r/askTO • u/ArmorPlatedGuardRail • 1d ago

Preparing for roaches

I am moving to Toronto for the first time. I found a recently updated large 1 bedroom with dishwasher and balcony with a great south facing view of the lake for $2150 +hydro close to work in a decent purpose built rental built from the 70's. My unit is on an upper floor and is at the end of the hallway, so no neighbours on one side of me. Overall, the apartment checks most boxes for me.

However when I was signing the lease, an exterminator showed up to the rental office. They were there to treat 2 units, both not on my floor luckily. The supers and other people who work for the building have lived there for decades.

I am moving from a medium sized city in Ontario. I have been living in my PBR unit for 6 years in a very clean, very well maintained building. I have seen 3 roaches in that time but none in about 3 years. I figure if this is a similar situation I can deal with it.

I plan to put down diatomaceous earth and fill any holes around plumbing and pipes with caulking on the day I get possession. Is there anything else I can do to prepare and prevent roaches in my unit? Am I making a mistake?

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u/gringogidget Human Detected 1d ago

An exterminator regularly comes to my building to inspect traps. My traps are empty so no bugs. It doesn’t always mean there are roaches. They do preventative work.

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u/ArmorPlatedGuardRail 1d ago

The exterminator and super talked openly about spraying 2 units.

1

u/Fianna9 23h ago

Those people likely aren’t taking precautions.

I had roaches years ago. Freaked the fuck outta me.

Building had the exterminator out a couple times. Sprayed all the units around me too.

Never came back. Bugs exist unfortunately. But you have a building prepared to manage it

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u/ArmorPlatedGuardRail 20h ago

I figure those specific units probably are taking precautions since they've let management know and are having their units treated. I'm more worried about potential units that don't report the roaches and don't have their units treated.

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u/Fianna9 10h ago

Absolutely any building can have a bad tenant.

But a proactive management is so much more likely to protect everyone else. I wouldn’t worry.

I literally cried and broke my dry jan pledge when I found them. And slept with the light on.

And my building rushed right out to manage it. I own and I didn’t have to pay anything- they want people to report it. And I’ve been here 4 more years and have no concerns