HELP! Ants & Landlord.

[CaptainMummy]

We moved into this house just over 3 weeks ago. Since day 1, the bathroom has been crawling with tiny little beetles (like 2-4mm) and the last week or so, ants!!

The bathroom is the only room with the problem and Im getting so creeped out! Im terrified to hve a shower!

I have tried ant spray stuff, cleaning, but being slightly pregnant I dont fancy standing on the edge of the bath to reach the top of the window (which I am pretty sure is where they are coming from as there are always loads crawling around there and the ceiling, but nowhere else in the bathroom).

Is this something I should let my landlord know about? What can I expect them to do? What els can I try!?

Im sick of squishing little ants and beetles EVERY time I go to pee.. i spend 20 mins a few times a day getting rid of as many as I can.

Please help before my house becomes overrun!!!

 

[sue_88]

You could let the landlord know but I doubt they will do anything. I'd expect anything like that would be tenants responsibility.

I know as a tenant myself I'd sort it with no need to inform LL.

 

[CaptainMummy]

Okay, its just because they were here already... but really im a big wimp and am absolutely terrified that if i open that window a whole colony of ants is going to fall in. I guess Id rather someone else sort it out for me!

Plus they arent on the floor or anything so havent got a clue what I would use to bait them etc. Yikes!

 

[KayBea]

is there a way you can look outside & see how/where they are coming in/out? maybe ask LL as you said your pregnant & dont want to be standing on the edge of a bath or up a ladder etc. xx

 

[smileyfaces]

I would defo say something if you have only lived there 3 weeks!! Tell him you have tried sorting it yourself and you have spent your own money trying to deal with it but nothing is happening so you need him to sort out a proper solution!

In the mean time, get some of those Ant killer disc thingys (not sure what they are called ) I used them recently for an ant problem we had in the living room and it killed them all off within days and they haven't reurned at all. They are like a little grey disc that has something in it that ants think is food so they take some of this stuff back to where the colony is and it kills them from there obviously erradicating the root of the problem.

Hope you get sorted xx

 

[LoolaBear]

those ant disk things are a life saver. when i moved into my new house last year the garden was just one big ants nest and they were starting to get into the house, i put loads of them down and sprinkled loads of granules down (not the powder as that only kills the ants in contact with it) and this year none at all.

as its a pest problem i would tell your LL. just inform him of your feelings and that fact that your expecting etc. then you can go on from there. you never know until you ask.

also try not to squish the ants. if they are the 'soldier' ants (the ones to go out searching for food sources) they release a panic hormone when they get squished (they dont die instantly when being squished it takes a couple of seconds) which informs other ants that they are in trouble, its like a signal for help, it then makes more ants swarm to that area. x

 

[maryp0ppins]

Get some ant houses!!!
wilkinsons sell them

 

[Raven24]

we had some ants and hubby found out where they were coming from and sealed the hole, ants isnt something id contact out landlord over to be honest, to me ants flies etc are the same thing as spiders and i wouldnt call the landlord to get rid of spiders, its just one of those things

 

[Bex84]

we had some getting in, I cleaned floor or in your case where they are with lemon house hold spray, we used flash to stop the scent trail they set up then I put ground cinnamon down mixed with black pepper, we also tried talcolm powder line as they don't like it, I found the lemon spray then putting cinnamon down the best and we haven't had a problem since. Make sure there is nothing sticky they are attracted to, I used natural stuff as didn't want lo touching any poisons and plus I was still breast feeding. Cleaning floor with bleach or area help as well as they cant follow scent trail. I would be inclined to put bait station outside as well. I would clean outside where they are getting in to. We own but when we rented I don't think I would have bothered with contacting land lord

 

[LIB]

I've used boiling water on ants before, you should try to find the source and if there is anything attracting them to the room.

 

[louandivy]

We had an ant invasion last year when I stupidly left out half a pack of blueberries before we went away for a week I didn't really want to put any chemicals down so I just put a shitload of cinnamon by the front door and the backdoor and it worked! Apparently ants hate cinnamon and it makes your house smell nice! Hope you get rid of them, if it becomes a pest problem I would def contact your LL especially as the problem started before you moved in. Arghhh I hate seeing bugs in my house it creeps me out.