Don’t let bedbugs into your new digs
Check for infestation before moving in
Moving day in Quebec brings out discarded furniture, vans that block already cramped streets and the discovery and spread of bedbugs in the city.
Bedbugs circulate in large cities during moves and can be found in any borough in Montreal. Here are some measures to prevent the spread of bedbugs during moving day and how to protect your new home. Check your new home for the presence of bedbugs before moving in
The city urges residents to search for bedbugs with the use of a flashlight before moving in their beds, furniture and clothing. Nicole Joyce decided to sublet a room for a summer in an apartment near Concordia University, where she woke up covered in bites after she moved in.
“I went to see the apartment and everything seemed fine, so I moved in,” Joyce said. “About a week later, I started getting these huge bumps all over my hands and arms, then on my legs.”
Bedbugs tend to hide near electrical outlets, mouldings, cracks in the walls and radiators. It’s important to check bedrooms for bedbugs and eggs. They are brown, ovalshaped bugs that measure about 4 to 7 millimetres. Do not take upholstered items off the street
Côte-des-Neiges — Notre-Dame-de-Grâce borough mayor Russell Copeman, who sits on the executive committee and is responsible for housing, stresses Montrealers should not adopt used upholstered furniture or mattresses.
“Do not pick up abandoned furniture,” Copeman said. Place mattresses, furniture, and clothing in plastic bags
Montreal’s boroughs are given hundreds of mattress bags each year, according to Copeman, so residents can use them when moving. They are free and available through your local borough’s office. Some moving companies like Meldrum the Mover also use their own new plastic bags to prevent infestation for furniture, including mattresses, sofas and box springs.
“It’s a containable issue, but it is a massive issue,” said company president Tom Figliano. “The last thing we want is to have a problem.”
This rule also applies to clothing, bedding and curtains. The city urges residents to not risk the chance and place items in plastic bags that are sealed off. Ensure vehicles used during moves are clean
The city’s prevention guide advises Montrealers to sweep trucks thoroughly to prevent bedbugs. For residents using moving companies, it’s best to ask them how they prepare against the spread of bedbugs during moving day madness. Figliano said sealed plastic bags are one way Meldrum the Mover prevents bedbug infestations, but they will not move clients if there are signs of other vermin in the home. Inform your landlord or property owner if you suspect bedbugs
Property owners are obligated to contact an exterminator and take care of the issue. Copeman reminds residents the city keeps track of bedbug infestations by having exterminators make mandatory declarations of the homes they treat. Know your rights and responsibilities as a tenant
Joyce encourages residents to know their rights so they don’t have to move out like she did.
“Because of that experience, I’ve read just about everything, so next time disaster strikes, I won’t have to wait a month before taking action,” Joyce said.
Tenants must also co-operate with exterminators when an infestation is discovered. However, if landlords are unresponsive, then contact your borough or the city. Copeman said the city can ensure treatments are done within a reasonable amount of time, and residents may contact the city if they are concerned.