<p>Hello there. I live in a 350 sq ft, 1 bedroom apartment in New York. We have a German Roach infestation (for anyone wondering, we got them a few years back when the neighbors upstairs had a problem and they had to tear open our bathroom ceiling). We have called the exterminator several times, but his efforts don't appear to help. How can we get rid of them for good?</p>
<p>Also, living in a very small apartment, I really don't have anywhere to go to do anything I like. I can't really relax. It's hard for me to read or study because the only suitable place to do so is in my bed or at my desk, but both are cramped and it's hard to find a suitable position in my bed. I currently live in my living room and both my dad and I use it as work stations: he has a desk, and I have a desk and above it a loft bed. I also have a keyboard (piano) in my room. Any suggestions?</p>
<p>Well I’m in no expert about laws or tenant rights, but if the roaches originated from a neighbor and not from you, isn’t it your landlord’s responsibility to get rid of them by any means necessary (and bill the neighbor should they choose to)?</p>
<p>Then that would also potentially bring up an issue of sanitation and the landlord’s responsibility towards that–like if you guys get sick from the bacteria the roaches are dragging around. He should be liable. </p>
<p>I think you should speak with your landlord or research your rights as a tenant. </p>
<p>As for actually getting rid of them in the mean time, try to buy some Raid or something and use it to seal around the floorboards, window areas, any entrances they may be using. Or buy a bug bomb. </p>
<p>The bug bombs usually work very well–the downside is unless you cover everything beforehand, it’ll leave a nasty residue everywhere.</p>
<p>@Spatula: The roaches are everywhere, and my work station is in the living room.</p>
<p>@Jackyt: I, too, study and do homework at a nearby library frequently. Also, thank you for the link. I will definitely take a look at it.</p>
<p>@PlattsburghLoser: They did not come from our neighbors’ apartment, as far as I know. There is some space in between rooms and apartments in the walls and the bugs live in there. When our bathroom ceiling was opened, the bugs inside the walls came into our apartment.</p>
<p>^^ You have no idea how frustrating it can get.</p>
<p>OP: I can totally empathize with you over here. I also live in a ridiculously small apartment (1 bedroom, ~ 250 sq. feet with 3 other human beings) and I always have a urge to pull out hair out of frustration. I hate it so much. </p>
<p>We actually had a bedbug infestation last year and we tried contacting the landlord, but he never responded. Eventually, we got fed up and went against the building’s codes (because we’re not authorized to do so), we blew up a bunch of bed bug bombs a few times. It worked pretty well, but it’s not perfect by any means. So, we finally hired an exterminator and that took care of the problem. No bed bugs in sight since then…</p>
<p>@xxrunningonempty: I had bedbugs last fall/winter. We, too, called the exterminator in and he got rid of them. Unfortunately, the roaches haven’t died out yet. When we called the exterminator in to bomb our apartment, he killed about 90% of them. However, the bugs eventually came back. :(</p>
<p>I’m just glad I don’t have bedbugs any more. I would wake up and my arms and legs would be swollen to 1.5x their size… yuck. (Well, I’m exaggerating a bit, but you get the point).</p>