My worst creature nightmare has come true. I'm sharing a house with cockroaches.
We set off mortein bombs before we moved in about 5 weeks ago and I'm finding, on average, one cockroach every two days. Some are quite small, tonight's specimen was a huge bastard.
For the first 3 weeks, they were either dead or dying but the ones I'm finding now are very much alive.
Any advice?
We are finding them in the bathroom and bedrooms but not the kitchen. We think they are in the loft and dropping through the light fittings.

We are currently renting and have only been in for 5 weeks. Does anyone know if the landlord has any obligation to pay for treatment? They were obviously here before we moved in, we are keeping the place clean and we have tried mortein.

The can of Raid is currently my best friend!

Contact your Agent and ask them for advice. You shouldn't have to live with the problem. It must be sorted.

Hi Alf
I have already fired off an email tonight. I'm wondering what the law is with regards to treatment as our property agent has been a total d1@khead so far.

I have googled but not come up with a definitive answer.

Stick with that and phone the agent tomorrow. Dig out your rental contract too, and read over.

Make waves. I certainly would!

I don't think landlords are liable... however, if I was living with a cockroach infestation I would pay to have the place professionally treated.

I don't know if they are where you are... but here we've used Amalgamated Pest Control and they offered to come back, free of charge, within the year if the problem wasn't fixed.

The bigger cockroaches are easier to get rid of. The smaller ones, German cockroaches I think, can be very difficult and may need pest controllers to use different treatments.

I will definitely pay if I need to, but if the landlord is liable then I'd rather not. The cockroaches were in the house before we were!
We seem to have a mixture of small ones and larger ones.

WTF! The Chinese breed 'em:
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-08-2...-china/4911516

I think the landlord is responsible to attend to vermin & pests if they are reported within 30 days of occupancy unless he can show the outbreak is as a direct result of the tenants activities.

After 30 days it is the tenants responsibility and costs liability even if professionals are needed to eradicate the said infestation.

Albeit you may be too late to claim officially but you don't get if you don't ask so report it quickly. Tell them you have tried your best to eradicate the blighters but to no avail so you think the landlord should now arrange professional treatment as it's been like it since you moved in.

Move north, we have cane toads, a lot more successful in recent years

When we were renting we had cockroaches and couldn't get rid of them. The big ones are not a problem really- except when they dive bomb you at night and fly into your ear or mouth. I woke screaming!!!



I've got ants again in my new kitchen - first warm day and the little bleeders were all over the cooker and window.

Off to Woolies to get borax tomorrow. Of course we had run out, just when you really need the stuff.

Found this about half way down http://www.reinsw.com.au/Q-and-A-Pro...r/default.aspx not sure if you're in NSW but similar might apply to other States.

if you can't see full info you can register for a guest account.

The truth is any treatment will be only temporary, it will keep them out for another 3 or 4 months but they will be back. I have had just as much success with the do it yourself outdoor barrier spray and is apparently 'what the professionals use'. If you are in a unit complex it will be even more difficult, unless everyone gets together and gets treated at the same time they will be back.

You shouldn't have to accept cockroaches but unfortunately they are a fact of life in Sydney. So many people move their things from rental to rental, like fridges and washers and take the pests with them often and infest a place that was previously clean.

We have had them in a few places and in the warmer months I have seen a few around here, this is what we do to limit the numbers and make them want to move on elsewhere -

Keep you kitchen worktops very clean
Keep any small food that has been opened in the fridge or a container
Fully seal up any larger food
Place baits under the fridge, washer, under all sinks and near electricals
Vent the place as much as possible, they love humidity
Spray barrier spray around all the outdoor walls, window edges and doors and under the house if you have access.

I actually prefer the big bastards, they are easier to deal with. It is the smaller german cockroaches that are the bigger problem, they get in the walls / electrics and are very hard to totally get shot of.

I don't freak out now when I see one, I just deal with it and keep up with the above list which limits them at least.

You could end up paying a fortune for repeat treatments,

Try the outdoor barrier spray first, are you in a house or unit? Unit forget it, house and you can deal with them and keep them out for a good while, but not treatment is permanent any any professional that tells you otherwise isn't being honest.

When you use surface sprays don't forget to spray down the floor drains in the laundry and bathroom/s.

We're in a house Jon.

I spoke to the Aussies I work with today and they said they are a fact of life and its more about controlling them.
Going to get more mortein bombs, the barrier spray and traps tomorrow.
I am trying to source some cedar oil and cedar chips too, as apparently they not like it.

The agent hasn't got back to me, no surprise there