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My son and his friend recently moved into an apartment and soon after the move in they saw numerous cockroaches crawling around.
They reported it and they sent and exterminator out to spray. He also went and bought a bunch of traps and put those all over the place. There are still roaches crawling about though.
His roommate has been emailing with them but doesn't seem to be getting anywhere.
The roommates uncle lives in the same apartment complex but a different building and there are no roaches there.
What, if any, legal stance does he have to demand they put them in a different building or get out of the lease all together?
What, if any, legal stance does he have to demand they put them in a different building or get out of the lease all together?
Any advice is appreciated.
I would imagine little to none, unless this is an on going issue, and he's got proof that that the landlord is ignoring it. Also, can you prove that they keep the place CLEAN (like.. SUPER clean) and that they didn't bring the roaches with them??
It seems like your son reported the problem, and the landlord jumped on it right away. You won't get rid of roaches overnight, so it seems like you gotta give it a little time.
Also, as another poster mentioned, have your son play grown-up and go the store and buy some roach-killer/traps/bait whatever, if he sits around waiting for the LL to do everything, he is just going to have a bad time, all the while surrounded by roaches in his own home.
I would imagine little to none, unless this is an on going issue, and he's got proof that that the landlord is ignoring it. Also, can you prove that they keep the place CLEAN (like.. SUPER clean) and that they didn't bring the roaches with them??
It seems like your son reported the problem, and the landlord jumped on it right away. You won't get rid of roaches overnight, so it seems like you gotta give it a little time.
Also, as another poster mentioned, have your son play grown-up and go the store and buy some roach-killer/traps/bait whatever, if he sits around waiting for the LL to do everything, he is just going to have a bad time, all the while surrounded by roaches in his own home.
I said in my original post he went out and bought traps and set them all over his apartment the day after he moved in. They had been there one day and noticed the roaches come night fall. Not sure why you felt the need to make some snide comment about him playing grown up.
It seems to me having people move in to an already infested apartment should be a deal breaker which is why I came here to ask the question. And, no, they could not prove he didn't bring them although I would think the size of the population should be a good indicator the problem already existed.
Plus, they have to worry about the roaches spreading to other units in the building so if there is a problem the whole building should be exterminated. You did say they moved in 'awhile ago' so I would think they have spread by now. Those little suckers move and multiply fast so I would stay on the LL to get the place exterminated again.
And my understanding is that they have to come out at least twice to spray to get the eggs after they have hatched. So have them continue to call. They don't disappear overnite.
I use orkin home defense, it is like $15 at home depot and I spray every home I own 3 times a year outside with the stuff, there's a ton of it for $15. It works just as well inside. Roaches are tricky devils and unless you are getting the eggs with them it is a never ending cycle. Be proactive and spray every month til they are gone and keep the place super amazingly clean til there's no sign of them.
It isn't bed bugs so it isn't a deal breaker and the landlord seems to be on top of it if they already sent someone out to spray.
I said in my original post he went out and bought traps and set them all over his apartment the day after he moved in. They had been there one day and noticed the roaches come night fall. Not sure why you felt the need to make some snide comment about him playing grown up.
It seems to me having people move in to an already infested apartment should be a deal breaker which is why I came here to ask the question. And, no, they could not prove he didn't bring them although I would think the size of the population should be a good indicator the problem already existed.
As long as the LL is responding and treating the unit, there isn't much more to be done. One treatment isn't going to do it...its going to take several treatments. Your son needs to talk to his neighbors and ask them if they have bugs as well so they can be treated. Don't assume the whole building is being treated...it just might be his unit.
Your son and his friend need to make sure their unit is clean as a whistle and there's nothing being stored that roaches like to eat. They like to eat the glue on cardboard. Food should be stored in ziplock bags or Tupperware. Cardboard storages boxes are a huge no-no, they attract roaches like crazy. So do piles of books, so they should check their bookshelves (if they have one)
If it's the small german roaches...those suckers take a while to treat. Palmetto bugs, the large roaches, usually found in trees, tend to be easier to treat.
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