Lodgers and infestations...

jc808

My lodger (Lodger 1) in my spare bedroom has developed bedbugs in that room, this occured shortly after a month-long trip home to India.

After nuking all the bedrooms with bedbug spray we thought the matter finished. (2 months ago)
As I have 4 bedrooms we have agreed to swap around the bedrooms, and my other lodger (Lodger 2) has moved into that bedroom (and the indian lodger, lodger 1 has moved into my bigger bedroom)

Immediately on moving bedrooms, my Lodger 2 has complained of bites and today, found a bedbug.

I told lodger 1 that they should pay to have the 3 bedrooms fumigated, she refused saying noone could say how the bedbnugs got in (True, although on balance of probabilities, it occured exclusively in their bedroom, and shortly after a long trip abroad)

I pushed this back saying that I would pay a third of the cost, but would excpect her to pay the rest.

Am I being unfair? What do you think?

00ec25

I think you are being far too reasonable,
bedbugs are brought into a house from outside they do not come in of their own accord. The source in your case is obviously India...

Fire_Fox

If it occurred exclusively in her bedroom then you have a good case for claiming the full amount. Bedbugs are notoriously difficult to get rid of you need the professionals in and possible to consider dumping possessions.

G_M

jc808 wrote: »

My lodger (Lodger 1) in my spare bedroom has developed bedbugs in that room, this occured shortly after a month-long trip home to India.

'developed'?!!

No. Your lodger brought bedbugs into the house. The bugs appear confined to the room occupied by this lodger - pretty clearcut!

Lodger should pay. If she refuses, I would frankly tell her she is being unreasonable, our relationship has broken down, please leave by next weekend. Put the Notice in writing. Lodgers have very few rights and can be evicted easily (unlike tenants).

Oh - and then take the cost of the bug treatment out of her deposit.

Having said all this, although is is clearly her responsibility that there are bedbugs, it is not her fault. She did not mean to bring them in (I assume!), and it is not, for instance, a sign that she is dirty. Anyone can pick up bed bugs, esp if in certain countries. So be sympathetic. But she too, must recognise her responsibility.

BrandNewDay

You really should have done much more than sprayed some stuff around. And to swap rooms around could only have made the problem much worse. The odds are very good that the bedbugs have swapped around, as well.

As for whether or not you can prove any one person brought them in... I don't know.

G_M

ps - when I had them I got rid of them with a kit, but I used

* a fogger
* 2 different sprays
* a powder

Use google as there are many suppliers eg:

http://www.pestcontroldirect.co.uk/acatalog/Pest_Control_Direct_Bed_Bugs_28.html

Strip all beds and wash all beding at high temperature, plus any clothes that may be infested. They also hide away under skirting boards etc (so powder round these etc).

And remember even if you kill them all they'll have left eggs so you need to re-dose again!

Given the lodger has moved, you must do both bedrooms, but better still, do them ALL. Bedbugs travel!

jc808

Hmmm... sorely tempted to kick lodger 1 out and DIY... thanks GM, I suspected I was being too reasonable/ soft

jbreckmckye

This is something of a quandary - if you kick out the lodger, you may have a hard time finding a new customer (even if you perform treatments, bedbugs are notoriously prone to reappear after a few weeks). But it is not reasonable for the lodger to expect you to foot the bill. Especially given that you'll now suffer the distress of a bedbug infestation.

At any rate, I would advise that you don't rotate bedrooms again, as that's a sure way to spread the infestation.

Fire_Fox

And if you kick lodger one out before treatment is complete you are sending bedbugs to her new abode. Agree you should not take a new lodger until you have been clean for a while. Can bedbugs live in sofas? _pale_

jc808

Im tempted to with only 1 lodger for awhile... as im now earning better money at my job (and even better in January when im promoted)

The funny thing is I said the problem occured right after her return from India and she vehemenently denied they existed in India, however google suggests otherwise.....

BitterAndTwisted

If you don't get the professionals in you could find yourself with no lodgers at all! Get the whole house fumigated asap. You may need to have the place done more than once as bedbugs are notoriously difficult to shift once they become established.

Your Indian lodger is a liar or a fantasist if they insist there are no bedbugs in India!