Termite issue / rude landlord

[Bushman]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? California

Background on an ongoing situation;

1 year lease, I have 3 months left until it is over
4 weeks ago I discovered termites, I did not know what they were I simply vacuumed around 200 of them away. A few days later, the same issue.

I finally did some research and discovered they were termites. I verbally informed my landlord of the issue. At this point, they said they could not bring in an exterminator for INSPECTION for another 11 days. The following day, I sent a written notice to the landlord requesting the "uninhabitable condition be taken care of." When the Inspector did his check, he said the issue wasn't too big and would drill holes in the wall to get rid of the termites. I requested a written analysis of the situation but was not provided one. The holes were drilled and they did what they were supposed to do. The activity happened about 8 days after the inspection. All the while, I was not sleeping at my place given the termites had infested my bed.

Fast forward 6 days, I returned to my apartment to discover termites again. I took specimens and gave them to the landlord with a letter explaining my dissatisfaction with the cleaning. Her response: This is normal, it takes a few days. I also requested the written inspector report and was told I would get it soon. So far, I have no written proof that anything was done in my apt. The landlord has also accused me of fabricating the evidence and severity of the situation. Having not been in my apt for 25 days, I paid my rent with the promise of a credit. Her credit is in the range of 10% of monthly rent. Her attitude is condescending and disrespectful.

The 30 day timeline will be over by the end of the week. What should be my next steps?

Please help. Not only am I living out of a friends place, I am still being forced to pay rent and be subjected to her attitude.

Thank you allWhat is the name of your state (only U.S. law)?

 

[Searchertwin]

Your LL answered your complaint in a timely matter. He has no control on how long a company can do the work. Sending a letter the next day was uncalled for. Once again 11 days for exterminator to do the job is not unreasonable time. LL cannot make someone do something faster just because you say so.

LL also provided a credit as requested by the tenant. The LL in this situation did what was required and in a timely matter. The exterminator did his job within a reasonable time frame. You have no reason to expect everyone to jump in a matter of hours. Life doesn't work that way. Every company has a schedules to do a job.

I agree LL should have kept her opinion to herself. But we all are guilty of that. Her attitude is irrelevant. Boo-hoo

You 30 day time line? What is that? The problem was presented and answered in a day. Problem was schedule for an appointment and job was schedule in 11 days. Work was done. Credit for rent.
Your next step? Go home, live and pay your rent. Any more problems follow procedure: report problem, wait for an answer, wait for work to done, go back to rental.

 

[Baranov]

Also, termite treatment can be add up to a couple of grand or more. Not the easy to come up with that kind of money for most SFH owners.

 

[Cvillecpm]

Landlords MUST be rude - it comes with the kit and we learn it EARLY or do not make it in the biz....many call us RUDE when we are just being professional and advising residents of the terms of their lease and their options IF they do not pay their rent....

RUDE is in the eye of the beholder!!

 

[Bushman]

Thank you for all your responses, extremely helpful.

So fine, I can take the rudeness as part of the personality and the job. However, the termites continue to enjoy my apt. They technically did not "solve" the issue. They did "address" it...only partially. Does acting, but not solving count as taking action?

I had an inspector come over who said the problem could not be solved by a spot treatment (what the landlord had done) given the type of termite / location. It would be necessary to fumugate. Now obviously he may be taking me for a ride (get more money etc...) so I'm thinking of getting another opinion.

This means the landlord took the cheap way out. I don't really care anymore. I want out of the apartment. I even offered to move to another unit in the complex while the issue was being taken care off but to no avail. I did not go into this with the intention of breaking a lease with 3months left.

Is my only solution to suck it up and live with the termites over the next 2 months?

 

[xylene]

Have you been forced out of the apartment?

Did the pest control officer inform you you could not inhabit the apartment while the treatments are in progress?

 

[Bushman]

Technically no. The exterminator I brought in said that fumugation was necessary. Fumugation would entail inspecting the entire building to see what other areas were affected, tenting and then fumugating. In this case, I and other tennants would be required to remain out of the building. However, this is unlikely to happen as the LL has settled on its own exterminator providing a local spot treatment which has proven inadequate. This makes sense given they would have to inform residents of the situation.

In short, no.

 

[Jenn30]

Your next step? Go home, live and pay your rent. Any more problems follow procedure: report problem, wait for an answer, wait for work to done, go back to rental.

Firstly, Bushman is still paying rent? He's just not living there.

