PARMA, Ohio (WJW) – The FOX 8 I-Team has uncovered a problem with bats outside and even inside a local apartment complex.
Some people living at the Regency Apartments in Parma say they can’t get anything done about it, so they turned to the I-Team.
Carlee Razum recorded cell phone video.
“We saw from our balcony the bats flying in and out of our wall, and we could hear them all night. It sounds like they’re in our bedroom,” she said. “We’ve had two bats in our apartment and a bat in the laundry room, and we’ve heard horror stories from other neighbors.”
Razum said this has gone on for months.
“I have been calling maintenance, harassing them for so long trying to get them to do something. The last time that I called, I’m like, ‘I need a permanent fix to this issue.'” Razum said.
We went to visit the complex office. A woman there referred us to a management company.
As we waited for a call back, we spoke to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. Jamey Emmert told us it’s not easy to get rid of bats.
“It can be a challenge,” Emmert said.
She added that most people need a professional company to get bats out of a building.
They eat a lot of bugs, but they can be a health hazard around people. They can get in and out even through tiny cracks and holes.
“Bats are really important to the ecosystem, but they are certainly a health hazard if they’re living inside a human dwelling,” Emmert said.
Meanwhile, we also called the City of Parma.
A spokesperson issued a statement, saying, “Our building department checked its records and there are no reported complaints about bats at Regency Apartments. Today was the first time we heard about the bats via your call to us.”
The city also said it would be “happy to contact” the residents with concerns.
The city’s building department could look at any repairs needed to keep the bats out, but, “regency management would then be responsible to make the necessary repairs.”
It’s just what Carlee has wanted for so long.
“I am beyond fed up. I would have never signed a 13-month lease if I knew that the place had bats,” she said.
We never heard back from the apartment complex management company, but Parma City Hall immediately reached out to Carlee to start looking into this.
The I-Team will follow up.