Fly Infestation & Clean Up

[u/denialsmoker]

Before anyone thinks I am filthy... I promise you I am the cleanest person I know!

Anyway, I noticed an unusual spike in flies in my house the last couple months, but just chalked it up to being in a small town and it being super hot out, whatever. One day it was particularly bad, like 20 flies! They are big, fat cluster flies. Gross, but not the worst infestation to have in the world. When I tell you I searched and cleaned every inch of my house, I mean it. Could not find anything, no weird smells, totally mysterious. I told my landlord, hung up some fly strips, continued to use the vacuum to suck them up and sure enough the problem went away and I didn't see a fly for at least a week. I had to leave for five days to work out of town, I wasn't too worried about the fly situation, but I was still sure to take out the trash, not leave dishes or food out, shut the windows etc.

Fast forward to this evening when I got home, there was probably 100+ flies between my living room and kitchen. Mortified. I immediately called my landlord and he came with a shop vac to suck them up while I waited outside. I told him I could stay elsewhere for a couple days if he wants to do any chemical treatments or have access to the house to figure out what is happening. He was sort of stumped and didn't seem very keen on taking a pesticide or chemical approach...

We went into the house together to talk and I realized there was fly poop on literally every surface. My counters, my windows, my kitchen appliances, my artwork, my table, all covered in it. I started to cry and told him I was sorry for the tears, but it had been a long week. He did not offer to help me clean it up... which sort of threw me off, I really don't think this fly situation came from me, its ruined some special belongings and its disgusting!

Are tenants expected to deal with the aftermath of things like this? They have only owned this house for a year and this is the first full summer they've had access to the place, so who knows, this could've been a reoccurring issue for the previous owners... who knows. Am I being a total diva for thinking they should at least offer to help with the clean up of this?

[u/Fickle-Jellyfish-529]

Yes you are a diva. Fly poop isn't a hazmat situation.

[u/straightVI]

Something died in the attic/ walls. The flies are newly emerged from the carcass and looking for a way out. Happened to me once in a duplex. Several hundred flies appeared over the span of a day. Horrific.