NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A woman is complaining of bed bugs in her Oyster Point Place apartment and told management she wants to be released from her lease.
Booker Sawyer said his mother Stephanie Sawyer rents out a unit at Oyster Point Place in Newport News so she can frequently visit her children and grandchildren. Booker Sawyer spoke on his mother’s behalf as she is not local.
About a month ago, Sawyer said, the apartment complex notified them that they would be inspecting for bed bugs. A few weeks later when the family came to their unit they found bugs in the beds and on the walls.
Sawyer told News 3 his daughter was bitten and when they asked the property management to spray, it took them a few days to take action and then 18 days to come back and check on the status of the bugs.
The property manager responded to our inquiries saying the treatment takes three sprays to be effective. One of which was scheduled for the day of this interview, and another scheduled for 2 weeks later.
Sawyer said he contacted Orkin and paid a specialist to estimate how much a full heat treatment would cost because he said that is what the insect specialist suggested. That estimate came out to $1,225.
Sawyer’s mother wants to be released from her lease so she does not have to live in discomfort. She said she would be willing to be moved to another apartment complex owned by the same company.
As of Wednesday, July 6th, the property manager told NewsChannel 3 they have attempted to treat the apartment twice more but have been unsuccessful due to the tenant's lack of cooperation.
