Please help me, Lemmy.
I was staying at a friend’s for a month waiting for an affordable room to be available, only to move in and after a week see a bedbug.
It’s a single room, for poor people, with a shared kitchen.
I am poor, work remotely, and my financial situation is bad. I thought this could improve things.
I moved in a week ago, but didn’t move all my stuff in because it’s in boxes in my friend’s garage right now.
I have moved in with 2 outfits, 2 jackets, a work computer, some computer accessories, and have purchased 1 matress and pillow and bed sheet set at target.
The manager of the property beforehand said there haven’t been bed bugs for years, but one of the door has like a block over the bottom with powder in the doorway past the block to kill bugs as like a sort of trap. The manager said prior to my moving in this is just fear from 3 years ago. The units are very affordable and I had to be on a waitlist to get a unit.
I am not sure what to do. The place is mostly quiet and I could work here. I don’t love the area because although it’s low income rent, it’s in a high cost area with many food places nearby charging very high tourist amounts, like any burrito or sandwich is $13 at least. Rent is very low, however.
I could leave now before moving other stuff in, put my stuff in bags except for my work computer when getting back to my friends, and look for a different slightly more expensive place. I can’t stay with my friend long-term because her apartment is next to a distribution center with trucks pulling in and out all night and I wake up easily due to PTSD and always being on alert, even when sleeping. She sleeps through anything. I also don’t like ear-plugs and can’t sleep with them in. When I was staying there I was chronically tired.
Suggestions from Lemmy? How bad are bed bugs? It was only 1 but I squished it. Pest control coincidentally came that day and identified it is a bed bug.
Also, I have not paid rent for this month and it’s due by tomorrow. I could actually leave immediately, today even, and just not pay the rent. My credit is bad already and the money would be useful if it’s a mistake to stay. It’s sleazy to leave wirhout paying for this month, but I am poor and may not have the luxury of paying for a place that could result in a chronic bed bug infestation. I would also lose my deposit.
I also don’t know where it came from. I can’t be totally sure it didn’t come from my friend’s place although I stayed there 5 weeks and saw nothing bad. I also had purchased a new outfit from a store with vintage recycled clothes, like an upscale GoodWill store, but that was 2 weeks ago and there were no bites. It may not be from the new place, but I don’t think I was bitten before the move in. Strangely, I don’t even know if the bedbug I squished bit me. The pest control person said the city has many infestations and could have come from public transportation.
My friend lives 6 hours away by bus and I don’t know as many people there. It’s also a cheaper area and I could move there. I could actually just get a ticket and leave today if everything else is irrational.
I am very tired and don’t know what to think. The time at my friends impacted my mental health and I’m not sure I am seeing it rationally.
The problem is, if there’s bed bugs and you go somewhere else, it’s very likely they’ll attach to your belonging and hitch a hike to your new place… Best would be have the landlord take care of the issue, it is their responsibility after all.
If the landlord doesn’t cooperate, maybe you can tell them you’ll call pest control yourself and deduct the amount from the rent you owe… no idea how well that would go legally speaking, but maybe it’ll allow you some negotiating leverage. (obligatory IANAL)
If the landlord doesn’t cooperate, maybe you can tell them you’ll call pest control yourself and deduct the amount from the rent you owe… no idea how well that would go legally speaking, but maybe it’ll allow you some negotiating leverage. (obligatory IANAL)
Not usually kosher. Withholding rent isn’t typically. Many places have a Landlord/Tenant regulatory body. And in a situation like this, you would usually say to your landlord something along the lines of:
It’s your responsibility as the landlord to deal with pests. Since you continue to refuse, I’m forced to go through XYZ Regulatory Board.
Start whatever system that regulator has to deal with landlords not keeping on top of their obligations. If paying for and withholding rent is what’s allowed, it’s better that you have contacted the organisation responsible for enforcement of rental laws. If just withholding rent is what’s allowed, said organisation will often be a “neutral” 3rd party and hold the money due to the landlord in escrow until they do whatever they are supposed to.
Just withholding rent is grounds for eviction almost everywhere. Do not withhold rent as the first step.
If you withhold rent without going through the proper systems you will often get a “you were right, but you didn’t do it right, so you still have to get out” from the regulator when they enforce what is actually a legal eviction.
If I stay, I won’t withhold rent. I am only withholding rent if I am leaving, and then I can say I left because it’s not habitable. These places are cheap and the legal costs of filing suit against me would not be worth recovery. They would keep my deposit and then I’d move on. It may be the rational thing to do, to just leave immediately.
Something to consider is a mattress protector that kills bed bugs and seals the mattress from other ones getting in. I don’t want to promote them here but I know a company that sells them, but they’re not super cheap ($75 to $150). Good side is that it has a 10 year warranty. DM me if you want details.
Also get the interceptor cups for the legs of your bed and couch. They cannot travel into the furniture when they’re in place.
And run everything clothing and bedding wise you own through the dryer over and over. Before you leave for work or anything, run your clothes through the dryer so you don’t have any on you.
The problem is, if there’s bed bugs and you go somewhere else, it’s very likely they’ll attach to your belonging and hitch a hike to your new place…
Except barely anything is here. I have some cheap clothes I could throw out, and air mattress and sheets and a pillow I can throw out. The only things I need is the work computer and electronics (can be bagged and frozen) and would need to use the work computer quickly. Is it worth it? I’ve heard getting rid of bed bugs is hell. Should I just cut my losses?
I speak from experience with them. You will bring them everywhere. They hide in everything they can. I went through two months of dealing with them and they are hell.
If someone came over knowing they had a bed bug problem and brought them into to my apartment, I’d make sure it came out of their pocket to fix it.
They can take weeks and multiple exterminator visits to fully get rid of them. Make the landlord fix it or find another place (and take precautions not to bring them to your next place!)
