Bedbug Control Plaistow

Why You Might Not Have Known

Plenty of people have no reaction to bites at all, so the first sign someone notices is often the spotting on a mattress, a bed frame or the skirting, rather than any marks on the skin. A housing officer who visits many homes knows what those signs look like and may spot them in a room you walk through every day without looking.

Being told does not mean you caused it. Bedbugs arrive on luggage, furniture, visitors and through the gaps between neighbouring homes, and a clean home has them just as easily as an untidy one.

What to Ask For Straight Away

1. Ask what they saw and where. Which room, which piece of furniture, and whether it was live bugs or signs.
2. Ask for it in writing, or send them an email yourself afterwards confirming what was said, with the date.
3. Ask who arranges the treatment. Some housing providers use their own contractor; others expect the household to arrange it. It depends on the tenancy and the cause, and we are not legal advisers.
4. Ask whether neighbouring homes will be checked, particularly those sharing a wall or floor with yours.
5. Ask what preparation they expect and whether help is available if you cannot do it yourself.

If You Are Arranging It Yourself

If the housing provider tells you to arrange treatment, or you do not want to wait, ring us. If you want to be certain before paying for treatment, an inspection starts from £120 and gives you your own record of what is there. We can put what we find and what we did in writing, which the housing provider may ask to see.

Chemical treatment is the usual course in estate flats and is two or three visits. Heat is one longer visit that also deals with eggs, and costs more. Treatments are from £220 depending on the rooms.

Getting the Home Ready

Whoever does the treatment, the preparation is broadly similar. Strip the beds and hot-wash and dry the bedding. Bag clothes from the affected rooms and wash what can be washed. Clear the floor along the walls so the skirtings can be reached. Leave furniture and mattresses where they are and do not put anything out by the bins until it has been looked at.

If lifting, bagging or clearing is hard because of age, health or a large family, say so to the housing officer and to us. For how bedbugs move through gaps around doors, see our guide on door frames and architraves. The Newham page covers full households. When you ring about your Plaistow home, tell us what the officer said.

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