RI, MA EHS Pest Control Blog

Rats! New Bedford Woman Threatens to Sue Landlord

Jacqueline Tome hates rats but loves her apartment. Therein lies the problem.

Tome says she has locked horns with her landlord, Steve Menard, over what she calls a rat infestation for about a year. The 81 Cottage St. resident has filed a complaint with the city's Health Department, has begun to put her rent into an escrow account and vows she and her landlord "will be going to court over this one."

Menard counters he has done everything asked of him. He says "we're happy to clean it up ... but we can only do what's possible." "We're taking advice from the Board of Health and contractors. I don't know what else we're supposed to do," he said. "We're doing everything the professionals are recommending." Menard said he has had no other complaints from tenants in Tome's apartment building and is unsure what Tome "is looking for." Tome's apartment is one of six in the building.

He suggested the rats may be drawn to Tome's cat food. "She yells and screams and swears at me," Menard said of Tome. "I've told her to submit everything in writing."

The city's Health Department has a file documenting her complaints and the numerous inspections that followed. "I literally have no more strength, no more energy," said Tome, a 46-year-old who works for Comcast. "I'm burnt out." So why not move out of the place she has called home for the last nine years? "My apartment is beautiful. I have off-street parking and it's safe," she said.

George Williams
General Manager - Staff Entomologist

Pest Control, RI, Pest Control, MA

It is scary what some commercial businesses, property managers, and homeowners do! The attached image show’s someone that tried to do their own pest control to solve a mice issue. As you can tell there is a tremendous risk to safety!

There is a reason why professional pest control makes sense, we are licensed and highly trained professionals. When it comes to protecting public health & safety you should never look for the quick and easy fix…..call a professional like EHS. You are risking WAY TOO MUCH if you cut corners!

Mark Tremblay
Service Specialist

Pest Control, RI, Pest Control, MA

EHS POSITION…..This is very good news as rodent control products in the hands of unlicensed and untrained consumers do pose a significant risk to children and pets. Too often we at EHS have come across rodenticide thrown in areas accessible to children and/or pets because the homeowner or business owner decided to save money and try and treat themselves. We at EHS fully support any measure that aims to protect the general public and believe that rodent plus pest control should be left in the hands of professionals.

BREAKING NEWS: EPA ANNOUNCES INTENT TO CANCEL CONSUMER RODENTICIDE PRODUCTS

In a special NPMA Closer Look e-mailed to you last Thursday, we indicated that EPA intended to make an announcement regarding the implementation of its rodenticide risk mitigation decision.

This morning, EPA announced that it intends to initiate cancellation proceedings against consumer products that do not comply with the Agency's 2008 risk mitigation decision. The companies that are subject to the cancellation proceedings are referenced in EPA's press release, which can be accessed by clicking http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/1e5ab1124055f3b28525781f0042ed40/5689a230c1490219852578a80053a4b7!OpenDocument

We have also been advised that the Agency is developing guidance to address issues raised by the pest management, food and other industries.

George Williams,
General Manager - Staff Entomologist

Pest Control, RI, Pest Control, MA