Beg bugs due to Management negligence

By Josephine

There is an apt above mine that got infested with beg bugs due to the fact that this person is a trashpicker and brought them in that way. This apts tenant brought this issue to the manager and she told him to dispose of the furniture (because it was so bad) and not to throw anything away at out complex but to put it else where. He did not listen and disposed of the infested furniture in the trash dumpster less than 10 feet from my dining room window (which is a seperate issue and I think a health code violation).

So within hours we had bugs crawling in through our windows. The windows weather stripping is faulty and has been for sometime now. so closing the windows did not keep them out. We started finding them on our walls and bed and in our pets bed. At first we thought they were ticks but upon asking others and researching ont he internet discovered they were actually bed bugs.

 We did not know at first where they had come from because Management had handled the upstairs bed bug issue VERY quietly and only took care of the one apt not advising any other tenants. Once we heard from others what was happening we knew and went to the manager the next morning. Mangement was rude and dismissive. I was told to take all of my clothes and linens and dry everything in a dryer for at least 10 minutes to kill the bugs. BUT was directly told " DO NOT USE THE DRYERS HERE. GO TO ANOTHER FACILITY". I was then informed that the managers manager was on vacation until the tuesday following (we advised the manager Sat morning) and she would get back to us then. This was alarming because what was tohappenin the meantime. The unwillingess to jump on this serious issue was alarming. I couldnt understand why management would have me take all these preventative measures yet nothing was being done immediately. So if I dried all my clothes and linens and brought them back into my house before any extemination measures where taken wouldnt it be uselss?

 I also didnt understand why we had to pay for all these thigns to be done when this infestation was a direct negligence from management at the apartments. This was costing over $50.00 every time we would have to dry and re dry the clothes and linens all the while waiting for managment to handle this and send in an exterminator.

 I received a phone call asking what size matteress we had (queen) and if we had both mattress and box box spring (yes). She said she would be getting us a cover. But again, wasnt sure when and woudl ask the manager when she returned from vacation (ridiculous).

So over the weekend I have been bitten as well as my animals. I cannot sleep due to being afraid to get bitten and just the uncomfortable feeling that there are bugs crawling over me and my stuff and my animals.

I am not sure what to do. I called again this morning before I went to work to let management know that this MUST BE taken care of today! Not later! I have not heard back.

I am a care taker (as my job) and cannot go to work as my clothes could be carrying (even though I have dried…but nothing has been exterminated so I could be reinfesting) these nasty creatures to my elderly client.

I am a very clean person. I clean at least once a day and been doing so every day of the 4+ years I  have lived here. I am so upset and feel like my right are being violated due to the apartment complex’s unwillingness to jump on this serious issue.

The infestation is minimal right now but I am not sure after these days what it will have potentially turned into.

 I also am wondering about the trash bin and recycling being less than 3 feel from my dining and kitchen window. The air coming in is almost toxic at time and managment does nothing to clean this area in a safe manner. They allow peoples pets to pee and poop all over and do nothing to prevent this. I have spoken to the manager about this and received a response of "well, what can i do"… I wasnt sure how to proceed. This is a definate health violation.

I also have BLACK MOLD in my bathroom which was obviously there before I moved in because it looks as though they just paint over it. There is also mold under the flooring which is incompletly done (large space on the side of the sink). I have reported this verbally several times and nothing has been done. i have tried many many times to remove this with store bought chemicals and bleach. It hasnt worked and it will return in full force.

 I have continued to talk with my fellow tenants and I am discovering that it is not only apartment that has been infested due to the negligence from the management on this intial bed bug situation.  I am not sure what I can do. I feel like my hands are tied due to the infestation. Please help advise me of my options.

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