.

Thanks for sharing your tips. Good luck!

By: katie

katie — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 23:34:36 +0000

I also live in Ocean Towers and started getting bites about a month ago. We were not told that the previous tenants had a bed bug problem, but were informed when the tenant came to talk to me since she was being sued by Transglobe for unpaid rent.
I found a bug a few days ago and the next day my roommate went to the legal aid office and the tenancy board.
The legal aid office (Dalhousie) has a tenancy lawyer and he gave us some good advice. Next we went to the tenancy board. They gave me forms which I took to the doctor.
We only have to pay for one more month AND we might get reimbursed for our stuff that we’re losing (along with any extra expenses incurred by this).
I suggest anyone that lives in Halifax talk to legal aid and then the tenancy board. It is a medical issue and you can easily get out of the lease if the doctor fills out the forms.

By: nobugsonme

nobugsonme — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 15:22:47 +0000

Kristin,

This is helpful for those in Halifax to know.

It may help others elsewhere.

(A note to others: always seek advice from tenants’ groups in your own area, or a local lawyer. We are not lawyers.)

Thanks!

By: Kristin

Kristin — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 15:05:00 +0000

Hi Hi! Ok people I have found the saving grace to this problem. I was on a mission to get out of my lease (see above statement) and went to the tenancy board office (in Halifax it is part of the West End Mall) where they gave me physicians forms and told me to go to my doctor claiming bed bugs have given you insomnia, show them your bites (or bring pictures), and tell them how they have affected your lifestyle negatively. Most doctors will sign and then you immediately give those forms to your landlord. By law, they cannot dispute such forms and must terminate your lease (you have 30 days then you can leave). Bye bye Ocean Towers!

By: AlsoFedUp

AlsoFedUp — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 15:12:20 +0000

Hello Everyone

I want to shed some light on this situation. I lived at ocean towers 2000-2005. Had to leave because of bed bugs. Lost all furniture as well in the process. Moved to North End Halifax, near new bridge. Went 2 years bug free. Neighbors moved in last Sept with used furniture. I found bugs beginning of Nov. I advised the management on this apt. I was blamed and treated with disrespect for 2 weeks until i persisted they check surrounding tenants. Finally 2 weeks ago i see furniture in the garbage covered with plastic, come to find out it was the neighbors furniture. I have lost mattresses and all i have left is a pull out sofa. Which is starting to be infested. I am a single father of 2 small children. We are having a hard time sleeping all in one room with the fact i can’t sleep now because I’m constantly looking for bugs.

I have excepted the fact that most of my belongings will be lost and i am currently looking to relocate because i feel management is not taken this seriously and the problem will not go away on its own. I have been sprayed and PCO has done an inspection. This is all done while I’m at work so i really don’t know what exactly is happening , i am just being told things.

Having to start over and over again is painful knowing that the next person who moves next to you might bring them in and there is nothing you can do.

Landlords need to step up and take some responsibility for their existing tenants. It is a disgrace that i pay close to a 1000 dollars a month now to sleep in one room , keep all my clothing in plastics bags, be biten almost every night now and still be expected to pay for rent.

I have no choice and I must pay. Like i meantioned , its a disgrace

By: nobugsonme

nobugsonme — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 21:33:57 +0000

Kristin, You may need advice from a tenants’ organization or legal source. You might also consider contacting the media (especially reporters who have covered bed bugs in Halifax: put “Halifax” in the search box in the search box at bottom left to find posts we’ve done, and contact people who did the stories we linked to in the local news media). Contacting the news is not for everyone, but since you say you were lied to on moving in, the media might like to cover this, and it might help you get out of there.