I was just notified by one of my tenants (first floor) that she has been seeing roached around her apartment. Additionally, last week, on Tuesday, I entered the apartment on the second floor for maintenance and saw that the tenant had left food out in various locations around the house (open muffins, open hamburger buns, bowl of chips). I entered the apartment again on Friday, and noticed that the muffins were still out and open on the dining room table. If there is indeed a roach problem, I believe that this is probably a big contributing factor. My question is 2 fold: 1) what are my options for addressing and managing the open food issue on my second floor apartment and 2) what am I required to do about the overall roach problem, if one indeed exists? --161.150.xxx.x

If they feed them they will stay and multiply. Tell the tenant they need to not leave any food or waste out. This should also be addressed in your lease as a violation. I would also put in some roach gel in various places to knock down the population. Treatment in combination with removing their food supply should eliminate them. --74.215.xx.xxx

Ask up tenant to pay for pest control as they are slobs. --75.94.xxx.xxx

Buy a tube of roach gel, and treat each apartment. Apply as directed - do not also spray. Get them under control and gone before they multiply like mad. It will cost you $10 and half an hour. --23.228.xxx.xxx

First off teach the tenant that roaches need three elements for survival which are food, water and a warm place to live. Take away the elements then the roaches can not live. For example putting something outside on a cold day or night the live roaches will make a run for it. Integrated pest control starts off by eliminating the elements for survival which are not having any food, water or places to live. First step chalking the cracks in the baseboards and kitchen cupboards along putting insulation foam where pipes enter the floors and walls. Next off thoroughly cleaning behind the fridge, stove and kitchen floor so there is no food for survival. Next off putting bleach in the defrost pan of the fridge along fixing any leaky faucets then having the sinks drained out every day. Once that is done then putting out sticky traps around the perimeter of the room along using Max Force or Combat gel so over a period time the roaches will eat the bait then the roaches over a period of two weeks slowly die off. Get on this right away as the roach problem will only get worse. --74.220.xxx.xx

Learn YOUR state law. Mine says the LL is responsible for pest control in a multi. --67.175.xx.xxx