Bedbug Control Balham

Report It in Writing First

Email your landlord or agent with the date you first noticed signs, which rooms are affected, and photographs of what you found: spotting on the mattress, insects, shed skins. Keep a copy. A written report creates a clear timeline and is much harder to lose than a phone call.

Who arranges and pays for treatment depends on your tenancy and on the cause. We are pest controllers, not legal advisers; if you are unsure of your position, a tenancy advice service can help.

Getting Ready for Their Visit

Ask the landlord or contractor which treatment they plan to use and how many visits it involves, so you know what to expect. Then follow their instructions to the letter. The general pattern is similar across companies:

• For chemical treatment: strip and hot-wash the bedding, bag it, clear the floors and leave the furniture in place so skirtings and frames can be reached.
• For heat treatment: take out anything heat could damage, such as aerosols, candles, medication and some electronics, and arrange for pets to be out.
• For either: keep sleeping in your own bed. Moving to the sofa or a friend's spreads them.

Keep Your Own Record

Write down the date of each visit, which rooms were treated and what you were told to do afterwards. If the treatment is chemical, a second visit around 10–14 days later is normal rather than a sign that the first one failed, because the insecticide does not reliably kill eggs. Ask when the follow-up is booked before the first visit ends.

Keep checking the mattress seams every few days. Note any new bites or signs with dates. If things are improving, that record is reassurance; if they are not, it is what you will need.

If the Problem Carries On

Some live bedbugs in the days after a chemical visit are expected as eggs hatch and meet the residue. Continuing signs weeks after the course has finished are different. The London guide on why bedbugs reappear after treatment explains the usual reasons.

Report it again, in writing, with your dates and photographs, and ask the landlord what they will do next. If you want an independent view of whether bedbugs are still present, you can book an inspection with us yourself, from £120. We will tell you what we find in your Balham flat; what the landlord does with that is up to them and your tenancy.

If your landlord later asks us to quote, both chemical and heat treatments start from £220. The Wandsworth page covers other buildings and situations across the borough.

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