legal advice on cock roach problem in rental apartment (NV).
By
on
October 1st, 2008
I moved into a rental apartment about 2 months ago. I live in Las Vegas NV. I need legal advice on getting a COCK ROACH problem resolved. The complex is made up of approx. 300 units and is owned by a very small property managment company made up of one owner. I have notified the office who takes it very lightly. They have had the exterminator come and spray, this basically does nothing, maybe for a few hours I see results.I contacted the office about getting my whole building sprayed. They said they cant “make” any tenant get sprayed for bugs. I see an average of 15 roaches per day in my kitchen and some now in other areas. I have two babies and am concerned for there health. Who can I contact for help. How bad does it really need to be before something gets done about it. I went online to the local health department but seen nothing on the topic, not sure what department or where to look. Any advice. I wont live like this for a year.
And NO I did not know there was roaches prior to moving in.
Panamonkey2 says:
My friend had that problem a while back at her house. They had to bomb the entire house with raid roach and wasp killer for about 5 times every month. It takes a while to kill them, but it should work after a couple of months. Good Luck.
October 1st, 2008 at 9:30 pm
Daniel says:
Put management on written notice that they have 15 days to cure the problem or else you will hire an exterminator and deduct any cost from your monthly rent. You should get as many neighbors on board as you can. have them all sign the demand. get an estimate on what is needed to fix the problem and the costs and send this along with your demand.
October 1st, 2008 at 10:23 pm
Slick says:
There is probably a clause in your rental agreement that will allow you to break your lease and move out. As your landlord told you they cannot “make” anyone get their apartment sprayed. Just like in your situation some may have young children and do not wish to have these chemicals sprayed in their apartment.
good luck.
October 1st, 2008 at 11:09 pm
David E says:
What do you want out of this -
out of your lease.
into a new apartment in the same building.
1) call the health dept and ask them - I am pretty certain it is illegal to not do something about it. Ask them for advice.
2) tell the management you want something done NOW - you want to be put up in a different apartment or out of your lease.
3) If they say no-can-do, inform them that it is illegal for them to not do anything and not let you out of your lease agreement. And that you will take them to court for damages to your furniture by roaches, the cost of fumigation of your furniture, the cost of replacing the food that you will have had to throw out, the stress of the whole situation and endangerment of the health of the occupants. Take the name of the person at the front desk. This will get their attention
4) Find a lawyer and go to town.
It is not enough for them to spray your house down and wait. If the place is infested - which if you see 15 (there will be many many more you have not seen), you should not be staying there.
I’d ask to be moved AND have them move your stuff for you as it is their fault that you are in this mess. Your furniture could well have lots of eggs on it, so don’t move it into your mums house or she will have the problem.
October 1st, 2008 at 11:54 pm
I’m at work right now says:
This is not legal advice, but if the problem is that bad you can start a petition and get signatures from the other tenants saying that they have a roach problem as well and that they would not object to having their apartments sprayed or treated by an exterminator. That takes away their excuse about the other tenants and then you will have some leverage to use against them if it does go to court. And roaches are actually relatively “clean” creatures so I wouldnt be too concerned about the childrens health for right now, as long as you continue to work on the problem.
October 2nd, 2008 at 12:50 am
dukefenton says:
Call a professional exterminator. While OTC products can certainly put a dent in the population, if you’re in a larger building you’re almost certainly just going to get more from elsewhere in the building.
Also, contact an attorney and the health department. They can *make* the owner get the place sprayed; and failing that you can probably hand the bill to the property owner or withhold it from your rent.
October 2nd, 2008 at 1:42 am
James says:
Under Nevada law, the landlord is required to “maintain the dwelling unit in a habitable condition. A dwelling unit is not habitable if it violates provisions of housing or health codes concerning the health, safety, sanitation or fitness for habitation of the dwelling unit or if it substantially lacks. Building, grounds, appurtenances and all other areas under the landlord’s control at the time of the commencement of the tenancy in every part clean, sanitary and reasonably free from all accumulations of debris, filth, rubbish, garbage, rodents, insects and vermin.”
This does not mean that there have to be no insects, but the landlord has to make a reasonable effort to control them. Spraying in just your apartment is clearly not a reasonable effort and he CAN require the entire building to be sprayed.
To get something done, you need to provide written notice of an uninhabitable condition and give him 14 days to fix it. Afterwards, you can terminate your lease immediately without any penalty, apply in court for a remedy and actual costs incurred by you, and/or stop paying rent without incurring a late fee. See the statute in full at NRS 118A.355 at the site below.
October 2nd, 2008 at 2:18 am
kay b says:
call the city. theyll give them a cod violation or somthing. they had to evacuate the entire building and exterminate. yet again u knew the building had roaches when u decided to rent didnt you. I dont care how many cans of lysol and febreeze they spray you can tell theres roaches in a building. no amount of paint and mucd can block that.
October 2nd, 2008 at 3:09 am
Riley says:
Having roaches is part of living in the city, there isn’t anything legally you can do about it. Also having children you shouldn’t have poison or toxic chemicals around them, they may be allergic too as kids do put there fingers in there mouthes.
If you have a China Town or a Chinese store near you, ask them if they have roach & ant bait. It’s in a small green box ( a little bigger than a match box) with Chinese writing and a drawing of a dead roach and ant on it. It has four small blue vials in the box, it retails for two dollar a box probably less in the US. I have not seen one roach ever in my home since buying it.
You put a little in bottle caps under the sink and pantry, also sprinkle a little around the back of your fridge and stove and sprinkle a little behind all your electrical equipment TV, dvd , cable box, computer cpu and monitor, electric kettle, clock ETC and power boards.
I promise you in under a week you will never buy another can of bug spray ever because you will never see one roach or ant at all in your apartment ever again. Since I was put onto it, I never have seen one and now I swear by it.
It’s non toxic or smells and very safe around children and pets, and all friends and people who I told about it all also swear by it too. My next door neighbour said that it’s the best thing since sliced bread and she being a pensioner also said It’s the best two dollars she’s, anyone I told about it and I have ever spent.
Get a couple of boxes if you have a big apartment or to pass some on to a friend or neighbor. If your landlord gave all of the tenants a box your whole building would be roach and ant free. It totally lasts for years.
October 2nd, 2008 at 3:40 am