So if you've signed a bed bug addendum with your lease, you are responsible for the cost of the bed bug remediation. We're still finding out if the renters' insurance will cover it. It is likely they won't and we'll have to replace all our stuff at our own expense.
The manager of our apartments was immediately defensive when I told her I would be doing the prep work this weekend. She said I couldn't do it until it was scheduled. I told her the bug guy said we wouldn't be scheduled until we had done the prep work. Then she talked to me like I was an idiot.
I hate it when people talk to me like I am an idiot. I hate it more when said person has control over me. I contained myself and simply let her tell me what to do. I refrained from telling her my impressions. My mother, on the other hand, did not.
This complex is supposed to be a nice complex. I pay a lot of money to live there. I think I should at least be given some respect by the staff who manage it. All is nice enough until things do not go their way. They are perfectly content to label us as a problem and treat us poorly because we do not fit nicely into their "luxury apartments" scheme.
My mom went in there to deal with them and she was told to leave. When she said the manager couldn't kick her out of her office, the manager threatened her with eviction. Well, that's just plain bad customer service.
In short, we're fucked. We have to use their pest control specialist. We have to pay their fees to protect their property from a problem they may have caused. No options will be offered. We can't just leave. If we do, we will take the bugs with us. If we stay we will have to live with the bugs. We have no control over the situation.
Important lessons learned:
1 - Your apartment complex controls you. When I was younger I complained about riding the bus and my friend told me, "If you want your own seat you need to own your seat." Even if this was at my house it would suck, but it would suck on my terms.
2 - Regardless of the truth in the statement, telling a woman she is worth little more than breeding stock is never a good idea. Mom was lucky it only lead to a threat of eviction and not a knock-down, drag-out fight.
3 - Find out some way to sleep with it. I've slept very little this week. Everyone can tell.
4 - Stop researching on the internet. You've found out everything you will at that point. If you have not called a professional, you're wasting valuable time. Pick up the phone.
5 - Losing your temper in these situations never helps. All you do is show your ass and reveal all the cards you are supposed to hold close to your vest.
6 - Our complex has a citywide, good reputation. I tell people where I live and they've all heard of it, know where it is and know it's a good complex. A single star review given by an angry resident is not sufficient to do much damage. I typically take single star reviews as little more than a temper tantrum thrown by an irrational person. I know that personally, when I have given a single star review it was because I was foaming at the mouth. Now, if a local reporter has offered to help you there might be something you can do. I happen to be dating a local reporter who has been very helpful this week. All the effort he has put into cleaning my place has made him very eager to offer his services should this all go south(er).
Stay tuned.