Secondly, so what you are saying is that Bushman has to deal with this problem over and over and keep reporting it while paying rent? The guy clearly stated that the work was not sufficient- the termites are back. Is it his fault that the LL wont fumigate? Is it his fault that his apartment has termites? NO.
He has every right to complain about the state of the building. He also stated that it's not his intention to get out of his lease. Management could have set him up in a similar sized apartment in their complex building while they deal with this issue- he would still be paying rent!

 

[Bushman]

I have paid rent! I just spoke to the exterminator company they claim to have used. The exterminator said there is no way termites can appear so quickly after the initial treatment. A spot treatment where termites reappear so quickly means the issue needs to be resolved via fumugation. The landlord is lying! She said they spoke to the company who said it was normal for them to reappear so quickly!!

The lies keep on coming!!

This is not a solution, complain, have LL do a cleaning job disguised as a spot treatment, termites reappear and repeat. Sleep outside apt for 3 more months while paying rent and friends for living with them. I really have no options anymore.

 

[TigerD]

The landlord is lying! She said they spoke to the company who said it was normal for them to reappear so quickly!!

The landlord didn't lie. It is normal for them to reappear that quickly ... when the whole building needs to be treated.

Now, really, other than your being a drama queen, how does it affect you? You have to clean up once every few days? I would hope that you do that anyway?

DC

 

[Bushman]

Bro, did you read the entire post? They claimed it did NOT need fumigation. How does it affect me? My bed was infested, my bedsheets thrown away...thats how it affects me. When I last tried to sleep in the apt, I heard noises coming from the termites not to mention finding them walking around everywhere.

Its not about being a drama queen, ill gladly relocate for 3months. I am not willing to pay rent for the termites. They are the only things in my apartment.

Thanks for your advice though.

 

[Jenn30]

The landlord didn't lie. It is normal for them to reappear that quickly ... when the whole building needs to be treated.

Now, really, other than your being a drama queen, how does it affect you? You have to clean up once every few days? I would hope that you do that anyway?

DC

While I do agree with debtcollector that accusations such as "the landlord lied" may be a bit aggressive I don't agree to the fact that you believe termites don't affect Bushman.

I remember a couple of years ago I found myself in the same situation and quite frankly it's annoying to have to deal with termites and not Bushman's responsibility to clean the mess. Regardless of whether or not Bushman cleans his apartment (which I can't believe was part of your agument by the way) does not take away from the issue that the treatment issued was not sufficient.

I'm sure it's easy for you to submit a post with name calling but for one second try putting yourself in the persons situation. I'm pretty sure you would get annoyed with having to clean up bugs all over your aparment every few days.

And if indeed the whole building needs to be tented, this surely is not the fault or repsonsibility of the tenant? If he/she feels uncomfortable with the situation your solution is to keep quiet and just continue to clean up the mess?

 

[TigerD]

Bro, did you read the entire post? They claimed it did NOT need fumigation. How does it affect me? My bed was infested, my bedsheets thrown away...thats how it affects me. When I last tried to sleep in the apt, I heard noises coming from the termites not to mention finding them walking around everywhere.

Its not about being a drama queen, ill gladly relocate for 3months. I am not willing to pay rent for the termites. They are the only things in my apartment.

Thanks for your advice though.

Okay, if there are that many termites at once - and I didn't get that from your earlier post - sorry, then they are swarming. And from your post, both your pest control and the landlord's said it needed to be fumigated.

If it is that bad, you should offer the landlord a comprise: He let's you out of your lease with no penalty and full return of deposit and you will move without notifying the building department.

DC
PS: You need to be photographing everything.

 

[Bushman]

Thank you all for your responses. To update you on my situation.

The landlord left a letter on my door detailing our discussions / letters over the past month. Some details are incorrect and I am sending them a letter requesting corrections be made. I am also requesting they provide me with the termite report from the inspector / exterminator they used. (They said I would be provided with this information but have yet to receive anything). Apparently decent termite exterminators provide a short-term and long-term assesment of the situation. Per a conversation with the ll, she said they had "visually" observed that the termites were not as big a deal as I had suggested. I don't believe a "visual" inspection is sufficent as per a discussion with the exterminator I saw.

My plan now is to clean my apt (as DC suggested) while taking it day by day with the LL. I think my request to view these documents may get them to correct their ways. Otherwise, good luck to me.

I will keep posting!