Got Bed Bugs? Bedbugger Forums » Bed Bug Treatment
Ethical/Legal question
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bugsarehere
newbite
Joined: Nov '09
Posts: 2offline
Posted 3 years ago
Thu Nov 5 2009 7:46:30
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First up, I need to complement this site and say that no site on the internet has been as useful to me as this site has been, there's so much excellent information in one place (on a topic though I never thought I'd need to know about but we'll leave that for now...).
Obviously I have a bed bug problem, the source is something I'm not 100% certain about as I travel alot for work and live in an apartment complex so of those are the prime suspects (though I'm not counting out a friend bringing them in or some other source).
I found out about this around two weeks ago and since then have done some investigations and tend to believe that my current infestation is quite small as I only found a couple of tiny bugs when I pulled off the sheets of my bed though more scarily I found one crawling on me out of my couch!!!
I've been vacuuming like a maniac, washing and bagging unneeded clothes, telling friends they can't come over and throwing out things I don't really need in anticipation of calling in a pest controller in the next day or so.My dilemma is that I'm moving at the end of the year for work and my lease expires in a few days, I'm able to extend my time here until the end of the year outside of my lease after negotiating with my landlord, though if I tell my landlord about the bed bugs I'm sure I'll be evicted immediately with nowhere to go... (I was planning however to tell my landlord when I leave so she can act on it)
My plan was to get a pest controller in, have him spray the house and hopefully cure my Bed Bug problem, my concern however is that if he's even 1% unsuccessful that the next tenant might inherit this problem which is something I wouldn't wish on anyone and my other concern is that my landlord's husband is a lawyer which worries me that I'll get in trouble if I don't disclose my issue up front.
Any suggestions on what I should do? Can I try self treatment first before telling my landlord? or do I have no real choice?
Thanks in advance!!!
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watkinsnewan
member
Joined: Sep '09
Posts: 346offline
Posted 3 years ago
Thu Nov 5 2009 8:15:39
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That is A hot topic for some.. In these parts.. There are no Laws that say you HAVE to it may be in your rental agreement..BUT I fell you do have an obligation to tell not just your LL but your place of business.. Some have gotten fired because of the disclosure.. I didn't let this stand in the way of Me telling My boss..neither did my husband... We also disclosed to the kids school... I didn't want to be responsible for another getting these blood suckers an draining there wallets too.. and letting them go through what I was going through.. BUT your situation is really sticky.. Do you know if the apartment complex has them...Have you seen any PCO trucks out in the front...
GOOD to hear you are getting your own PCO in... If you are calling a PCO in you are not self treating ... the quicker the better.... You may also want to read your rental agreement...
Also if you don't disclose your LL may get really mad for not telling them as soon as you found out...
Don't get kicked out of your home...that would be really bad right now... Way all Options...
I am sure that some one else will be in here too offering lots of advice.. -
bugsarehere
newbite
Joined: Nov '09
Posts: 2offline
Posted 3 years ago
Thu Nov 5 2009 8:42:33
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Thanks for the reply, that does help and on the inside I want to alert everyone as I hate what I'm going through right now, but I'm concerned about telling anyone at work since I'm getting a promotion to a new interstate job and getting fired over something that might have not ever affected my work is something I think would hurt me forever
I haven't seen any pest control trucks around though it does sound like my neighbours upstairs are stomping around alot very late at night which I think indicates a possibility they are battling with the same problem or started it, though since I don't speak to them I think asking them would be awkward especially since they're probably going to deny it anyway or possibly use me as a scapegoat to say that I brought them in and it filtered up to them (maybe I'm overplaying this in my head).
I'm a very honest person and I care about what happens to other people though it really cuts me up inside that by being transparent might jeopardise both my work and living situations, even admitting this to anyone but my best friends is hard for fear of being ostracised which is the last thing I want while these bugs are stressing me out!!!
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cilecto
oldtimer
Joined: Aug '08
Posts: 3,851offline
Posted 3 years ago
Thu Nov 5 2009 11:02:01
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I'd be very careful about whom at work you disclose to (if you tell anyone, then you must also tell the company officially). You need to keep it simple and to make clear that you are taking precautions. You might want to note that this is a problem in your buiding, not a problem with you. Definitely take precautions, but think real hard before you communicate (which you may need to do, if you need time to prep yourself or if your office is infested and that needs to be dealt with). Note that businesses respect people who can deal with crises and provide constructive solutions. It's easy to feel ashamed about this and to try to dissect how YOU caused this. But, we never know. It could be your neighbors, it could be your office, it could have been the pizza box that your neighbor got a year ago or the cable box the super got. That's why in progressive cities, it's the responsibility of the property owner. Please research the laws in your locality. We're with you. Best of luck
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cilecto
oldtimer
Joined: Aug '08
Posts: 3,851offline
Posted 3 years ago
Thu Nov 5 2009 11:05:27
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You will probably need to tell your LL and depending on your experience, post to bedbugregistry.com. You must definitely get educated on what you need to do to protect yourself when you move. Dumb question, but have you made positive ID?
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