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Published Nov 01, 2024 • Last updated 10 hours ago • 4 minute read
Brandi Bulanda (Randy Richmond/The London Free Press)
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A London woman, Brandi Bulanda, who faced a horrifying ordeal when a cockroach was surgically extracted from her ear, is now awaiting a decision on potential compensation from her landlord, the London and Middlesex Community Housing (LMCH) agency, after enduring months of pest-related problems in her apartment located on Wharncliffe Road.
During a recent Landlord and Tenant Board hearing, Bulanda vividly recounted her distressing experience, highlighting the emotional and financial toll inflicted by a seemingly never-ending battle with cockroaches that invaded her unit.
Bulanda expressed her anxiety, stating, “My anxiety went through the roof. I couldn’t sleep,” conveying the extent of her mental anguish that stemmed from the cockroach infestation.
As a result of the unbearable conditions, she was compelled to abandon her job and volunteer activities, eventually selling off her furniture and appliances to afford a move into her mother’s basement. Through tears, Bulanda, who is proud of being six years sober, reflected on her struggle, saying, “I tried so hard to get up on my feet. I thought I had made it, and it got ripped out from me.”
She elaborated on the impacts that the infestation had on her overall well-being: “My independence, my stability, my mental state, my anxiety, my health, my involvement with community. It felt like I was being bashed down constantly. I’m still trying to pay off a debt, completely financially torn.”
Bulanda’s claim hinges on the assertion that LMCH failed to provide her with a proper and habitable living environment, which resulted in losses amounting to approximately $20,000 in property damage, lost wages, and the expenditures incurred in her pest control efforts, argued her representative, paralegal Geoffrey Hume.
“She suffered considerable hardship both financially and emotionally,” Hume emphasized. “We’re not looking to punish LMCH, but we do want to make Ms. Bulanda whole from this experience.”
Highlighting the severity of her situation, Hume noted, “It should be no surprise she acted the way she did. She needed to leave the unit; she needed to get rid of the offending items. Her mental health was compromised, her job was compromised by the situation.”
However, LMCH’s representative disputed the claims, suggesting the agency had conducted adequate repairs to address cosmetic issues in Bulanda’s unit and argued that the damages to her items were exaggerated. Paralegal Preston Haynes stated, “She failed to demonstrate how these minor pest issues caused the amount of damage claimed to furniture.”
It was noted during the hearing that Bulanda had indeed damaged her appliances by applying pest spray, and that no LMCH officials had advised her to do so. Haynes maintained that, each time a pest issue arose, the landlord acted promptly.
Adjudicator Rema El-Tawil has reserved her decision regarding Bulanda’s compensation request, assuring that a ruling would be forthcoming within 30 days.
Testimonies during the hearing underscored the broader challenges faced by public housing tenants in London. LMCH officials revealed that they grapple with two- to ten-year waiting lists and struggle to manage urgent repairs across their more than 3,000 units, many of which are occupied by individuals dealing with addiction and mental health challenges.
In this case, there was no evidence to suggest that Bulanda was anything but a commendable tenant. After moving into her new unit in December 2022, she promptly reported the cockroach problem to LMCH. A move-in inspection revealed a hole in the kitchen wall behind the stove, yet further inspections noted “no visible concerns.”
Despite her numerous calls to LMCH regarding the persistent cockroach issue, Bulanda reported that repairs, including sealing the dangerous holes, were not executed, and pest control measures were inconsistent. Pest control records showed visits in December, May, and August — but each time, the infestation was labeled as minor.
Taking matters into her own hands, Bulanda attempted to seal gaps and applied pest powder throughout her unit. In the spring of 2023, when she attempted to have the holes repaired, her requests were dismissed by LMCH, citing them as “not priorities.”
Bulanda’s frustration reached a tipping point; she confessed, “That was the end of it. I just felt I was done. I had to live with cockroaches.”
Pest control was deemed a non-urgent issue for LMCH’s team, who faced a myriad of major concerns daily, including fire safety and heating issues. Kacper Obrzazgiewicz, the property manager, conceded that the hole in Bulanda’s kitchen wall was a “contributing factor” to the cockroach presence.
