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A Landlords view
(13 posts)-
PropstotheGast
newbite
Joined: Nov '07
Posts: 4offline
Posted 5 years ago
Mon Nov 12 2007 15:54:45
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Hi there,
I apparently started a conversation on the public forum by accident because i had no idea there was a separate forum at the time.
In anycase, to address some of the views:
""""" James Buggles said:
November 8th, 2007 at 7:44 pm
CG, you’re right — everyone has to live somewhere, which means that lots of jerks rent apartments. When you say “very nice multi family in a very wealthy neighborhood” what does that mean? Why would a person of means trash pick a mattress? What would a one bedroom in that building cost?"""
The building in question is 80% renovated, with an un-renovated heat paid one bedroom starting at $450 with prices going up to $950 for a fully renovated 3 bedroom 2 bath. The neighborhood is a near urban historic zone with properties across the whole range. Generally the single families are $125k-450k The rental property varies greatly in value, with our top of the line properties in the near million range. A typical full renovation in this neighborhood is an 80 dollar a square foot job with high end finishes and some architectural flare.
The tenants in question were roomates, with good referances and good family history int he area. Unfortunently they were also big partiers and picked up a street mattress to use as a crash pad....they tossed it into a walk in closet tucked into the buildings eaves and surrounded it with junk. Then their drunk friends would pass out on the matress, and leave soon after weaking up....pretty much the worst possible situation you can imagine for bedbugs... I have no idea how many other infestations spawned from this one hot spot. I did not become aware of the problem until the downstairs tenants called to tell me they had bed bugs. In their apartment i thought i traced it to an old couch they had inheirited from some friends move out. There were never more than a few and the problem seemed to clear up after we protected their beds and sprayed for a month. I sent letters to the other tenants asking if anyone had problems....no one admitted to it. When the roomates with the bugs finally moved they had multiple harborages in baseboards and furniture. Luckily the people below them moved also, and after an aggressive spray and seal program we have not seen one since.
And one more:
"""""hopelessnomo said:
November 8th, 2007 at 12:50 pm
Add to this the fact that none of my properties started out with bedbugs, they were introduced by careless or uninformed tenants.
Well.
Although you have seemingly not yet thought through the logic behind your argument, I hope you can grasp that writing a post here bluntly blaming your tenants in an attempt to explain how unfair your situation is and how you are not to blame is a bit of a rhetorical misstep. You should reconsider that approach next time you make your case in a public forum.
I am not unsympathetic to your problems, however.
I suggest you write to your elected officials and the health department of your city or town as they are in a position to actually do something to help you. Landlords will need assistance to battle this epidemic. And such assistance must begin with a public education campaign. You can also organize informational sessions for your tenants. There are PCOs and entomologists who would welcome the opportunity to help you with that"""""
I hate to be blunt again, but other than informing people and treating the building infrastructure, I don't have time to spend on the problem anymore. Its simple math, 125 units x 1 hour weekly treatment x $16 materials x $12 labor.....There simply aren't enough hours in the week or dollars in my pocket to assume responsibility for every apartment I own. My policy is that I will work to limit the bugs ability to live in the fabric of the building, and limit their ability to move between units. I cannot assume any responsibility for personal possessions or personal safety. I have been through the precautions in my own home, which is in one of our multi unit apartment buildings, I am as much at risk as anyone who rents from me. But expecting me to assume responsibility for eggs that enter a home in the clothing of a tenants guest whom I have never met? Impossible.
As for public health awareness and appealing to local government....Bedbugs were eradicated once in this country....we are simply not desperate enough to do what it takes yet. But I believe it is coming. Anything short of that will not IMHO amount to much.
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your host
Joined: Mar '07
Posts: 13,744online
Posted 5 years ago
Mon Nov 12 2007 18:40:18
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PropstotheGast,
I am glad you are responding to the original thread, but I ask that you please go back and paste this there if you intend to lengthen that conversation. I know for a fact that at least one of the two people you're responding to does not read the forums. Many others don't too--the forums get less than 5% of the readers of the main site.
I would seriously encourage you to continue the conversation as originally started by pasting or writing back at the thread.
http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/1284?replies=1(I know I encouraged you to post in the forums, so sorry if I was not clear--I meant it would be good to start new threads here. If you want to to that it is fine too. But I don't think it is fair to respond to people where they won't see it.)
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pullinthread
newbite
Joined: Nov '07
Posts: 17offline
Posted 5 years ago
Thu Nov 15 2007 2:16:27
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once you have been sprayed and need to cover the bed how long before you can take mattresses out of the vinyl cover pillows too???
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nomorebugs
junior member
Joined: Oct '07
Posts: 115offline
Posted 5 years ago
Thu Nov 15 2007 2:31:41
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Beg bugs can live for 18 months without feeding. Covers are design to trap bugs in, without escape, and to keep them out. Once the covers are on, they should stay on for a very long time, at least a year.
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pullinthread
newbite
Joined: Nov '07
Posts: 17offline
Posted 5 years ago
Thu Nov 15 2007 2:41:08
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have to ask this too it grosses me out its like being a a sci fi movie but if you choose not to sleep in your bed and get bitten how do they know where you are? how do they find you is it the smell of your co2
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nomorebugs
junior member
Joined: Oct '07
Posts: 115offline
Posted 5 years ago
Thu Nov 15 2007 2:47:00
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Bingo.
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currentinsomniac
member
Joined: Nov '07
Posts: 121offline
Posted 5 years ago
Thu Nov 15 2007 12:19:20
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They are attracted to heat and co2. And something interesting that I read is that oftentimes bedbugs will choose a host and stick with that person. Not that if they are really hungry they wouldn't feed off someone/something else, but once they feed on a person they seem to prefer that person. (I just found that really interesting).
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itchyincharmcity
member
Joined: Nov '07
Posts: 272offline
Posted 5 years ago
Thu Nov 15 2007 12:23:11
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I read that people used to think they were more attracted to women than men, something about pheromones, but science has now debunked that theory.
I think they are also lazy and sometimes will just stick to the person on "their" side of the bed. Why crawl all the way over to your partner's side when you are right there in front of them?
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pullinthread
newbite
Joined: Nov '07
Posts: 17offline
Posted 5 years ago
Thu Nov 15 2007 12:27:04
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i would like to know where i can get bed covers that wont break the bank i need it for queen size mattresses probably 9 to 12 inch depth split box spring two i have exterminator coming sat i dont want to order on line due to time factor this is starting to get expensive but im also getting sleep deprived as well this is nothing like ive ever been through before man!!!!
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itchyincharmcity
member
Joined: Nov '07
Posts: 272offline
Posted 5 years ago
Thu Nov 15 2007 12:32:03
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There are extensive FAQs on protecting your bed. Probably has some helpful info. http://bedbugger.com/faqs/thebed/
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BBsBlow
senior member
Joined: Apr '07
Posts: 432offline
Posted 5 years ago
Thu Nov 15 2007 21:36:29
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Itchy-
My PCO said what you're saying. They don't need to roam if they have someone to bite right there. But there are still the people who don't react to the bites.-Blow
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pullinthread
newbite
Joined: Nov '07
Posts: 17offline
Posted 5 years ago
Fri Nov 16 2007 22:32:44
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how long after spraying by a prfessional do you see a difference and how long after do you know for sure they are gone
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your host
Joined: Mar '07
Posts: 13,744online
Posted 5 years ago
Sat Nov 17 2007 0:01:25
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pullin,
I just answered the same question you posted on another thread. It is probably best not to keep posting the questions in different places. You can see where you posted previously by clicking the word "member" under your name.
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