Please give some advice... « Got Bed Bugs? Bedbugger Forums

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Please give some advice...

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dukester

newbite
Joined: Aug '09
Posts: 2

Posted 3 months ago
Mon Aug 10 2009 20:36:55
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We have very recently rented a vacation home. The first night of our stay my father was bit by something on his hand which swelled and itched intesely. The second night of our stay my father noticed a bug on the bedsheet which I caught and after looking on the internet was convinced it was a bed bug.
Having no other place to stay we spent a very anxious night (with no sleep), he was bit again twice on the back and again on the hand. We then discovered another bug in the bed in the loft and caught that one too.
My question is that after we notified the owner, they were most concerned that we wouldn't not give them a bad review. They said that they would contact an exterminator.
We said we could not stay for our last day and they told us they would refund our money. My concern is that there were more people coming the next day and I don't believe that the owners didn't know they had a problem. Is it even possible to treat in one day (Sunday) and not still have the problem by the time the other renter would come? (Monday at 3)
We have been trying to take every precaution that the bugs haven't come home with us, but still very freaked out!
Would like to know what others think we should do. Anyone with help please post. Thanks
klotztheatre

newbite
Joined: Jul '09
Posts: 13

Posted 3 months ago
Mon Aug 10 2009 21:38:42
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Um, well, no actually. There is no quick cure to exterminate ALL BB's with one normal PCO's visit. Chances are these people knew about it. But its a hard thing to do to get rid of BB's. We have had 4 treatments, (the last being a reassurance thing for me so I could sleep at night)and we had a very small infestation and I knew exactly where I got them. I have read a lot of horror stories on here though about how long it has taken some people to get rid of them. These people probably don't want to spend the big bucks that it will take to get rid of them.
Plus, if they aren't encasing the mattress, then they will just keep coming back. Plus, I am convinced that you MUST know their harborage location in order to truly exterminate them (my opinion). I am not sure what you can do if they did return your money. If there is a chance of notifying the next tenants, I totally would try. Its things like this that is making BB's rampant. If people would just tell other people so the little devils don't spread, then I bet the BB cases would dwindle considerably. Good luck!
dukester

newbite
Joined: Aug '09
Posts: 2

Posted 3 months ago
Mon Aug 10 2009 22:05:51
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Thanks for your reply, I really feel bad for the people who just came into the place. I really think that the same thing happened to us. Most probably however, the people who were there previous to us didn't know they had been chewed on by a bed bug, probably thought mosquito or spider (like we first thought). I know this has to be why people are bringing them home and spreading them everywhere.
I think it's irresponsible for the owner to keep renting out. At the same time I don't want to ruin their business, but I feel compelled to do something.
buggyinsocal

oldtimer
Joined: Jun '08
Posts: 1,130

Posted 3 months ago
Tue Aug 11 2009 0:14:09
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At first I was going to reply to dukester that, in fact, I would be slightly wary about the owner's focus on a bad review. The thing is, there's a lot you don't know.

Is the owner new to the whole rental property process?

Does the owner understand how hard bed bugs are to eliminate from a property?

It's hard enough to read inflection and body language consistently when you're in the room with someone. Hearing a report of someone else's interpretation of that makes intent all the harder to judge.

Klotztheater is partially correct. If the only option available to the owner is traditional chemical treatment, than it is practically impossible for the owner to treat the property in that time span between your leaving and the next arrival for bugs.

Of course, there is also the problem that it's possible that it wasn't bed bugs but a look alike bug. Dukester since you're new around here, I've got no way of knowing how good your bug identifying skills are. My gut tells me to believe you--the bites, the fact that you looked stuff up online, the owner's response--are all signs pointing in one direction.

However, I did want to point out two things.

First, there are some treatments that can eliminate bed bugs in a single treatment. They can seem pricey up front, and depending on where you are they may or may not be available. Both Vikane and thermal treatments if done properly should eliminate all bugs in a single treatment. Thermal takes most of a regular 9 to 5 work day kind of hours, and Vikane can take several days. I am highly skeptical that the owner would be able to schedule either of those treatments between the time you left and the time the next person came in.

As to whether you should mention the bugs in your review--ultimately, that's up to you. And yes, I'm not at all convinced from your description that the owner was going to use an effective one shot treatment.

On the other hand, I wanted to note that some treatments can take care of bed bugs in one go, lest you later hear about them and be skeptical that they work when a number of people here on the boards have used them successfully.