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Infested building, uninterested management
(4 posts)-
vantage_victim
newbite
Joined: Jul '09
Posts: 2
Posted 4 months ago
Fri Jul 24 2009 11:54:48
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Hello All,
In the midst of bed bug treatment. We have received 3 treatments by a PCO thus far, most everything we own is sealed in bags but the bites continue. I suspect that a large part of the problem lies in that the building is badly infested. Around the time of initial discovery of bed bugs we found a mattress left in the stairwell that had probably 1,000 living bedbugs on it. The thing was literally alive! Needless to say I immediately called the super, who told me to call the management company who said they would take care of it right away. 24 hours later the super finally got rid of it. It sat in our stairwell crawling with bugs for 24 hours.
Grossed out by the bugs in the stairwell I tried taking the elevator down. When the elevator arrived on my floor it contained the super with another heavily infested mattress with live bugs crawling on it. I took the stairs.
Since this time we have seen at least one infested mattress left out by the dumpster every single week. Usually not bagged or marked to help stop others from picking up the mattress and spreading the infestation around Queens. We called the management company and spoke with them about the fact that the building is infested and it will be impossible to get rid of the infestation unless they start being proactive and treat the building. They said they will only treat an apartment or offer an inspection if the resident calls in.
I'm aware that New York law requires them to provide treatment (70 unit building), which they do, but I am hoping that there is a way to get them to do the right thing and take a more systematic approach to it. Otherwise, I feel I will likely never be rid of the bugs for long. Any advice would be appreciated. -
BugsInTO
member
Joined: Aug '08
Posts: 197
Posted 4 months ago
Fri Jul 24 2009 18:39:25
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Hi Vantage_Victim -
Read the New York vs Bedbugs website as well.
As you are guessing, your experience is probably just the tip of the iceberg of the bedbug infestation in your bldg.
The supt needs training & support from management (and probably a raise and some respect too.) Call the Mgmt office again and complain about the way the mattresses & furniture are being left lying around and being moved through the bldg unwrapped. They will be paying for the pest control, and their employee is spreading it around.
Good luck.
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parakeets
oldtimer
Joined: Mar '07
Posts: 866
Posted 4 months ago
Fri Jul 24 2009 19:43:55
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I relate totally. We had a mattress thrown out in our infested apartment building's dumpster (signs of bedbug infestation on the mattress) and another tenant dragged the same mattress back into our building and kept it in the hall for weeks. Nothing I could do would get the management to move that mattress (I wanted to slice it and deface it with huge painted letters: 'BEDBUGS' but all I could do was tape signs to it which were torn off daily).
Your post is so well written. Could you write an op-ed piece for a local paper? Could you get television coverage? Just from hearing your words here, I feel you could be the spokesperson for a major story. Your story is our story, and the story of probably all the 70 units in your building.
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vantage_victim
newbite
Joined: Jul '09
Posts: 2
Posted 3 months ago
Mon Jul 27 2009 16:52:06
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Thanks BugsinTO, that site is perfect. Seeing as the management company isn't interested in trying to get the bugs out of the building, maybe if I take them to court for a rent reduction they will reconsider. Better yet, if I can get our tenants union to organize a situation where all the effected tenants apply for rent reduction at the same time it could help open their eyes to the serious pain in the ass it is to have bedbugs.
Parakeets; Thanks for the kudos. Honestly, I'm a little reluctant about trying to became the public face of bedbugs. From reading these forums it would seem that flaccid management companies and there lack of concern for their tenants is utterly too common. I may try and get press through a concerted effort via the tenants union which represents several Vantage buildings throughout Queens that are infested with bedbugs.
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