Rented house - just moved in and fleas

ssparry

We moved into a property (that had 2 cats and a dog) on 10th July. We stayed 2nights and were bitten and had lots of fleas jumping on us.

Agency sent their contracted fumegator round who put some stuff down on the carpets that had to be there for 10days, he put down a double dose of this chemical. Agency gave us 10days rent compensation so we could stay elsewhere for the 10days, although the stuff is fine to breathed in, its not fine for my daughter - in case she touches it and puts hands near mouth.

Were due to move back into day, however went there first thing as was taking my daughter out for day and needed to pick something up, went in got what I wanted, she went straight upstairs to collect her dolly (didn't sit down or anything) and came straight back out, low and behold a blasted flea was on her and has bitten her.

She is 3, screamed as she hates bugs and it has broken my heart that she has been bitten.

After several phonecalls to agency, they have arranged an external fumegator to come round tomorrow to re-spray. The fumegators are putting it in writing that it is perfectly safe for my daughter to be around the chemicals and are not going to do anything further.

I am not prepared to put my daughter into a house that has fleas, I don't think I am being unreasonable. This whole episode has completely ruined the house for me, it was meant to be a fresh new start (I am expecting another baby). Could really have done without the stress ontop of moving.

All our belongings are still in boxes, remain unpacked. I do not want to live in this flea pit, we will be moving in 6months as soon as tenancy is up, however is there anyway we can get out of the agreement sooner?

not_loaded

I sympathise. However if you can't cope with them (and a period of time sorting the problem out) then the property is not for you, because I doubt if the landlord will be prepared to lift carpets and chuck them in a skip and that's really what is needed.

I guarantee that your flea problem is in all the nooks and crannies in the house. Most of these nooks and crannies are connected with wall-to-wall carpeting. Surface treatment will never solve the problem.

I'm willing to bet that steam cleaning would not solve the problem either.

The reason is that you need to interrupt the life cycle, and that is hellishly difficult because of all the nooks and crannies.

I know this is not what you want to hear, but I'm telling you all this from years of experience of dealing with the little !!!!!!s.

If you want to take the challenge on, I'll give you more information.

ecleeconfused

salt works for fleas but is quite a major job - you need to get it into all carpets and especially into all edges of every affected room (all cracks and crannies), leave a for as long as possible and then hoover up. This is what the extermination companies use in the US (apparantly the salt crystals kill the lavae which is vital to stop infestation re-occuring). I have used salt successfully myself but I live in a studio so was a managable task.
good luck!

mummytofour

By the sounds of it you need legal help and a nice new home (((hugg)))

chickmug

A LL friend had this problem last year when he found that departed tenants had kept a cat against the rental agreement. He found out after taking expert advice that the fleas would dissappear after a period of time as they needed to be in contact with the cat on a continuous basis.

So he completely recarpeted the flat for the new tenants. Luckliy they accepted it was not the fault of the LL and were quite happy as they had new carpets.

benjo

It really isnt your responsibility to eradicate the fleas left by a former tenant, that aside IF you really HAVE to live in the house and the problem continues you can buy a spray from any Vets that you apply around the edges/nooks and crannies of carpets/rooms that can help in the control of fleas - Im guessing that is what has already been used.

Vaccuming like a maniac with an obsession for cleaning will remove the flea eggs from around the edges of rooms and under the skirting boards is pretty effective, but you really have to vacuum like Mrs Vacuum winner of last years Vacuum competition and then vacuum some more. Every egg you remove is one less baby flea.

In theory if there isnt a cat or dog accessing the house (if there is a cat flap seal it up since the local moggies might be camping out in your lounge) then there is nothing for the fleas to live off (which is why they are so desparate to eat you alive) and they will die in time. The problem is that flea eggs can take upto 9 months to hatch (hot and humid makes them hatch quicker) - and so it 'feels' like you are being reinfested, when in reality it is just the original eggs, left by the previous tenants animals that are taking their own sweet time to hatch out.

