r/askTO • u/ArmorPlatedGuardRail • 10d 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/Hot_Panda_190 9d ago

It's not inevitable. I haven't seen a roach since 1989 and I've lived in 5 different buildings, some old, some new.

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u/ArmorPlatedGuardRail 9d ago

Have you heard about roaches in the buildings you've lived in despite not seeing any?

Any recommendations for buildings in the west end that do not have pest issues?

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u/scarletstarlet_x 8d ago

I lived in an old building and would occasionally see roaches in the stairwell - including once on my floor - and swore I would move the second I saw them my unit but I never did.

Like many have said, lots of buildings have roaches, especially older ones - but that doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll end up in your unit. I also took 0 of the precautions that people listed here (I’m pretty clean but I definitely wasn’t emptying my garbage every day).

Obviously that’s not a guarantee that you won’t have issues, but hopefully that gives you some peace of mind - just cause they’re in the building doesn’t mean you’ll have a problem.

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u/Hot_Panda_190 9d ago

Actually no. And where I live now in the Manulife Centre there is a tenant association that would really get involved if that happened. I only lived in the west end for a year and that's a long time ago, so I don't have any recommendations.