Landlord's wife yelled at me--need advice (apartment, lease, attorney)

[rlrl]

I have lived in this studio apt for 3 years. As far as I know the landlord (actually the husband more than the wife-something about the way she looks at me makes me uncomfortable but still we seem to get along) likes me, I always get buzzed into the lobby by them when carrying heavy packages and have never had any problems. Never late on rent payments. The super gets along with me and I tip him for odd jobs he does. This afternoon when I was checking my mail the landlord's wife told me there were complaints of roaches coming from my apartment, claimed I lived like a "pig" and told me I needed to hire a cleaning service once a month. I explained to her I used the roach sprays as well as their extermination service for the problem but she said it wasn't good enough. She claimed they were coming from the stove; actually the bulk of the problem comes from the area under the sink. She claimed the problem wasn't there when I moved in but actually it was. The building has a big problem with roaches and that's no lie. On their floor just about every tenant has traps outside their apt door. She told me that if this doesn't change they are going to evict me. I didn't raise my voice or fight with her, we just left it at that.

I agree I am deficient in some of my housekeeping tasks. I don't clean the floors enough or dust enough so the bulk of the mess problem is dust and caked on dust and grime. It's a studio so it's cluttered. I don't know if that attracts them or not. But I am very very meticulous with throwing out trash and it seems that's all I seem to do is throw out trash. So I never have wet trash piling up. Lots of dry trash piling up but I get rid of those regularly. Maybe that attracts them. maybe i have too many paper bags lying around. I could stand to clean the sink better and clean the stove of it's crumbs more often, I'll agree with that.

At my last apt before this the super there complained to me that i needed to straighten up the apt "it's a wreck" he said. A neighbor of mine who was on the board came in to look at the apt when i asked his opinion and he told me it was just cluttered but no big deal. I remember the management bombed the 5th and 6th floors using a special method and the roaches were gone for good. No one ever complained to me again.

So yes, it's true I'm not a good housekeeper and yes i can do more sprayings and keep the sink clean and dry and the stove clean of crumbs. But now i don't know what to do or where to turn.

Any ideas as to what to do next?

[BXGEAR]

We had roaches at my house, under the sink and around the stove. I just bought can of raid and a dozen roach traps. Place the traps around evenly, behind corners and under the sink. When you turn on the kitchen lights you will see they running around so spray them fast. I just leave them there for a day or two so that other roaches can see the graveyard. After a couple of weeks they disappeared

[KarenBo]

In terms of your landlord, I would put everything into writing in order to protect yourself. I would write down everything you have done to rectify the situation, take photos, etc. It would also be worthwhile to have a professional exterminator come in and spray. I personally don't think that Raid is very effective. In addition, you will probably need to do a very thorough cleaning and go through everything. I once had roaches and discovered that the infestation was coming from a wooden pantry unit that had started to rot. Once I threw away the unit and had an exterminator spray the apartment, the roaches never returned.

[rlrl]

Now that some time has passed and i can think clearer, there seem to be 2 issues here. One is the fact that she says she saw roaches coming out of my apt, which actually comes from a larger problem of the entire building having the problem, and her telling me to get a cleaning service.

I don't know if housedust and caked on dust and grime attracts roaches, but if that doesn't impact on a roach problem, isn't the condition of the apt a matter that they deal with upon vacating the apt? Unless you're ripping things out of the walls and destroying the apt, can they really say that clutter and dust is causing roaches?

I've got the 12 months traps set up in all the areas

Can unwashed floors, dust grime and caked on grime attract them? The problem is confined to the kitchen area, not the rest of the apt.

Sometimes i wonder if the religious fanatic lady across the hall from me has it in for me and is complaining to the landlord or something.

this is making me paranoid because this is a close knit neighborhood, the landlord's son hangs out with people in buildings down the street and i'm concerned that this may cause problems for me as everyone seems to like me and always have

I don't know, am i being paranoid or am i making too much of it?

I set up 12 months traps in all the areas bxgear mentioned as well as sprays but that doesn't satisfy her.

there is nothing in the lease about this except a section where they mention "creating a problem for the health and safety of other residents". sounds like she's trying to claim that i'm creating a problem for other residents?

[laysayfair]

I think you should tell your landlord what she said. He may not even know she approached you that way or at all. If she says anything to you again tell her your attorney says you need it in writing.

[rlrl]

the husband whom i signed the lease with never gives me trouble. but as a couple wouldn't they share everything as to what was said, etc?

i believe the problem is coming from under the sink because it's all wood down there. I don't know what else to do but to spray again and use the roach killing gel. she says it's not enough but that's what people do when they have roaches

and she can't evict me on her word, they'd have to send me a legal notice, right? and don't the housing judges know if a messy, dusty apartment impacts on a roach problem or not?

my dad is in the hospital in ga and i am going to have to see him soon, what a time to have to go thru this

She didn't formally come up to my apt, she instead told me when she was getting into the elevator, it was a random meeting that may not even had taken place if we weren't there at that time

the roach problem is under the stove for the most part. i don't know what else to do and how i can prove spraying and gelling

[rlrl]

i'm sorry i meant it's under the sink

[analyticalkeys]

Originally Posted by rlrl

the husband whom i signed the lease with never gives me trouble. but as a couple wouldn't they share everything as to what was said, etc?

i believe the problem is coming from under the sink because it's all wood down there. I don't know what else to do but to spray again and use the roach killing gel. she says it's not enough but that's what people do when they have roaches

and she can't evict me on her word, they'd have to send me a legal notice, right? and don't the housing judges know if a messy, dusty apartment impacts on a roach problem or not?

my dad is in the hospital in ga and i am going to have to see him soon, what a time to have to go thru this

She didn't formally come up to my apt, she instead told me when she was getting into the elevator, it was a random meeting that may not even had taken place if we weren't there at that time

the roach problem is under the stove for the most part. i don't know what else to do and how i can prove spraying and gelling

They won't necessarily share everything that is said, so you should ask him about it anyway. And yes, you're going to need to receive a legal notice before you can be evicted; you won't be evicted right on the spot.

[rlrl]

well, i could approach him about it and show him the array of sprays and gels i have as well as the area under the sink. he might say the place is a wreck and that you should clean it but he's been up here before and never said anything.

i cannot afford a cleaning service on a regular basis.

i wonder if they came in with a key when i was out, what do you think?

she told me the problem was around the stove, but i had cleaned the stove on memorial day weekend. that was when one of the stove jets burned out because i was cleaning the stove and i had to ask the super to come up and relight it. maybe he said something?

i notice that they are attracted to a telephone stand i bought recently. i may have to modify certain things near the sink that may attract them(they run to things that attract them)

i can get a cleaner in every month and the problem would still there if they're not exterminated correctly. they may be attracted to the large number of cardboard and paper bag items i have. but is anyine going to believe that?

[rlrl]

she says there were complaints about roaches coming from my apt. who complained? did they take pictures?

and if i clean on my own and don't hire a cleaning service they are going to evict me based on my not hiring a cleaning service?

i don't like to think this way and i would never bring this up to them, but the lady across from me who is a religious fanatic won't ride in the elevator with me and she has a "take one" set up outside her door about some religious sect she belongs to.

i wonder if this is some kind of prejudice either toward those who are not of a certain faith or simply unmarried men in their 40's

again, i'm never going to mention this (I have no proof it exists) but sometimes i think this is what it's about(although i do realize i have a tendency toward paranoid feelings)