Landlords and Pest Control

brooklynleather · August 2010

So I live in a building that is nearly 100 years old. It's Brooklyn, it's hot as hell outside, I expect to come across a roach or two.

However, we have some sort of sick and disgusting infestation going on in our bathroom all of a sudden. I had been traveling for a few weeks so I am not sure if it actually just started or what, but last night I saw a massive, two inch or longer (!) cockroach and a bazillion tiny baby roaches. Today, I saw a bazillion tiny baby roaches.

This is totally my worst nightmare!! A friend came over, helped me carefully bait them (avoiding places my cats can reach) and caulking a small gap between the sink and the wall.

I saw these baby roaches crawl under the tile where it connects the floor to the wall. I clearly have a bigger problem on my hands that requires massive all-floorboard caulking.

So my question is this. Our building sends an exterminator once a month who baits the cabinets in the kitchen and bathroom and is done in five minutes. This is clearly ineffective. Is my landlord now responsible to hire someone who actually can take care of this or am I going to have to bait and caulk the entire apartment?

Any advice on trying to get my landlord to recognize a serious problem? We've had HUMONGOUS cockroaches since we moved in two years ago but not to this extent. Usually one or two every few months. Palmetto bugs even. It's really sick. I can't live this way. Please send your advice!!

homeowner · August 2010

Whatever you do, remember that roaches tend to travel to and from food sources and to strike out in search of new sources of food and water when old ones have disappeared. This means that in addition to the caulking and baiting of your apartment, it would be helpful if your neighbors did the same. Reach out to the folks that share the wall adjacent to your bathroom (up and downstairs as well as both sides) and ask them if they are also having a problem. Then you all should approach the landlord together.

Also, I'd seriously consider getting your own exterminator to come in and do your full apartment. Pay for it then deduct the amount from your rent and give the bill marked "Paid" to your landlord. S/he may not be happy, but you'll sleep better at night for it.

Here are some previous suggestions from fellow posters:
I hate waterbugs
Palmetto bugs
Damn Roaches

catwalkertexasranger · August 2010

Never saw lots of bugs until this year. The apartment smells like Bhopal and they just keep coming thinking of getting a second couch so we can all watch TV together. Bldg sprays but the thirsty roaches just appear to lap up the tasty poison and breed. If anybody gets a brand of spray that works please post it..thanks

youbetcha · August 2010

Besides what the other folks have said in reply you have to do some other things. Roaches and waterbugs are fairly clean creatures and are constantly cleaning their legs. But they are always looking for food and water and they live in the walls of every building in NYC or just about every building. Keep things clean of food at least and dry as you can. Though they'll eat just about anything. If you see roaches on places where you make your food, clean the area with ammonia since they drop feces and also urinate. You need to patch holes, seal cracks and be especially vigilant around pipes entering the apartment. They also come in through drains. Check the tub and your sinks. Put in strainers if there aren't any. If you have dripping faucets, fix them. Use boric acid in especially the cracks in the kitchen and bathrooms. Or use diatamaceous earth. Both are very effective against roaches and other insects. You could use poisons or baits but you know the risk if you have small children and or pets.

If the walls of your rooms don't have shoe molding installed, you'll probably have 1/4 inch or more separations between walls and floors. That's a problem. You may have to fix that . Check around your toilet to make sure it's sealed to the tile. I've seen waterbugs slide right out from under toilets. Don't ask me how they do it, they just do. If you have pets you have to go light on the poisons. Cats will chase down waterbugs, but if they've been poisoned, your cat may also get poisoned when they eat them. Check your entrance door. You may want to spray outside the door and down the hallways. And then after you've totally done all this and sealed everything up, don't be too surprised to see one now and then especially when it's very hot and humid and end of summer.

Try not to get too paranoid, they are just bugs. Keep it perspective.

mantic · August 2010

I believe the odd weather has brought the critters out in force this year.
As mentioned in the replies, unless there is a building wide effort, you may win some battles, but the war will never end. Also mentioned, roaches and flies are amongst the cleanest insects, like cats, constantly cleaning and grooming. In some places, those big ones you saw are considered delicacies.
As with everything else we try to kill with chemicals, these critters are building a resistance to them. So get back to basics. Boric Acid.
When the roachies (or any other critter) walks in it, it gets on their legs, they clean it off and ingest some. The crystals cut them up from the inside out. Apply it in along the corner where the wall meets the floor, holes etc. Yes, it may look a little messy, but very effective. You wont see the effects immediately, after a week or so, those buggers will equate your joint with a slow painful death.
I too live in a 100+ year old house and live by Boric Acid and friendly critters. I don't kill spiders and those millipede looking things, as they eat the other buggers.
Also throw some crushed black pepper in the mix.

brooklynleather · August 2010

All good advice. So where does a girl get Boric Acid?

I started sealing the crack between the wall and the floor with sealant and this has helped.

This totally freaks me out:
Cats will chase down waterbugs, but if they've been poisoned, your cat may also get poisoned when they eat them

yikes. New plan of action needed.

How do I convince my building to make moves on this issue?

homeowner · August 2010

You can get boric acid at your local hardware store. You may want to check with your vet just to be sure, but I've heard that small amounts are not harmful to cats. Just to be on the safe side, you may want to line your baseboards with the stuff then shut the bathroom door so the cats can't come in.

As far as convincing your neighbors, you may want to suggest to them the idea of you all calling in your own exterminator for your apartments and then splitting the cost, separate and apart from what your landlord does. Trust me, if the landlord is not getting a portion of the rent from three or four tenants because you guys are having your own apartments exterminated, s/he might be more willing to get on the ball and do something.

Landlords and Pest Control

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