They say “don’t let the bedbugs bite” when people go to sleep.
Several Burnaby residents are trying to avoid this from even being in the conversation surrounding their building. They contacted the NOW feeling hopeless about the situation at their building and looking for advice about how to handle a situation involving the manager who was hired.
One resident called the apartment manager “Mr. Bedbug” because at least one building he previously managed was the subject of multiple complaints to the B.C. Residential Tenancy Branch because more than 50% of the units had been infested with the blood-sucking insects.
None of the residents would go on the record with their concerns, so for the purposes of this column, I’m simply sharing the cautionary tale for others.
“Since he took over, he's begun threatening myself and other tenants to provide receipts for their payments - I called the RTB and this isn't legal,” one resident said. “He's left at least one abusive voice message to a neighbour and has been knocking on people’s doors demanding receipts. Most recently, he has threatened to evict me to my face. I asked him specifically if this was a threat and he said ‘yes.’”
Another resident called it a “reign of terror” that has this tenant looking to move out - not an easy prospect considering the COVID-19 pandemic creates all sorts of risks for people trying to move.
They all expressed concerns that cleaning would be cut back in the building, leading to a bedbug infestation.
I looked up the manager’s name and did find previous complaints, including about bedbugs.
“(I saw) them crawling around everywhere, (I was) waking up in the middle of the night and they would be all over me,” one tenant was quoted as saying in my research.
Yeesh.
Bedbugs are not considered a health hazard because they don’t spread diseases, so Fraser Health will not get involved.
According to the Tenancy Resource and Advisory Centre, a bedbug infestation may not be reason enough to break a tenancy agreement, although it is largely the landlord’s responsibility to handle pest control.
The best advice is to first document every interaction you have with the manager, including date and time and exactly what was said.
Next, file a complaint with the RTB as soon as there is a violation. Get it on the record. The branch won’t always side with you, but don’t let violations go unanswered. You have to let management know you won’t be pushed around.
It’s not an easy situation. Most landlords want to maintain their buildings because it’s an investment, but there are a few who refuse to spend a dime on anything to maximize profits.
Best of luck to all renters these days.
- With files from Jennifer Moreau
Follow Chris Campbell on Twitter @shinebox44.
