Bed Bugs in rented flat

piggeh

I've started getting bitten more and more recently so decided to check out what has been biting me, and discovered 12 bed bugs crawling on the mattress sheets on the first night I looked, and many more in subsequent nights. I'm pretty sure this is an existing infestation from before I moved here 6 months ago.

I asked the landlord to get the place treated and replace the mattress. They don't want to know as they claim there was no problem before I moved in and no problem in any other flat in the block (though when I speak to Environmental Health at the council they say the address seems familiar - however they cant disclose any info due to data protection, blah).

I've arranged for Environmental Health to come out and treat it (£200 cost), but not confident the problem will go away. My lease is up in February, tempted to move out. Otherwise I'm looking at also paying for a replacement mattress and trying to reclaim all the costs from the managing agents through the small claim courts as they're unwilling to play ball otherwise.

This problem is doing my head in, finding it very difficult to sleep. I had a 30 minute nap at 8.30pm and woke to find 4 or 5 crawling about already I'm thinking maybe the bath would be the best place to sleep as they'd probably find it difficult to reach me in there!

Anyone else suffered from these and would you say its worth moving out, or staying and coping with the problem? It's a nice flat otherwise, good location, quiet, etc.. Any tips on how to get to sleep knowing you'll have several bugs crawling over you whilst you sleep?

nathand_2

Dont. Get some new clothes and stay in a cheap hotel until you've had them treated otherwise they'll drive you mad.

Brallaqueen

How early in the tenancy were you bit? If it is a recent phenomenon , I personally would come down on the side of the LL as 4 months of not noticing bedbugs is unusual.

Have you bought anything recently (or from freecycle, that kind of thing) that could have brought bedbugs in with it?

maninthestreet

If the bed bugs were there when you moved in, you would have been bitten by them long before now. Have you stayed overnight somewhere else since you moved in to your rented proeoperty?

piggeh

No, I havent stayed anywhere else apart from going away in October, but I was being bitten before I went. I was told that with the incubation period for eggs and it needing an adult to lay the eggs, its likely to have been a minimum of 3-4 months but very likely to be longer (although difficult to prove). I moved in 4 months ago. I had no problems at any old accommodation. I got bit occassionally when I first moved in but presumed it was midges and didnt worry about it.

I haven't bought anything. The managing agent said they got a new mattress for when I moved in, although it's not new as the labelling is clearly frayed, there's some stains on it etc. They did buy a new sofa though.

dancingfairy

Personally I'd make sure I'd written to the landlord - pointing out the problem and pointing out it needs resolving and giving a reasonable timescale for action.
If you have no joy then I'd be looking at the Shelter website on the tenants guide to enforcing repairs -(hopefully bed bugs would come under a essential repair as the property should surely be free from investation/vermin/pests etc). Please note there are ways and means of enforcing repairs properly which is why you need to follow what they say and not just stop paying rent etc.
df

GAH

Rather than spending money on cleaning this bed, ask landlord to get rid of bed and purchase your own one, you then have piece of mind and you can take it with you to your next property.

Brallaqueen

You might find this blog useful - it fits my understanding that at the start of a tenancy it is LL rsponsibility, and later on it falls to tenants as it could be argued the tenant brought them in.

http://blog.painsmith.co.uk/2010/09/19/bed-bugs-and-landlords-liability/

pimento

GAH wrote: »

Rather than spending money on cleaning this bed, ask landlord to get rid of bed and purchase your own one, you then have piece of mind and you can take it with you to your next property.

The new bed will be infested and the OP will take the bed bugs with him when he moves.

G_M

Bed bugs can be picked up anywhere - even on public transport.

Removing the bed will not help - there will be bugs and eggs elsewher in the room - you need to fumigate properly.

I've had them and self-treated. Use google to find suppliers like this. Use ALL the different products, and be thorough. Stay out of the property while the treatment works and air thoroughly afterwards.

It worked for me.

propertyman

I agree with GM. Even with professional treatment, the DIY sprays giveyou a feeling of security.

The chemical does not kill the bugs, it stops them laying eggs and they die within a cycle.

You could try the grandmothers recipe with a new twist.

1; Open up the bed frame and treat with a steam cleaner as that kills bugs and eggs and re spray. If its a timber frame covered in fabric they will be living in the gaps in the timber

2: Wash all bed linen and pillows hot as you can, or buy new cheap pillows for the duration. Wrap the mattress in heavy plastic and duct tape

3: Isolate each bed leg in a furniture cup and fill it with the bug powder, which tears the little wotsits apart when they climb through it.

This will go along way to isolating the bed, if you keep covers off the floor and away from chests walls etc.