What would you do? neighbor with bedbugs (that we didnt know

amother

Ecru

Fri, Jun 05 2015, 7:55 pm

A neighbor recently asked us if she could store several boxes in our garage, which we allowed. Then we found out she had an exterminator earlier this week to get rid of bedbugs. Neighbors didn't tell us, we found out. Now we are upset. Why would she give us boxes to store in our garage if she had bed bugs? We're not sure if she knew about the bedbugs 2 weeks ago when she askes us to store the boxes, but this is really upsetting because she kept it here even after she knew about it. I don't want to ruin good neighborly relationship, but this is really upsetting. Please let me know what I should say to my neighbors? and what would you do in this situation?

amother

Pink

Fri, Jun 05 2015, 8:04 pm

amother wrote:

I wouldn't get into the details with her. She didn't discuss the bedbugs with you, so don't be the one to bring it up. Call her up and calmly say that something unexpected came up and you're unable to store her boxes anymore and will need it out by morning. Apologize for the short notice and wish her a good night. If she doesn't pick them up the next morning, put on some gloves, place the boxes in large trash bags, seal, and drop them off at her home (make sure to take off your gloves before would get there).

imasinger

Sun, Jun 07 2015, 2:21 pm

These neighbors put you in an uncomfortable position. But you said that you didn't want to ruin a good neighborly relationship.

Saying, "how could you be so inappropriate as to ask us to store your boxes when you knew that you had bedbugs?!" is not going to promote your good neighborly relationship.

You have several options.

1. Do what Pink suggested, and continue to be cordial, but be on your guard and keep boundaries.

2. Ask more about the bedbug situation, and find out whether they just weren't thinking, whether they thought the boxes were safe and why, or what. (ETA: It is incredibly stressful and a lot of work to deal with bedbugs, and I can totally see how someone might forget about the boxes in the neighbor's garage.)

3. Confront them and let them know how grossed out and upset you are.

Me, I vote with Pink.

Last edited by imasinger on Sun, Jun 07 2015, 3:35 pm; edited 1 time in total

sweetpotato

Sun, Jun 07 2015, 2:35 pm

OP, I think you should *definitely* talk to your neighbors. You need to return the boxes to them, and do due diligence to find out whether any bed bugs could now be in your home. You can talk to the neighbors in a non-confrontational way. Just say "hi, this is awkward, but we happened to find out you had your home treated for bed bugs. We're just concerned now about the boxes you stored in our home. Where were the boxes in your home? Is there a reasonable chance they could have been exposed to bugs?" Then return the boxes. If you're worried about the neighborly relationship, you could make something up to put them more at ease, like "oh my sister/friend/whoever had bed bugs, we know how stressful it is..." Offer sympathy. There's no need to wear rubber gloves or feel "grossed out" (bed bugs are a major major major nuisance but they typically have nothing to do with cleanliness. Literally anyone can get them.)

Then, get a very reputable PCO (maybe with a bed bug sniffing dog) to inspect your home.