Comments on: Stamford Manor residents have had bed bugs for three years!

By: Richard

Richard — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 23:50:32 +0000

I’m surprised how often people talk about “getting rid of bed bugs once and for all”. It’s the same as asking a Dr. to get rid of the flu once and for all. Bed bugs are hitchikers. If one is brought into the building the whole cycle starts all over again.

I recently went to a seminar on Bed bugs. I’m in the pest control business and was surprised to hear from an attorney how much landlords hands are tied when it comes to enforcing sanitation and other contributing factors.

We service some large apartment complexes. I’ve had meetings with the tenants to educate them on how to reduce the chances of having a problem. Out of 130 people in the complex, the largest attendance we had was 30 (out of three meetings).

By: lawsuit about bedbugs

lawsuit about bedbugs — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 15:06:35 +0000

I want to know about a law suit about bed bugs contacted at a flordia motel we live in lousiana

By: nobugsonme

nobugsonme — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 19:34:30 +0000

Update (11/25): at least for now, the Stamford Advocate reports there are no complaints of bed bugs in Stamford Manor, according to management. The whole building was treated -- I am not sure how many times, though at least some units (perhaps all?) got three spray treatments in two weeks. Six residents were still claiming to have bed bugs as of mid-November, so I think it's too soon to call it a success.

By: nobugsonme

nobugsonme — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 00:57:47 +0000

Thanks, ‘Keets!

Some Pest Control Operators have told me they do work with landlords in the way you describe. Education is sorely needed, and it can be difficult when some tenants will resist complying with treatment, prep, and preventive measures.

The problem of bed bugs in apartment buildings for seniors seems to be widespread and most buildings do not seem to be getting the sort of care that we saw in Coatesville, PA (the other day). I just posted about another senior building in Lexington, KY today.

On another note — it would be interesting to see some studies comparing the costs paid out in treating a large building for years vs. using a one-shot treatment like thermal or vikane, coupled with education about preventing re-infestation.

Even with traditional methods — surely an agressive coordinated campaign of prep and repeated traditional sprays/dusts in all affected and adjacent units, and a thorough inspection of the whole building, would cost less than treating units piecemeal, for years, as bed bugs spread.

By: parakeets

parakeets — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 21:39:26 +0000

Thanks so much for always sticking up for the seniors! There is much compassion in that attitude and I greatly appreciate a focus such as that on the board here.

No matter what method they were using to treat this complex, if residents have been complaining and dealing with bedbugs for 3 years, there is obviously no effective plan in place.

There is a need for bedbug educator/consultants who can go in and teach property managers how to deal with bedbugs, what to ask PCO firms and what to expect, how to handle tenants, what to communicate to tenants, how to make sure there is complinace, how to prevent future re-infestations and the whole bedbug issue. (nobugs would be a great bedbug educator/consultant, don’t you think?). I think sometimes complexes are simply treated by technicians who don’t get involved in an overall plan or the education of tenants, so only the “application of the pesticde” portion gets done.