Hume critically addressed LMCH’s pest management strategy, suggesting that their approach of spraying without addressing underlying issues was ineffective. “We heard testimony that many, many buildings have cockroach infestations that are long-standing. It’s unreasonable to keep doing the same thing that hasn’t been working,” he said.
After Bulanda’s medical incident in August, LMCH finally acted to repair the wall and seal plumbing gaps, but she had already endured significant distress.
Undergoing the disheartening incident in the summer of 2023, Bulanda awoke one morning troubled by a mysterious blockage in her ear. Upon visiting her doctor, she faced the shocking discovery of a cockroach lodged in her ear canal, verified by a doctor’s note she presented during the hearing.
Stricken by horror, she soon abandoned sleeping in her unit altogether, opting for the couch in her mother’s basement, where she currently resides. Bulanda took extensive actions to protect her belongings, sealing her appliances in bags, but was unaware that the pesticide would irreparably damage her electronics.
Ultimately, financial strain forced her to vacate her apartment and surrender her appliances, leaving her unable to work and suffering a loss of approximately $3,000 in wages. She also had to discard her furniture due to fears of hidden infestations and underwent drastic weight loss from the stress, necessitating the replacement of her entire wardrobe.
For the time being, both Bulanda and her representative await a ruling that could determine the next steps in their pursuit for compensation in this unsettling case.
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**Interview with Brandi Bulanda: The Cockroach Incident and Its Aftermath**
**Interviewer:** Welcome, Brandi. Thank you for joining us today to discuss your harrowing experience. To start, can you tell us about the moment you discovered a cockroach in your ear?
**Brandi Bulanda:** Thank you for having me. It was utterly horrifying. I was trying to sleep, and suddenly I felt this strange sensation in my ear. I initially thought it was just an itch, but then the panic set in when I realized it was a cockroach. I had to go to the emergency room for surgery to remove it. It was a traumatic experience.
**Interviewer:** That sounds incredibly distressing. What led to this situation? How long had you been dealing with pest issues in your apartment?
**Brandi Bulanda:** I had been living in the apartment for several months, and the cockroach problem started soon after I moved in. I reported it to London and Middlesex Community Housing (LMCH) repeatedly, but the response was slow. They suggested the problem was minor most of the time, but for me, it was anything but.
**Interviewer:** You mentioned that this situation significantly impacted your mental health. Can you elaborate on that?
**Brandi Bulanda:** The infestation was draining. My anxiety skyrocketed. I couldn’t sleep or focus, and it affected my work and volunteer activities. I had to sell my furniture and move into my mother’s basement because I couldn’t afford to stay there anymore. I went from feeling proud of my independence to feeling completely lost.
**Interviewer:** That’s incredibly tough. You are now seeking compensation from LMCH. What are the main points of your claim?
**Brandi Bulanda:** I believe they failed to maintain a habitable living environment, which directly led to my distress and financial losses. My paralegal, Geoffrey Hume, is estimating damages around $20,000, which includes lost wages, property damage, and pest control expenses. It’s not just about the money; it’s about accountability for the suffering I endured.
**Interviewer:** LMCH has disputed your claims, suggesting that your damages are exaggerated. How do you respond to that?
**Brandi Bulanda:** It’s frustrating. They claim to have acted promptly, but if they had truly addressed the issues as I reported them, I wouldn’t have had to take drastic measures like applying my own spray and sealing gaps myself. There were clear signs that I lived in an unfit environment, and I feel like my voice was ignored.
**Interviewer:** With all of this stress, how are you coping today?
**Brandi Bulanda:** I’m taking it one day at a time. I’ve worked really hard to maintain my sobriety and my mental health. I’ve been in therapy, and I’m trying to build myself back up again despite the setbacks. This experience has been a huge challenge, but I’m determined to advocate for myself and others in similar situations.
**Interviewer:** Thank you, Brandi, for sharing your story. It’s a powerful reminder of the impact of housing issues on people’s lives. We wish you the best in your quest for justice and recovery.
**Brandi Bulanda:** Thank you. I appreciate the support and the opportunity to tell my story.
