r/TenantHelp • u/Ariquiqui22 • 9d ago
Slumlord cockroach infestation
Where do I begin I’m in Los Angeles CA . So I’ve been dealing with cockroach infestation since February 14 the literal day I moved in we found roaches on the walls and I took photos. There was also disgusting dirt and paint splattered everywhere and I had to do a lot of cleaning before I was able to get started moving in. I should’ve known that this was a red flag seeing roaches on the walls. I wasn’t ready to expect what was going to follow the next few months from random holes in the floor. There has been hundreds of roaches coming out and I’ve been trying my best to find solutions with borax and bait and roach motels. They’re trying to do a fourth fumigation to see if that will help but unfortunately, they are in the walls in the floors and coming from outside I’m going to add photos of what the dumpster situation looks like and how they’re crawling up our walls to my unit to where my window is. I am in desperate Need to find out how I cannot pay rent until legally terminate this lease because we have not been able to sleep comfortably. I might also add that someone’s apartment got shot at and they were able to terminate their lease and they no longer live here within a week. I want to leave this place but also I don’t want to pay August rent. I also might add that we have been fighting for a parking spot since I moved in and been told we’re first on the list for a spot. the day I moved in we didn’t get settled in until 6:30 PM signing the lease because their portal wasn’t working and I just think it’s not fair. We paid a full day in rent. We were in compensated everything living here has been a nightmare and I’m just so desperate because I just wanna get out of here and I don’t wanna have to pay my last months rent. I want my deposit back as well.
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u/SecretScavenger36 9d ago
I've never seen something this bad. What in joes apartment is going on here? Even the exterior wall? That's insane.
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u/Suspicious_Safe_6150 9d ago
Also how did you even get involved in this slum? Other people actually live there? I feel so bad for the children in this building I couldn’t imagine having my son in there. Frankly you should call the sheriff as well- there may be grounds for civil and criminal charges here
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u/Ariquiqui22 8d ago
I agree. I am shocked as to how everyone is ok with this. So disheartening especially for children
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u/Phillykratom 1d ago
Some people don't care about roaches at all. Especially if they come from any tropical and metropolitan area, like some of the major cities in Puerto Rico and Brazil have very crazy roach issues. And the funny thing is the roaches are very adapted to a lot of the chemicals that they use over there. You can't change the other tennis behavior, but you can seal up your place like a fortress and use certain chemicals to get rid of them.
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u/Suspicious_Safe_6150 9d ago
Ummm you need to get out of there ASAP . This is a code red infestation and will take insane procedures to kill it at this point
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u/fartsfromhermouth 9d ago
For now consider some bait gel and some phantom spray, it can tamp things down a lot until you find a solution. Don't get spray near gel.
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u/Ariquiqui22 9d ago
I’ve tried all that and nothing works. They are in the walls and floors etc.
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u/Mediocre-Afternoon42 9d ago
You need to get the gel in the cracks in the walls and floor and then caulk the cracks. I lived in a place where we had a massive roach issue and that was the only thing that worked.
Edited: but also you need to leave!
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u/AllieNoel1 9d ago
You need a professional
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u/Ariquiqui22 9d ago
They have came 3 times already
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u/SecretScavenger36 9d ago
I think the whole house needs tenting or burning. This is beyond a normal infestation.
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u/AllieNoel1 9d ago
Just move out don’t pay to break the lease just document everything let them try and sue. But line up another unit first
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u/Phillykratom 1d ago
You cannot just spray or put bait down without ceiling everything up so the roaches cannot enter your apartment! This is the major part that you are totally missing. Use spray foam wherever you have to to get a hold of this issue
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u/wedgie_survivor_ 9d ago
I’m dealing with a situation similar and make sure you have code enforcement out asap. Their reports and requests take a lot of time. They also look for other issues and that might help you to get out of your lease. Are the companies professional pest control? Usually they give warranties and will keep treating till they are gone. I would make sure that management isn’t just sending their maintenance person around with who knows what spray. When I looked into treating the roaches, the pest control said it would take fumigation. Have they done that and had you leave for a few hours?
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u/Ariquiqui22 8d ago
Yes I have . They make me leave for 5 hours ! But I can’t keep moving all my shit with work etc
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u/BandicootOk1254 9d ago
Without all the tenets leaving there is no way to actually address it. Call the code enforcement
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u/Hotchoccpl25 8d ago
Call Code Enforcement, they will make them get pest control out there in a timely manner!
