Hi guys,

I would very much appreciate your feedback on the following matter.

I recently found an apartment near Hardbrucke ( i.e extremely conveniently located) that is very cheap (825 CHF) compared to other studios of similar size (70 m^2) and so centraly located in Zuerich. The agency picked me as the new tenant. Since the apartment looks ok, is huge and very conveniently located, I can not explain the low price, so my first thought was pest problems (i.e cockroaches).Doing some research on the internet, to my surprise, I actually found that there are cockroaches in Zurich. My question is, does any of you ever saw cockroaches in your apartments, during your stay in ZH ?

I am absolutely terrified of these insects and I would very much appreciate your feedback on this. Many thanks for your help!

Well there are cockroaches all over Switzerland, and they are harmless - if you have any problems just call a guy who is responsible for getting rid of all those creechy insects and he will come to studio and spray them dead.

Yes and I live in Basel, they were the small tiny kind and they came flying from the garden outside in summer, I moved...no problems at our new place so far

or get a cat.

I know cockroaches are harmless, but i am still terrified of them and could not accept living with these creatures.

I lived in a very nice appt in Geneva which was owned by my employer.
I understand your pain as our concierge informed me one day that the "cockroach man was coming to spray". It seems that they like lift shafts.
The smell was awful but the next day I awoke to about 200 dead ones everywhere
I totally freaked out and someone came in to "clear" the evidence.
The bodies appeared for a couple of days after and then that was it.
It seems that if you have a hot season this happens ( well that it what I was told)
Once they are sprayed - that is the end...

The tiddly little cockroaches here pale into insignificance compared to the many male Tegenaria giganteas you'll see bolting across the floor this time of year. They make cockroaches look cuddly in comparison.

At least you can call your landlord to do something about the cockroaches.

Are you sure it is not a scam ?

825 chf for an apartment of 70 square meters in Zürich is really cheap.

Exactly. Have you actually been in the apartment and is the landlord asking for payment via Western Union and assuring you that it is close to the metro......

Thanks for the feedback guys. It's definitley not a scam. I saw the apartment and the deposit must be transferd to that special account at a local bank.

So the giant house spiders will not be here forever? We came here last month, and we are seeing them almost daily in our house. Wiki tells me not to squash them, since they eat other bad bugs and will keep the hobo spiders away, but I am having a hard time with that. The good thing is that they are so big, they are easy to spot. I keep telling myself, "Relocation, not eradication..."

Spiders I do not mind, I can sort of pick them up and put the outside where they belong but cucarachitas EWWWWWWWWWWWW

I had to google 'Tegenaria giganteas', and now wish I hadn't! http://www.nicksspiders.com/nicksspi...iagigantia.htm

ps Never seen a cockroach in our building, but we are attached to a hospital so hopefully everywhere is very clean.

roaches are EVERYWHERE, when I worked at a fancy hospital and had to sleep in the maternity ward they would walk next to me up the wall, I was so knackered that I just didnt care

So you have not yet ACTUALLY seen one, or have you?

Like Smackerjack I too lived in Geneva in an old flat, and the cockroach man came one day and put some poison wax on the air vent grilles. Never saw a roach though, dead or alive.

Twice near Bern I have had a very small flying beetle that looks like a roach fly into my apartment from outside.

If you really are terrified, go to a Pharmacy and ask for some of the poison wax stuff, as it doesn't smell, and put a little bit (Less than ⅛ of a coffee spoon) behind your kitchen sink, and under your refrigerator. Then you can sleep assured.

You did well finding that flat! Maybe the landlord made it cheap as he wants you to stay for a long time.

I see cockroach shit in public areas of my building, mainly near light fittings. Luckily my flat is insect free as a result of various defense techniques. Never seen big roaches in Zurich though.

I can't open a few of the windows as, especially my daughters room, they are covered with giant, fat spiders at night who, i'm sure, munch up most of the flying creatures at night but...still, I'm really not all that keen on the 8-legged kind. I keep hoping that the cold weather will come and kill them off. It does get cold here in the winter, doesn't it? I came in march and I never needed a coat so, I'm curious. I'm used to really cold winters so....

Unfortunately on my 1st day after moving, I found out that I was sharing my very 1st flat, my own little chez moi, with "flatmates".
I freaked and called pest control with anguish:

I saw a cockroach.. face to face.. a big ugly one.. he didn't move, he stared back.. pleeeease can you come.. like... right now ?

silence

Tell me lady does he have blue eyes ?

wtf ?

Dunno what a "Tegenaria giganteas" is and was way tooooo terrified to Google it. Seriously.

Can't stand cockroaches or any other such large beasties. *Am totally shuddering as I write this*. In fact, since my large beastie incident a few months back where I went berserk(er ) and sprayed almost the entire contents of a full tin of anti-repellant to do away with it, I've been terrified to open the offending window where it got in.

Macho woman I sooooo ain't when it comes to large creepy crawlies!

Don't worry: I Googled it for you...