Sorry to hear about your problem but you could have brought them in. A friend rented a house for 5 years, took a month to go back packing across Europe and came back with bed bugs.
He obviously brought them in. Bed bugs are hitch-hikers and they travel. And this is why they are so wide spread.
I recently interviewed a prospective tenant. When I asked her why she was moving, she had bed bugs. She could have brought them into my home! Don't blame the landlord. The last thing a landlord wants is bedbugs.
Jul 14, 2010 Rating
Eviction by: B&C1987
That is horrible. I almost went through that with my property manager. I came across an article in our local newspaper (found here:http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2009/oct/30/residents-feel-bedbugs-bite/ and another article from an unverified source about another apartment complex infestation found here:http://www.bedbugregistry.com/location/TN/37918-1935/Knoxville/322-Forestal-Dr) about a government run assisted living apartment complex that had been dealing with the bedbugs infestation (first one noted in this town) within the last year.
When the infestation first started the older individuals were being hospitalized from infections due to the bites being untreated. One resident went the the Environmental Director of the local health department which caused a good stir amongst the manager's of the complex.
Although it is a government run property and my property, as well as yours is I'm sure, is privately owned, when I mentioned going to the health department for help due to inability to afford pest control services and that possible media coverage would be the consequence she quickly took attention to the matter. I did take care of it myself and was able to successfully remove them (see earlier comment in previous pages).
I believe it is still possible to obtain help through your local health department and local media's to get the story out and force these landlords to take immediate action since it is not only considered an epidemic, but it is also environmentally unsafe.
At this time there are no studies proving that bed bugs carry or transmit diseases, but in scientific and logical terms, a roach is as prominently mobile as a bedbug and has been shown to carry diseases. Since bed bug's bite they are entering skin which does leave the blood stream susceptible to anything entering that area. I'm sorry you didn't get a chance to do it before the eviction, but if I was in your situation I would go to my local papers and media channels, give them your story, I seriously doubt they will turn it down.
Also, your local health department may not handle evictions, but they do handle environmental threats. If the landlord cannot provide proof of treatment and attempts to rent again after the issue has been addressed to your local media and health department he may be fined or condemn the place. I better stop before I write you a book on the topic. Hope this gives some good ideas to help your situation, :). I wish you all the luck in the world.
