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Nasty Neighbor Rant
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While Mick Jagger addressed some of the issues with neighbors in the tune titled the same I came upon one of the worst examples of "Neighbors do unto strangers" the other day. First let me say that when a situation comes to my attention it is usually because it is somewhat complex and challenging, so I get to see some really bad cases. In this case imagine if you will the accumulation of some twenty years placed in assorted shopping bags, cardboard boxes and plastic bags and then pretty much strewn about the apartment, which we will call X, in a manner that makes walking difficult. Basically deny access to building and pest management personnel for years who when they finally do get in can basically do very little. Now add mice, roaches and of course the reason we are here,cuddly Cimex lectularius. About a year or so ago folks in an adjacent apartment, which we will call Q were getting bitten and bbs were identified and the problem was treated, resolved and accessible adjacent apartments were checked. The operative word here is accessible. Now for the past say month and a half the ravenous roaming of our little vamyres have made life most unpleasant for apt Q a couple with a young daughter who seems to be the favorite snack. Location, location, location, its up and adjacent from apt X's bed room. The second time around we were insistent with the management company to gain access and they got more insistent with the tenants and low and behold a bed bug training camp. Unfortunately very little can be done because of the presence of the two adults and the aforementioned conditions which they find totally acceptable and in fact have the delusion that Q is the cause of their pests. Enter the City of New York as a result of complaints, they swing into action and order the management company to make improvements to apt X like Spackle, painting and some other odds and ends which now threatens to make the matter worse for adjacent units. Oh yeah they also informed the management there were pest conditions (duh!!) Apartment X has cleaned up a bit so that building personnel can now pass so that they can perform the mandated repairs, but X feels that they are being forced to throw out their life possessions and in terms of any meaningful bed bug control it's the tip of the iceberg ....... When you deal with the misery inflicted by the likes of bed bugs and other pests you have to juggle compassion and resolution and while I tried to convey the human situation to the parent in apt. Q they thought of their child and basically wanted to rip X's throat out, I understood that too. Oh sorry you thought there was going to be an easy answer, well there isn't but education, sanitation and cooperation are a start. And of course dryers, dusts, monitors, steam, vacuuming and applications and in some cases fumigation are in order as well. Apartment #s have been changed the guilty and innocent!
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The first round is on me when we get a chance to meet.
David
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Obviously and as anticipated it's the same across the pond. Second rounds on me. Although my last time in London I had a horrible experience having not made dinner arrangements for after a show and looking forward to a good pub found myself stuck in a TGIF, which featured USA beer ....... made up for it though by finding a club. Till the cheers! winston
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Well it looks like the next step in this voyage will be court as the situation has not improved. I hate court, it's almost as long as council hearings.
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bitten123
member
Joined: Sep '08
Posts: 343
Posted 1 year ago
Thu Feb 26 2009 18:00:00
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Man, that just stinks! The selfishness of apartment X (I suppose for x-treme disgustingness) I really fell bad for everyone who is affected by them, poor Q family.. I know court is the last resort, but sometimes people have to be forced to face reality. Ugh, sorry you are dealing with this.
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As an owner of a pc company in Philadelphia with mostly commercial accounts, including residential hi rises, being able to talk to people with tact is a pre-requisite to success. I'll tell ya though, I quickly lose patience and sympathy for the likes of people in apt. X. I usually can listen to their crap for about 2 minutes and then have to walk away. The only thing that keeps me going is knowing that my job is to make life easier for my customer the management company. People like the ones in apt. X ALWAYS point the finger elsewhere. It is frustrating. I'll gladly buy round three.
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Well a deal was struck with X and they will be paid several thousand dollars to vacate the apartment in three months. Access will be limited and we are encouraging that X leave as much clutter as possible to reduce massive bed bug refugees which may seek adjacent apartments and create independent states along with the mice and roaches. This way when they do vacate the apartment can be cleared by professional with a limit to migration issues.
Lat visit saw numerous bed bugs out and about during the day with very little opportunity to treat. -
buggyinsocal
oldtimer
Joined: Jun '08
Posts: 1,259
Posted 11 months ago
Fri Apr 17 2009 12:31:49
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Wow. I mean, look, I'm not the most tidy housekeeper in the world. But if what I was doing was running a wildlife preserve for vermin, I like to think that I'd be so guilty about what my actions were doing to other people that I would step and up do something.
On the other hand, I watch Animal Planet often enough to know that hoarding is a real problem with mental illness behind it, so I suppose I just have to file that away under things that I don't understand.
Congrats on reaching a settlement that will allow neighbors some relief.
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I don't want to comment much more at this time as the matter still has not been totally resolved, however while the clock ticks and the calendar pages fall you can bet the problems have not subsided for one and all.
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your host
Joined: Mar '07
Posts: 6,173
Posted 11 months ago
Mon Apr 20 2009 19:04:39
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Winston O. Buggy - 3 days ago »
Access will be limited and we are encouraging that X leave as much clutter as possible to reduce massive bed bug refugees which may seek adjacent apartments and create independent states along with the mice and roaches. This way when they do vacate the apartment can be cleared by professional with a limit to migration issues.Unfortunately, even if they move very little of their stuff, the evacuees will likely take bed bugs to their new location (and may infest a moving truck en route).
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Originally I recommended that the management offer to have their belongings professionally packed and fumigated, which they did, but the tenant was not willing for whatever reason. I since have told the guardian that this should be done but I suspect this is falling on deaf ears. I can not have much contact with the tenant at this point as anything I say may be used against, etc. I just hope they move to an isolated spot as you are correct they probably will take some captives along and spread cimex to some new unwitting neighbors.
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