Who do I need to contact to report my landlords over a flea infestation?

When we moved into the house it quickly became clear that there was a problem, which we tried to cure ourselves by shop and vet bought flea sprays and powders and over medicating our cats to prevent it staying. In September, when my legs were so scarred there was no where left to bite, and I took my newborn son out, only to find a flea on him in public, that we said enough was enough. We called our council and arranged for pest control to come in. That seemed to do the job, for a while, and as the weather grew colder and the heating was getting hotter, they litterally seemed to come up out of the woodwork. Here we are in March and I've had to do the same again, I couldn't sleep at night for the itching. This has cost a great deal financially and emotionally, and although my landlords are now aware of the problem(now we are moving!) they seem to have no apology at all for our discomfort. Who can I report them to, what I thought was the Environmental Health Agency doesn't exist. Thanks.

My friend had the same problem when she moved into her apt a few years ago. They had to move to a different apt in the building while they "bombed" the apartment several times over the course of a few months. It sounds like whatever they were doing before was not killing the eggs, so maybe they will have to do something different next time.

This should not be your expense. Since they were there when you moved in, it is not your fault, and your landlord should be the one paying for major things like that, just like if the furnace needed work.

If you are getting very eaten up (and it sounds like you are!) you should see a doctor or ER. Again, this is your landlord's expense, not yours. There are health risks to getting multiple bites like that.

Check with city hall or the local hospital about where the Department of Health is. Everywhere has someone who looks over the restaurants and such, and they would be a good place to start. Also, the housing and building inspector that city hall or the police station uses could be of help to you.

I truly wish you the best of luck and hope you feel better soon!

~BZ

contact your city's code enforcement agent first

You wanna talk fleas, buddy? My house has some kind of hybrid things (fleas?) that my wife feeds cat food. They don't like drunks so they are my only friends on this joint. Everybody else, no respect. So fleas are okayby me. Don't sweat fleas might be good for you. Who knows.

Contact your local council's Environmental Health department. They change their rules concerning what they will or won't deal with quite often, but they certainly used to come out to rid properties of fleas (I think this was/is free, but could be wrong - either way, the bill would be your landlord's). They might also be able to advise you on your landlord.

The citizen's advice bureau is also a good place to try. They'll certainly know what your options are.