Hate my new apartment! What to do? (2010, apartments)

[CapitolStaffer]

So, I've recently posted about my attempts to find the right neighborhood & apartment as I begin my new job in DC. Last Thursday, December 4th, I signed a one-year lease for an apartment. The building has very good ratings on apartmentratings.com. Unfortunately, it also has bugs and roaches.

On the night I moved in (Dec. 5th) I saw 3 roaches and about 5 other tiny bugs. Yesterday I killed about 5 more little bugs, and today I've killed 2 small roaches. They seem to be either in the kitchen or the bathroom. If I had just cooked a four-course meal and left pots & pans all over the place then maybe I could understand. But I literally have not cooked a thing since I've been here. What little food I have is either unopened or sealed tight in plastic. If this is what it's like before I've even cooked anything, I can't even imagine what will happen once I start buying more food and cooking dinners. Moreover, I was told that the apartment was exterminated before I moved in. Apparently it didn't do much good.

I am both disgusted and terrified of the bugs. Since the building manager isn't here on the weekends, I haven't been able to notify them yet. Instead I spend most of yesterday caulking up any holes and sprinkling boric acid around. I hate going into the kitchen & bathroom now, and I get nervous anytime I open a cabinet. I haven't cooked anything yet because I'm too worried.

What can I do? Obviously I will talk to the manager when he is back in the office. I hate to sound dramatic, but I'm feeling a bit scared and hopeless. I just moved in and I really don't think I can live with these bugs for a whole year. Ideally I could terminate my lease, and I'd be willing to pay a fee, but there is no early termination clause. This is my 1st post-college apartment, so I'm not sure what to do or what tone I should take when discussing this with the manager. Please advise--I'm starting to feel desperate for other options!

[ConceivedinKY51]

For the time being I suggest roach "motels" for the roaches. They really work! I don't know what the other bugs are; describe please and maybe I can help. I've had my share of bugs in different apartment buildings I've lived in. As far as I know, the landlord is required BY LAW (I believe this is true no matter what city or state you live in) to take care of the problem.

Hang in there!

[JL2010]

Check to see if the apartment has satisfaction guarantee. I didn't know this, but my apartment does. I could move out in 30 days with everything refunded.

[flyingfish]

Originally Posted by JL2010

Check to see if the apartment has satisfaction guarantee. I didn't know this, but my apartment does. I could move out in 30 days with everything refunded.

Thank you for mentioning this, it is something I will have to keep in mind. Never heard of such a guarantee before.

[ArmyPoohFan317]

Your lease should say something about early termination. But your landlord/apt. manager is required to take care of the problem, so go in Monday morning and in a polite but "the customer is always right" tone, let them know that you expect the problem to be fixed. I also agree that roach motels work,

Are the other bugs smaller and brown? Do they stink when you kill them? If they do, than they are common to this area. I've found that if I catch the little brown bugs in tp (but don't crush them) and then flush them down the toilet they are a lot less likely to stink. But, this might not be the bug you have (they are harmless if they are, just annoying as all get out).

Any other questions, just let me know. And good luck- a first post-college apartment is exciting and a learning experience!

[CapitolStaffer]

So, on closer inspection I think the tiny brown bugs might be baby cockroaches? They look like very very tiny miniature cockroaches. Anyway, I have killed 7 today, including one that was definitely a roach.

Does anyone think I can talk to the manager about terminating my lease? I have only lived here for three days and this is obviously a condition that existed before I moved in, and one that I could not have forseen or reasonably anticipated when inspecting the apartment.

[juniperbleu]

Originally Posted by JL2010

Check to see if the apartment has satisfaction guarantee. I didn't know this, but my apartment does. I could move out in 30 days with everything refunded.

You don't happen to live in an Archstone/Charles E. Smith building, do you?

Regarding the roaches, talk to the manager. Don't freak out on him (yet), but be firm. It technically is a health problem (or something to that effect), so they're required to take care of it. If they don't, then I think there might be some sort of recourse. Do a Google search for "DC rental law" or "DC tenant law" for some information. I think HUD might have something to do with it, so you could try contacting someone there for advice. There's probably something in the DC city gov't as well.

[JL2010]

Originally Posted by juniperbleu

You don't happen to live in an Archstone/Charles E. Smith building, do you?

Regarding the roaches, talk to the manager. Don't freak out on him (yet), but be firm. It technically is a health problem (or something to that effect), so they're required to take care of it. If they don't, then I think there might be some sort of recourse. Do a Google search for "DC rental law" or "DC tenant law" for some information. I think HUD might have something to do with it, so you could try contacting someone there for advice. There's probably something in the DC city gov't as well.

My apt is managed by eqr, and I think they offer that guarantee on all apartments they managed.

[Tuneful]

As I posted on another thread, if you are in an apt. building in an urban area, rare indeed (if ever) is the apt. building with no pest issues ever. It was a shock to me too when I got out of college and got my first city apt. But it wasn't as bad as the loud alcoholic neighbor next door who verbally abused his retarded son. I don't know what else to advise you except try to accept the fact most apt. building dwellers will see these sometimes--report it diligently and also use motel and spray products. I had places where I would leave the light on all night in the kitchen or bathroom to minimize them coming out. Needless to say you also have to keep counters and other surfaces clean, and food items in sealed containers to the extent possible.

[DCart]

I wouldn't jump to any antagonistic approach to your landlord. There are laws in DC that restrict a landlord's ability to enter a renter's apartment. Those roaches are most likely coming from a unit above or below you and the renter won't allow entry.