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Suspect BBs in building - can I insist on building inspection?

1. 

   hopeful_in_Cincy
   

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   Posted 10 months ago
   Wed Jun 27 2012 22:15:16
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   I've been perusing the forums for some time now, but couldn't find an answer to my question, so I'm hoping some kind forumites could shed some light on possible courses of action.

   I live in an 11-unit historic building. Two days ago, I saw a discarded mattress and two boxsprings on the sidewalk outside, complete with the dreaded fecal stains. I called my landlord right away, who sounded frightened (which encouraged me) but insisted that they could have come from anywhere, we live on a busy street, yadda yadda. I don't quite buy that theory—why would someone haul mattresses/boxsprings farther than they have to?

   I asked him if it was possible to have the building inspected, and he enthusiastically replied yes—probably because I'd caught him off guard. But when I ran into him the next morning and asked him again about whether the exterminators would do an inspection (they were already coming that same day to spray for roaches throughout the building), he told me that it wouldn't be possible to have every apartment inspected because it would be too much to physically inspect every tenant's bed.

   My question:is he right, am I expecting a level of invasiveness that isn't realistic? Or is it possible to advocate and convince my landlord that he needs the exterminators to inspect all the units in our building?

   The answers might depend on location, I realize. I wish we had as helpful a public health department as NYC, here in Cincinnati.

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   cilecto
   

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   Posted 10 months ago
   Thu Jun 28 2012 12:34:43
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   Different landlords and associations take different approaches. Inspecting the entire building involves time, cost and cooperation of all tenants. LL and building may be ready for this or not. It's tricky. Some scenarios:

   1. Unit in (NYC co-op) building where I live reported BB. Apartment was treated and adjacent units were inspected, all at co-op expense. There are no routine inspections.
   2. Parents' building, also in NYC had several units reporting problems. Landlord announced full canine sweep of building and that all tenants give access to inspection. Only about 60% of units complied. 10-20% of units were positive hits.
   3. Very upscale condo where relatives vacation (NJ) announced that all apartments will be inspected (not specified for what) by management a certain week. I suspect it was a discreet BB sweep.

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   hopeful_in_Cincy
   

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   Posted 10 months ago
   Thu Jun 28 2012 17:04:46
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   cilecto, thanks for the response—it's helpful to see how a few other scenarios have played out, which is what I'd hoped to aggregate in this thread.

   I'd be interested in hearing about others' experiences, as well.

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