Bed bugs in rental property

Electra_101

UPDATE: So after three months of no complaints from my tenants the beg bugs are back. They have agreed to the early surrender of their tenancy and have moved out. So I now have an empty (but still furnished) property with bed bugs.
The specialist company reckon you can't treat an empty house?!? They also think the bugs have come from next door, so now I am going to have to speak to them as well to try and sort this mess out. Really hoping I don't have to move in myself as "bait"!!



My current tenants moved into my furnished property on 21st August. Over 2 months later, at the end of October, I was informed that they had been bitten by bed bugs.

The previous tenants have not had problems with bed bugs, and the property was empty for a while before the current tenants moved in. I lived in the property myself a while ago and again no problems either. I am therefore pretty sure that the current tenants have brought the bed bugs into the property.

I arranged to have the property chemically treated and the treatment was repeated when they reappeared last week. However the tenants have stated that the bed bugs are now getting worse.

I am now unsure as to what to do next. The bed bug treatment company have stated that they can do a heat treatment which costs in excess of £900 plus VAT :eek: They say that this is usually 100% effective, I suspect they wont guarantee anything. I also think it is quite likely that the tenants will reintroduce the bed bugs anyway (it they go out when the treatment is being carried out they could carry the bugs on their clothes and reintroduced when they return).

Is it my responsibility to get rid of the bugs? Has anyone on here successfully dealt with them? Any advice on how to proceed?

lulalola

Hopefully someone will be along shortly who can advise on responsibility, but I do know you are right in that the tenants will reintroduce the bugs if they don't take the right action. They need to wash everything - all clothes, fabrics, bags,anything washable - on a hot wash. Google how to get rid of bedbugs (lots of articles out there aimed at backpackers who may be unlucky enough to pick them up in a hostel).

HappyMJ

Another option could be to replace the bed and carpet.

Electra_101

lulalola wrote: »

Hopefully someone will be along shortly who can advise on responsibility, but I do know you are right in that the tenants will reintroduce the bugs if they don't take the right action. They need to wash everything - all clothes, fabrics, bags,anything washable - on a hot wash. Google how to get rid of bedbugs (lots of articles out there aimed at backpackers who may be unlucky enough to pick them up in a hostel).

Thanks lulalola. The tenants were told to hot wash everything after the chemical treatment last time and I'm pretty sure they didn't :mad: They seem to think it is just down to me to do everything!! Trust me I have already Googled everything about bed bugs, and they seem like a landlords worst nightmare!!

freeisgood

I don't see how it is your responsibility? Are you sure it is? I would really have made sure it is before paying out for anything!

lulalola

Electra_101 wrote: »

Thanks lulalola. The tenants were told to hot wash everything after the chemical treatment last time and I'm pretty sure they didn't :mad: They seem to think it is just down to me to do everything!! Trust me I have already Googled everything about bed bugs, and they seem like a landlords worst nightmare!!

Eek! It does sound like a nightmare!

I'm sorry I can't give any advice, but hopefully one of the experts around here can advise soon! Good luck!

pmlindyloo

If you can prove that the bed bugs were not there when the tenants moved in then it is not your responsibility.

Having said that it is a difficult one to prove especially since it is a furnished property and bed bugs love hiding in the frame of the bed. Were you there when the company carried out the chemical treatment?

If the tenants are not cooperating with carrying out the correct procedures then there is very little you can do.

As I see it your options are:

1. Have the heat treatment.
2. Allow the tenants to surrender their tenancy and get in and sort it out yourself.

A nightmare I agree.

Personally if you feel that your tenants are not going to 'play their part' this could go on forever, so I would allow them to surrender their tenancy. (By the way, if you do this get everything done in writing)

Electra_101

HappyMJ wrote: »

Another option could be to replace the bed and carpet.

I have read that this is not a good idea, as they could be hiding anywhere in the property as they love hiding in nooks and crannies, like behind skirting boards etc. And I don't know which rooms in the house they may have spread to.

Electra_101

freeisgood wrote: »

I don't see how it is your responsibility? Are you sure it is? I would really have made sure it is before paying out for anything!

I did tell them that the first treatment was done as a goodwill gesture and that we thought they introduced the bugs.

alchemist.1

You have absolutely no way of proving that the bedbugs were brought in by your tenants. They could be from a neighbouring property for all you know.

Get the heat treatment done asap otherwise its going to get worse.

Electra_101

pmlindyloo wrote: »

If you can prove that the bed bugs were not there when the tenants moved in then it is not your responsibility.

Having said that it is a difficult one to prove especially since it is a furnished property and bed bugs love hiding in the frame of the bed. Were you there when the company carried out the chemical treatment?

My research shows that indeed it would be pretty impossible to prove without doubt, as we did not have the property treated before the tenants moved in. However we do believe the tenants introduced the bugs. The property is managed by an agent so I was not there when the treatment occurred.

If the tenants are not cooperating with carrying out the correct procedures then there is very little you can do.

They say that they are cooperating but I really cant rely on it - if one item of clothing is not hot washed then the whole cycle starts over again.

As I see it your options are:

1. Have the heat treatment.
2. Allow the tenants to surrender their tenancy and get in and sort it out yourself.

A nightmare I agree.

Personally if you feel that your tenants are not going to 'play their part' this could go on forever, so I would allow them to surrender their tenancy. (By the way, if you do this get everything done in writing)

I was thinking of option 2 actually. I really don't want (and cant afford) to have a recurrence after the heat treatment