A few years ago, we received a call to inspect about 10 rooms of a boarding house above a bar in Ocean City, Md. Many of the tenants were down on their luck and/or transients.
We always ask for an escort when inspecting occupied rooms or rental units because of potential liability. One of the rooms we inspected was occupied by a man who was sleeping. He had a baseball cap on his head, and many more hanging on hooks above his bed. As the man was getting up out of bed, our inspection revealed bed bugs were all over his pillow, in his hair and on his hat.
Can you imagine where this man goes on a daily basis? Down to the bar to sit with other patrons? Into local hat shops to try on and purchase baseball caps?
I love baseball caps, and I still try them on before I buy them. But I inspect them first. The boarding house was off the beaten path, but near stores where beachgoers and tourists shop.
We suggested treating the bed bugs with heat. When we provided an approximate fee per square foot, the customer said there was no way he would spend that much. I’m not sure what the customer ever did; probably nothing. Those are the jobs we walk away from.
Leave A Comment