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Getting the landlord to pay
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buggy_eastharlem
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Joined: Feb '09
Posts: 11
Posted 1 year ago
Mon Feb 16 2009 9:44:11
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My landlord is a piece of scum. Evidence of this? We haven't had hot water in 5 months because he won't pay to fix the boiler(and yes we're suing him). I had my doubts that he would actually pay for a PCO but I spoke to him on Saturday and he said that he would call "his guy". Is it standard practice for the landlord to use his own service? I understand that he might have a professional relationship with this guy but I'm very uncomfortable with this arrangement.
I don't trust my landlord and I'm worried about having some guy come in with sprayer and covering my entire room, willy-nilly, with pesticide -- not only being ineffective, but being dangerous as well! Is there a way to convince my landlord to go with KQ instead? I asked but he said "it would be rude if I went over [my guy]'s head without even letting him try."
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itchyandtired
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Joined: Feb '09
Posts: 66
Posted 1 year ago
Mon Feb 16 2009 10:05:12
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My LL has sent in her own PCO 7 times now and I believe we still have them. He has never gave me instructions on getting the place ready or what to do after except to put everything in the center of the rooms. I don't even think he has sprayed any of the closets. So if you can get your LL to go with KQ instead I would go for it. I would try but I live in GR MI. I don't think there is any PCOs that really know what they are doing when it comes to BBs here. If there is I would really love to know. I think LL go for the cheapest instead of professional.
Good Luck!!!
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kpabarue
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Joined: Jan '09
Posts: 49
Posted 1 year ago
Mon Feb 16 2009 11:00:56
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I had basically the same situation. My LL kept bringing back "his guy" who didn't inspect very well and sprayed only minimally. I kept seeing bugs, so I informed my LL that I was going to be hiring my own PCO (I hired KQ). After KQ treated my apartment the first time, I spent a lot of time attempting to educate my LL about how important it was to have a quality PCO doing the job, and how his guy might have been well intentioned, but might not have known what he was doing. He didn't spray closets until I asked. He didn't tell me to bag anything. I think I scared my LL a fair amount, but it still comes down to dollars. While he recognizes that KQ is better than his original PCO, he wants to give his original PCO another chance (I'm pretty sure he pays him very little).
Anyway, KQ has spoken to my LL AND to his guy, and educated them a little on the necessity of certain products, inspections, etc. While my LL didn't hire KQ to do the entire building (I only wish), he did end up paying me back for what I spent on having him come and treat my apartment (I should have paid more to KQ, what with all the moral support, advice, and help he's provided)- my LL was only going to pay me back half, initially, and then I reminded him about how much money I had spent on laundry and dry cleaning, dealing with a problem that was in the apartment before I moved in- and that I hadn't been informed about.
I think part of the reason it worked was that I provided information as to why KQ (or any other PCO you want) was more effective than what his guy was doing. When I had research and facts to back me up, and I could prove to him I knew what I was talking about, I had some ground to stand on.
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buggy_eastharlem
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Joined: Feb '09
Posts: 11
Posted 1 year ago
Mon Feb 16 2009 15:30:59
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thankfully my LL did say that if his guy was ineffective I could write a letter to his boss requesting that they pay for KQ to do the job. Blah.
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kpabarue
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Joined: Jan '09
Posts: 49
Posted 1 year ago
Mon Feb 16 2009 15:33:37
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Make sure that you have proof that his guy is ineffective. Take pictures or samples- I told my LL that his guy wasn't working out, and he accused me of bringing the bugs back in with me. I reminded him that everything in my apartment is bagged and whenever I come in, whatever is with me goes immediately into ziplocs- nothing from the outside is exposed to the inside.
Good luck!
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ssayles
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Joined: Feb '09
Posts: 16
Posted 1 year ago
Wed Feb 18 2009 0:21:00
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Landlords are cheap! You are lucky if they are willing to pay for the treatment. Most landlords I know won't pay for a proper treatment. My landlord tried to avoid me after I told him that I had bedbugs in my room. I hate my landlord now. It is his responsibility to get rid of the these nasty creatures before I moved in.
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Whether landlords will pay or not usually hinges on the local laws.
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