Summer is here and that means people are heading off on their holidays. However, once the holiday is over, it’s important to check you haven’t brought an unwanted guest back to your home with you.
Jack Malnick, property expert at Landlord Resource, said: “Infestations of bed bugs are on the rise, and it may be unknown to some, but bed bugs can be commonly introduced to your home through your luggage after a holiday, and if you’ve stayed in a hotel or hostel.” If you are renting, like the approximately eight million other households in the UK, it can be tricky to figure out how to sort out the problem – and who is responsible for the cost. Jack has advice for renters, and his first tip is to let your landlord know as soon as you discover the problem.
He said: “Reporting the problem in the first one to two days will make it much easier to locate the issues and lower associated costs in the long run.
“Regardless of how the problem arose, and whether you feel at fault, you should gather as much evidence as possible when you find the infestation; gather photos and videos of bites, locations of where the bugs were found, receipts of cleaning or laundry costs, and copies of all communications with your landlord.”
The first step to controlling the problem is to wash all affected clothing and bedding in a hot wash.
It is unlikely you will be able to get rid of the problem by yourself, but washing items impacted can make a difference while you wait for the professionals.
Make sure you act quickly to control the problem (Image: Getty)
If you are living in a rented property, it’s important to figure out who is responsible for the bugs.
Jack explained: “It may be that you’ve brought the bugs back through holiday travel luggage. If you think it is a new infestation, it’s more likely you are at fault; however, it may depend on if you’ve been residing at the property for long.
“If you are early on in your tenancy, it may be that this was an existing problem before you even moved in. If this is the case, and the property was infested before the contracts were signed, then it is the landlord’s responsibility to remove them.”
Bed bugs can be expensive to get rid of (Image: Getty)
Bedbugs can be a very expensive pest to eliminate – so it’s a good idea to talk to your landlord about who is covering what cost.
Jack said: “From start to finish of the professional process, you can expect initial inspections, chemical treatments, and, if more severe, multiple visits and treatments.
“An initial visit will cost under three figures, but whole property inspections for a severe case will amount to nearer £1,000 – and that’s before any consideration for your other costs of laundry cleaning and replacements.
“If you are paying it as the tenant, there is a slight chance that the landlord could deduct costs from your deposit, but this is entirely dependent on the evidence that demonstrates your responsibility and your actions when discovering it.”