johne2010@live.ca

by Johnny
(Winnipeg, Manitoba ,Canada)

Howdy folks, bet you've never heard of a situation like this. I have my apartment taped with box tape all around my suite.....everywhere including the baseboards top and bottom.under my wall to wall heating unit, under my kitchen cupboards etc.etc.....no way can the bedbugs get into my suite, and if they were in my suite, they would not even be able to get out. This is after more than 10... yes...TEN years of virtually continual pesticide spraying and of course you have to get precautionary sprayed if your neighbors have'em.

I have not had them; it is the people above and around me. After all this time you would think (using common sense....which is a commodity at this point in time), that the "powers to be" would realize that I must be doing something right to be bedbug-free. They tell people that the ONLY WAY one can get exempted from having to move hundreds of pounds of furniture every month is if you get a medical waiver of which at least 95% are rejected.

I also have a compromised immune system that feels attacked every time I come back into my apartment even 10 hours after my suite has been sprayed. There are a lot more details, but this should suffice to give you another perspective on this problem of apartment owners who care little for their tenants except for the monthly rent. Oh yes, they also move people into suites that other people have moved out of due to the problem with bedbugs and shortly after that,....these people end up with them as well. It's all for the money. This is a provincial government funded low-rental apartment block with ten floors and 17 suites on each floor.the owners should be paying us to live here!!!!!!!!!!

Editor Comment
Hi Johnny,

Sorry to hear about all of the bed bug issues in your apartment building. Research has shown a 20% chance of bed bugs spreading from an adjacent apartment (next door, above or below yours.) Also, Winnipeg as the second most bed bugs among Canadian cities, so not a surprise you have a problem.

There are laws in Manitoba which state that landlords must correct any bed bug infestation. They must arrange for and pay for any extermination. You can call the local government agency and complain if you believe any treatment has been inadequate at 1-855-362-2847 (1-855-3MB-BUGS). You can also email at bedugs@gove.mb.ca. When you call they may send an inspector to conduct a site visit. For chronic situations such as yours, a health inspect could be called in. You can also call 311 to speak to a bylaw officer about the problem. You can also get more information on Manitoba bed bugs from this government run site.

Since landlords are responsible for treatment, I'm assuming that they also must certify an apartment bed bug free before someone moves in. If you believe that this is not the case, we suggest contacting the local government at the phone number or email provided above.

In terms of your specific situation, we haven't heard of tape being used to seal cracks between apartments, but we see how a tight seal could work. Better would be the use of a silicon caulk. We also suggest using diatomaceous earth powder applied in a thin layer in any cracks. This natural dust clings to bed bugs causing them them to dehydrate and die.

Best of Luck,

Jeff





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