I have animals (dogs/cat) and always keep them treated with drops from the vet that kill fleas/ticks and prevents the eggs from hatching, I vacuum like a maniac and treat pet bedding, carpets and soft furnishings on a regular basis as preventing an infestation is much easier than clearing an already established infestation.

Goodluck with your fight.

not_loaded

I’ve never heard of the salt trick. Interesting as it’s very user friendly.

Benjo is dead right with that advice.

Vaccuming like a maniac with an obsession for cleaning will remove the flea eggs from around the edges of rooms and under the skirting boards is pretty effective, but you really have to vacuum like Mrs Vacuum winner of last years Vacuum competition and then vacuum some more.

Well described! I’d buy a new super duper vacuum cleaner too! After hoovering in that fashion I used to spray a blast of flea killer spray down the hoover tube.

It’s not true that fleas need an animal to survive. They need blood, and they’ll wait a loooong time for it.

Anyone walking into the property wakes the dormant fleas up with the vibration of footsteps. They detect shadows and jump, which is how they get onto a new host. (you, or dog or cat)

You could leave it empty for ages and they’ll still be waiting…

jlajla

hi ssparry,

I really sympathize with you as i experienced a similar problem several years ago.

I lived in a rented flat for several months, it was the first place I'd lived in alone, it was new and was excited about it. Little did I know that I was not the only one living in the flat. It still gives me the creeps to this day. The whole flat block had a psocid (insect) infestation which is sometimes common to new builds (one reason I'll never buy/live in a new build again). Anyway, it got to the point where I could no longer bare it without becoming an absolute nervous wreck... these things were on my bed, in my drawers, on my cutlery etc etc. What I did was call the landlord out to the property to get his opinion on the problem. He did not see fit to get the place fumigated. He did help by paying for insectiside sprays, however they didn't work. I also wasted a lot of money on sprays and all sorts trying to kill the things myself, but to absolutely no avail.What I did next was detail everything in writing to the landlord and that I wished to leave the property before the tenancy agreement was up, therefore not paying the remaining rent as the property was not fit to be lived in.

I would suggest you do something similar. Good luck!!!

BitterAndTwisted

The insecticidal spray will kill all the eggs and larvae but NOT the pupae which are almost impossible to kill as they're safely tucked away in their impenetrable chrysalises (sp?)

The purpose of the hoovering like a loony is to encourage the pupae to emerge as they are sensitive to movement and vibration as well as the carbon dioxide you breathe out. Once those devils have emerged, the insecticide will do its work. Put a bit of a cat-flea collar or some flea-powder into the hoover-bag AND GET THE BAG IN THE DUSTBIN EVERY TIME YOU HOOVER or better, burn it, as you will be hoovering up live fleas every time you do it. If the contractors are using decent insecticide (and there's no reason to think they aren't) the problem will be under control quite quickly but the hoovering is absolutely key. Those horrible pupae can survive for up to nine months before they emerge to find a meal.

Edited to add: cat and dog fleas cannot survive on human blood but they will bite if there's no appropriate host available, so please do not worry about them living permanently with or on you

charliee_3

same thing happend to us. we bought some stuff from pets at home.. they have loads but we chose one that looked the most indutrial and scary and said it lasted for 12 months. sprayed it round once, all over the carpets and soft funrnishings, around all the edges, even on the hard floors and we didnt see another flea.

it is horrible but they need cats to bite so they will die eventually..

Gingernutmeg

Having moved into a property with a flea infestation, I'd second all of the advice given here. I have also got into the habit of keeping a can of the expensive flea spray from a vets with me, and I give anywhere we move into a good blast of the stuff as I just don't trust agents and landlords when they say a place is 'clean'. The reason I buy the expensive stuff (£8-odd a can) rather than the cheaper stuff is because it doesn't smell nearly as bad.