Is my landlord bullshitting me, or can my dishwasher really not be removed?
Context: I live in a building in NYC that has a huge roach issue. Yes, I have aggressively attacked it with cleaning, Advion, and Gentrol. Yes, the entire building has this issue, so it's not just my unit. Yes, the building has an exterminator service, but he basically comes in, shrugs, makes a few half assed sprays, and goes on his way.
I've made a ton of progress by filling in various holes and entry ways with caulk or foam (because of course the landlord didn't try there, either). But the one place I cannot get to, and the last place that I know that they're getting in, is behind the dishwasher.
I know that there has to be some giant hole in the wall back there, and sealing it is the last thing I need to do. But the dishwasher is essentially enclosed by the counter, including a wooden lip at the top that they screwed in to really make sure you couldn't get it out.
I have asked the landlord if they can just send someone to pull it out for ten minutes while I seal the area, and then put it back. But they've refused. They insist that pulling it out would mean they'd have to replace the entire unit. But I'm pretty skeptical of this explanation. My gut feeling is that they're just being lazy and cheap. But I have no background with appliance installation or repair, so maybe there is something to this?
Are they just blowing smoke? And if they are, is this something I can do myself, being only moderately handy and with no real appliance knowledge? The dishwasher is a GE, model # GSD4060L55SS. There is a white plastic tube that attaches to the pipe under the kitchen sink, but that's all I can see as far as attachments and/or pipes -- everything else is out of sight.