Comments on: Cincinnati officially classes bed bugs as “vermin”

By: nobugsonme

nobugsonme — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 05:46:07 +0000

Billy,

You need to call the Cincinnati bed bug hotline and ask them about your rights and what to do.

Cincinnati Health Dept. Bed Bug Hotline at 591-6000 (PDF will load):

http://www.cincinnati-oh.gov/health/downloads/health_pdf17203.pdf

If you need support, come to our forums:
http://bedbugger.com/forum/

By: billypilgrim

billypilgrim — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 04:46:04 +0000

i live in cincinnati and think i might have bedbugs. i notified my landlord immediately of the possible situation, and she said not only would i be responsible for treating my own apartment, but for the rest of the apartments in the building. is this even legal? i’m a student and i can’t really afford to treat my own apartment, not to mention the eight other units here. what can i do?

By: Why so quiet, Cincinnati? — New York vs Bed Bugs

Why so quiet, Cincinnati? — New York vs Bed Bugs — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 04:14:24 +0000

[...] has a built in disincentive in its efforts to offer a bed bug hotline to its citizens: it has criminalized the harboring of bed bugs and either the landlord or the tenant could find themselves facing fines and jail time. I [...]

By: New bed bug legislation: House Bill 565 from Ohio on bed bug treatment : Got bed bugs? Bedbugger.com

Sat, 24 May 2008 08:12:06 +0000

[...] This reminds me of when Cincinnati municipal codes needed to be revised in order to class bed bugs as “vermin.… [...]

By: hopelessnomo

hopelessnomo — Tue, 20 May 2008 15:14:16 +0000

BuggedOut, in Cincinnati, you have the option of calling the Health Department for advice. They will work with your landlord on an eradication plan. All the units should be inspected by a professional and a treatment plan, involving extensive coordination, is necessary. Make some calls to inform yourself of your options. And come to the forums (blue button above) if you want to connect with other people who are experiencing infestations as well (and professionals who visit and provide advice).

Good luck.

By: BuggedOut

BuggedOut — Mon, 19 May 2008 00:00:29 +0000

I live in an apartment complex of 17 units. One family continually refused to let the bug man in to take care of roaches. Now that they have moved the exterminator did not come for almost 2 months and there is a hoard of bedbugs coming down a wall in my friend’s unit who lives right beneath the recently vacant apartment. Our landlord told her to pay 175 for removal of bedbugs or get out. This whole problem began with the lady on the top floor that people keep reporting seeing in our laundryroom doing her laundry.

Who is at fault here and what can be done???

By: nobugsonme

nobugsonme — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 01:20:44 +0000

DFriend,
Where are you? This affects your rights.

By: DFriend

DFriend — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 22:59:34 +0000

Okay where here you have things from a tenants point of view. i complained about bedbugs for two months and nothing was done. i took it upon myself to call the pest control company that treats our apartments monthly for roaches and asked them if they could treat bedbugs, on their next visit they sprayed for them and then sprayed again three weeks later.

now my landlord is telling me i have to pay for the removal of the bedbugs.

By: hopelessnomo

hopelessnomo — Sat, 09 Feb 2008 23:40:10 +0000

No one will allow landlords to evict tenants without due process.

It’s not surprising that PCOs and landlords are not universally pleased with the city’s actions. The interests of the pest control industry and landlords and tenants and cities…. not the same at all.

By: entoman

entoman — Sat, 09 Feb 2008 15:46:25 +0000

Yesterday, the joint Bed Bug Task Force (Cincinnati and Hamilton County) met. The task force consisits of 6 bureaucrats from the health departments and Susan Jones from OSU.
First, the city has hurt the community more now with classifying bed bugs as vermin. Landlords, for the most part, have been doing their job (in Ohio you must hire a licensed pest control operator for more than 4 units). The problem has been cooperation from tenants. As a landlord, this law should give me the oppurtunity to evict a tenant immediately for non compliance. This way I am covered when DOH does an inspection. This will also increase liability for pest control companies. If I am fined due to treatment not being effective, I think the pest control company will hear from my lawyers. Prices are likely to either go up or companies will not want to accept the liability to eradicate an insect that is next to impossible to prove you have done so.
Second, who is going to respond to these vermin calls. Hamilton county had over 2500 calls to the health department with only 26 inspectors. The city has to respond to other types of inspections that are mandated by the state. Neither department has the resources or the budgets to do accomplish this task.
Lastly, Susan Jones wants to educate pest control companies in Ohio by having them go to a seminar. Then publish who attended to the community as “Bed Bug experts”. In Ohio, licensed individuals must have on going education to keep their license. She wants to make sure companies who do this service know how to do the service. I have spoken to many pest control companies. Most have on-going education classes, most have specific procedures they have developed and do not want someone from the outside developing programs.
Once the political rhetoric has calmed down, hopefully the community will come together. It’s the beginning of a long journey. My hope is that the educator’s voices are louder than the politcians.