We lived at 114 East First St. #7 for 2.5 years. On January 31, 2018, we found a bedbug in our apartment. Below is the timeline of events that followed.
JANUARY 31
On January 31 at 10:35pm Eastern Time, we email Birchwood Management with a photo of a bug we think might be a bedbug in the front bedroom. Birchwood acknowledges receipt and tells us they have forwarded the photo to an inspector.
FEBRUARY 1
The inspector confirms from the photo that this bug is a bedbug. We are instructed to schedule an extermination.
I request an inspection pre-extermination to confirm an infestation; we are denied an inspection because the exterminator was able to confirm from the photo that we were dealing with bedbugs.
At this time, I request a formal report from Birchwood indicating there had been no previous reports of bedbugs at the property.
Later in the day, I recieve a form from Birchwood Property indicating the property has been bedbug free for at least one year. This was an error, though; earlier in the day, we had confirmed bedbugs were present in the building.
FEBRUARY 4
We have our first extermination appointment; a second is scheduled. The inspector tells us that he only found bedbugs in the front bedroom. He did not provide the list of chemicals used in the treatment at this time.
FEBRUARY 7
We hire a second exterminator. He inspects the premises, but does not find evidence of a current bedbug infestation. He requests documentations of chemicals used, noting that this should have been provided to us at the time of extermination (it was not, as mentioned above). At this time, we contact the Birchwood-funded exterminator and asked for a list of chemicals. We receive shortly thereafter and send to the second exterminator, who determines that the chemicals listed were inaccurate based on evidence of chemical remnants in the apartment. He asserted that the chemicals outlined would have left residue/remnants, but did not. He does another treatment.
FEBRUARY 8
I find a bedbug in the rear bedroom (not the front bedroom where we found the original bedbug).
FEBRUARY 11
I find a bedbug in the living room. We contact our second exterminator; he suspects they are coming through the walls from another unit and advises us to contact management to confirm they have disclosed the issue to neighboring apartments and arranged inspections for all of them.
FEBRUARY 9
We request that Birchwood property inform the neighboring apartments; we learn this has not been done. After our request, Birchwood sends a letter to select tenants, though we are not sure which ones.
Later in the day, we contact Birchwood to request a lease termination. We are told that they will not terminate our lease early, per policy.
We respond, contesting this decision - pointing to bedbugs and a variety of other factors as rationale for termination.
FEBRUARY 12
We request an update and documentation on the inspections happening in our neighboring apartments (next door/across the hall/above/below), as previously requested onFebruary 9.
Later in the day, Birchwood confirms that the exterminator will visit all adjacent apartments on February 14. We do not receive formal documentation of inspection or extermination.
We are granted permission to terminate our lease.
FEBRUARY 14
Second Birchwood-funded treatment takes place.
FEBRUARY 20
We vacate the apartment.