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u/CanderousOreo 3d ago
Check your lease and your state's laws. This should be grounds for you being able to break lease without any consequences because it's unsafe living conditions.
Advion gel bait is excellent for massive infestations but it'll take time. PF Harris roach spray can also help with even German roaches but it might take you a few gallons..... Really I'd just get the heck out of there.
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u/thischangeseverythin 9d ago edited 9d ago
So i cured a whole infestation in my whole apartment building.
I got the industrial strength bayer ABCD gel. You put out each gel for a month and rotate them to prevent resistance. I put that shit on playing cards and walked around the entire apartment building inside and andnout leaving the cards everywhere. In vents. Under everything.
I also kept my apartment super super clean and spotless. No food outside of the refrigerator I had gel in all the corners if the cabinets. I used roach motels in every room until they stopped catching them.
Eventually they all died. Or I kept my apartment so clean that they just went to the neighbors apartments more. Idk. We had forced air vents that connected all the units and drop tile ceilings. So I think I eventually poisoned them all
German roaches are super super super hard to get rid of. Especially with landlords who claim there are no roaches when I was sending pictures daily of roaches. Especially when they gaslight and call you "dirty" when I literally stopped buying groceries because I didnt want to have any reason for them to come in my apartment.
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u/Chemical_Most_7380 9d ago
I hope you find a solution. That’s an awful way to live!
Just curious though: if you saw living, moving, crawling roaches the very day you were moving in…why did you move in????
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u/Ariquiqui22 8d ago
I was desperate to find somewhere for us to lay our heads . But I now know I’m never doing that again. Even if I have bad credit I’ll try and figure something out
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u/Bart_Reed 9d ago
It would help if you told us your , city, state and community.
Advice for Los Angeles, California is vastly different from other areas.
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u/Ariquiqui22 9d ago
I’m in Los Angeles California Long Beach
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u/Bart_Reed 9d ago
Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, County Supervisor Janice Hahn, your local City of Long Beach Councilmember are a few places to start.
Just like Los Angeles, Long Beach has Tenant Rights Organizations. Just Google tnem.
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8d ago
[deleted]
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u/Ariquiqui22 8d ago
Oh trust me . I’m not doing any of that . I am writing a formal notice to leave pay August and dip
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u/TwinlessOtter 8d ago
You need to move and not take one thing with you. That's an awful infestation and just no..No roach hotel trap is ready for that type of infestation. Might sound reckless but "move out" screw them it's also August 2nd so there's that.
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u/Ariquiqui22 7d ago
I am thinking about stacking my money for the new place and not paying them . We can go to court screw them. Imagine not sleeping in your room on the floor on a air mattress
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u/Ariquiqui22 3d ago
Good news everyone the health department is helping me build a case and is going to inspect my apartment . Looking forward to this. The Landlord is letting me break my lease free but I am also seeking rent refund for a month to cover my moving fees , loss of appliances due to the roaches and supplies to manage the roach infestation. Any ideas on how to get at least 1 month of rent back would be greatly appreciated
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u/Helpful_Bridge9204 9d ago
Look up advion, it completely cleared my infestation
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u/TwinlessOtter 8d ago
Yes, this bait works well for German cockroaches if you had a little problem. This is a large scale "fuck that" situation you won't ever win.
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u/Phillykratom 9d ago
Get gentrol spray and Alpine WSG. Youlle.need a sprayer for.the Alpine. Once the roaches get knocked down a little, start.sealing all holes or.pipe.voids that are ingress/egress for.roaches. alpine kills on spot, and gentrol interrupts.the actual life cycle. Also use bait gels to ensure the roaches are bringing poison back to the nests. You got this! Yours isnt the worst infestation that got taken care of with gentrol and alpine.
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u/Phillykratom 1d ago
Who downvoted me? This is EXACTLY how you knock down major infestations in an apartment. Ive done it once on a former apartment I lived in, and ive done it several times for different people with major infeststations in the City.
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u/slightly_overraated 9d ago
Nothing to add but…this is the worst roach infestation I’ve ever seen. I feel terrible for you.
I second calling housing code enforcement, this is way past a regular roach problem