by New York City: Moving into a new apartment should be an exciting experience, but for one NYC tenant, it turned into a nightmare after she discovered dead roaches and mouse droppings in her kitchen cabinets — and her landlord’s shocking solution only made things worse.
The tenant, who shared her ordeal on Reddit’s r/ApartmentLiving forum, explained that she moved into her apartment on October 1 and had nearly finished unpacking when she decided to decorate her kitchen. What she found next was horrifying.
“I wanted to decorate my kitchen and put stuff on top of my cabinets,” she wrote. “I guess the previous tenant had a roach problem… and a mouse problem! I looked under the cabinets on the floor and found a hole full of more dead roaches and mouse poop.”
Landlord’s “Solution” Leaves Tenants Shocked
When the tenant reached out to her landlord about the issue, maintenance came by to handle the problem. But what happened next left her — and Reddit users — stunned.
“After emailing the landlord and having maintenance come out to fix the problem, all they did was paint over the dead roaches and glue a piece of wood over the hole where the mouse poop is,” she wrote. “I doubt they cleaned it first.”
The thought of simply covering up a pest infestation rather than removing it struck many readers as deeply unsanitary. “My goodness, this is my worst nightmare,” one commenter wrote. “You gotta keep complaining or terminate the lease if they won’t properly fix these issues. It’s beyond unacceptable.”
Another user warned the tenant to escalate the issue: “Demand that this is resolved by a specific date! Invite her to look in person. This could be a health department issue.”
Ongoing Roach Problems in NYC Rentals
Unfortunately, the tenant’s experience is far from unique. Pest infestations and poor maintenance practices are a chronic issue in many older New York City buildings, where roaches and rodents are common.
Earlier this year, a 30-year-old Upper East Side tenant shared a viral TikTok video documenting a horrifying moment when her bathroom ceiling collapsed — releasing water and live roaches into her $2,400-a-month studio.
“It all busts through — just like pieces everywhere,” she told. “Then water starts falling. And then I look at the ground and all the debris and I see, like… I saw at least five to ten cockroaches come into the debris.”
The incident drew attention to building safety and pest control issues in some of NYC’s aging apartment complexes, sparking renewed discussion about tenant rights and building code enforcement.
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Tenants Urged to Know Their Rights
Housing advocates stress that landlords are legally required to maintain safe and habitable living conditions.
In New York, that includes keeping rental units free of pests and vermin. If a landlord refuses to fix a problem, tenants may be able to file a complaint with the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) or pursue action through 311.
However, as many renters know, getting results can take time, and landlords often cut corners to avoid major repair expenses. Painting over pest damage, as in this tenant’s case, may violate housing codes and potentially pose health risks to residents.
Clean Living Spaces Shouldn’t Be a Luxury
Stories like these serve as a reminder that for many tenants, finding a clean, safe home in New York City can feel like an uphill battle. Whether it’s collapsing ceilings or hidden infestations, renters continue to face unacceptable living conditions — often with little accountability for landlords who neglect repairs.
As for the Reddit poster, she’s still deciding whether to stay and fight for proper pest removal or terminate her lease and look elsewhere. But one thing is certain — her story has sparked outrage among fellow tenants and reignited debate about what “habitable housing” really means in 2025.
Have you ever dealt with a landlord who ignored serious maintenance or pest problems? Share your story and join the discussion now on RaceDayLive.com.
