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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Posts
    5

    Unhappy Poisonous Spider Infestation: Habitable or Not

    I currently reside in California, in the Sacramento / Gold Country area. I am a disabled adult living in a independent living home.

    About a week ago I noticed a shiny black spider with red marking (Black Widow) in the room I rent and promptly killed it. Four days later, a spider looking like the other one but slightly larger dropped onto my bed in the evening next to my head, frightening me. It's starting to feel like a infestation. The outside area surrounding my room is crawling with these spiders as well, preventing me from being able to open my windows.

    Obviously since the property is older and doesn't have any modern weatherization techniques what steps can I take regarding getting my Independent Living Services (ILS) who run the house I live at to solve this issue? What steps do I need to take before I stop paying rent if this qualifies for not being habitable? I am really scared of spiders and Black Widows are causing loss of sleep, loss of a sleeping area, as well as effects on my emotional wellbeing.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Sep 2005
    Location
    Behind a Desk
    Posts
    98,846

    Default Re: Poisonous Spider Infestation: Habitable or Not

    When you informed your landlord of the problem, what were you told?

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Posts
    5

    Default Re: Poisonous Spider Infestation: Habitable or Not

    Since I have to talk to my ILS program manager for them to talk to my landlord, I wrote a letter about the problem. I'm just curious if they can blame me for the black widows? The black widow colonies are right outside my window and we do not have air conditioning (It gets hot here, so I do use my windows at night, but the windows are properly screened).

    How soon do they have to act? 30 days? 60 days?

    Btw: My ILS staff told me they would be calling the landlords.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Sep 2005
    Location
    Behind a Desk
    Posts
    98,846

    Default Re: Poisonous Spider Infestation: Habitable or Not

    They may not have any duty to act. First, spiders are plentiful - out of doors, there are at least ten thousand spiders in a typical acre of land. So the fact that there are spiders outside of your window is neither surprising nor avoidable. Second, black widow spiders "generally live in trash, closets, attics, woodpiles, garages and other dark places", so it's unlikely that they're forming a colony outside of your window. I won't rule out the possibility without seeing the spider, but it's quite possible that you're seeing a different breed that is harmless. Third, your landlord is not responsible for your special sensitivity to spiders.

    You have a telephone, right? Try calling your program manager or landlord. If you truly believe these are black widows, why are you writing letters?

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Posts
    10

    Default Re: Poisonous Spider Infestation: Habitable or Not

    Mr. Knowitall,
    You are not reading between her lines. She wants money from the LL. She stated:, "I am really scared of spiders and Black Widows are causing loss of sleep, loss of a sleeping area, as well as effects on my emotional wellbeing."

    Sounds more like wanting to sue the LL for something that cannot be control.

    "In cases where the source of the indoor pollutants is not clear, or when it is not one of the named and regulated substances above, or if the pollutant is biological in origin, such as cockroaches, mold, dust mites, etc., then there are no Federal laws to address these complaints."

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