Letter to my fellow residents - May 8, 2009

May 8, 2009

Dear fellow 5528 N. Kenmore resident,

This is an informal letter from one of your neighbors. I am hoping to get you involved in holding Krenger accountable on the matter or roaches, which I think they have been avoiding for years.

This is my third year of living in the same unit (106), and from the start, I have had problems with fairly large cockroaches visiting me on occasion (I am told they can also be called water bugs, Asian cockroaches, and sewer bugs). I have seen dead bugs in the basement common areas, talked to one other resident, and read online reviews, so I know it is not just me who is having this issue. Krenger has repeatedly sprayed my unit and had spaces plugged where roaches could get in. Pests may be just a fact of life in city dwellings, but I also think that dealing with these large bugs on a regular basis is not acceptable (and is likely a violation of the Residential Landlord and Tenants Ordinance).

I have talked to Krenger more often recently and am trying to get them to find a more permanent solution (such as a baiting program to target the nearby colonies where these bugs are coming from). Killing the bugs once they get in the building is not enough, and the monthly gel treatments don’t seem to be working. I’ve talked with a few technicians from Smithereen Pest Management, several people at Krenger, and recently with Marty Krenger. Despite my frequent calls to the office on this matter, he informed me he had just visited the building and not found a significant problem. As I tried to tell him why I found the situation unacceptable, he said he wanted me to email him specific information on where I’ve seen roaches, when, and where I’ve heard them (in the walls, in the vent, etc). He seemed to emphasize the need for documentation. Whether his call for documentation came from a serious willingness to solve this problem or just a way to get me off the phone, I don’t know.

I do know that we can make him accountable for the kind of standards he is or is not upholding, so I encourage you to (this week) email him a detailed list of where you’ve seen these roaches, when, and where you’ve heard them. Please send it to Marty Krenger at info@krenger.com. I would prefer you not mention me or this letter to anyone at Krenger.

I’ve spoken to a counselor at Chicago’s Metropolitan Tenants Organization (773.292.4988 or http://www.tenants-rights.org/), and he said I should consider calling in the city (311) to do an inspection. I suggest reviewing Krenger Real Estate Company on Yelp.com and ApartmentRatings.com (I will as well). Be aware, however, that though retaliation (such as Krenger not allowing you to renew your lease) is illegal but sometimes possible, so if you prefer to review anonymously, it’s up to you.

I would also like to launch a blog dedicated to reviewing Krenger’s company and documenting the experiences of residents of this building (including pictures). I would love to be able to add you as a collaborator on that blog or to paste in an entry from you. If you are interested in doing that, please email me or tape a written response to my door. I understand that you may not want to share your name, but I hope that by providing my name, email, and apartment number, you will take seriously my promise to keep your information private.

I hope to hear from you soon,

Erica
----@----.com, Apt. 106