Bed Bug Treatment Across the East Midlands

How do I know it's bed bugs?

The common bed bug (Cimex lectularius) is a flat, oval, reddish-brown insect. Adults are about 4–5mm long, roughly the size of an apple pip, and swell and darken after feeding. Young nymphs are smaller and pale. They hide in the seams and piping of mattresses, bed frames, headboards, skirting boards, plug sockets and the furniture next to the bed, and come out at night to feed on blood.

The NHS lists the signs as bites (often in a line or cluster on skin exposed while sleeping), spots of blood on the bedding, small brown spots of droppings on the mattress or furniture, and bed bugs or their shed skins. Some people don't react to the bites at all, so the droppings are often the first clue.

Why bed bugs are hard to get rid of yourself

The NHS says it's unlikely you'll get rid of bed bugs yourself, because they're hard to find and can be resistant to some insecticides. Adults can survive for months without feeding, and eggs are protected from many sprays, so a single shop-bought fogger rarely reaches them all. Foggers can also spread bed bugs into neighbouring rooms.

Having bed bugs isn't a sign of a dirty home. They travel in luggage, second-hand furniture and mattresses, and between flats in shared buildings, which is why we see them in tidy homes, hotels and student lets alike.

Heat treatment or insecticide: how we treat bed bugs

Heat treatment raises the room and its contents above 56°C, which kills bed bugs at every stage, including eggs, with no chemical residue. For a contained infestation it's often a single visit. Residual insecticide treatment is applied to the bed, furniture, skirting and the cracks where bed bugs hide, over 2–3 visits a couple of weeks apart, to catch the nymphs that hatch from eggs after the first visit. For established or spreading infestations we often combine both.

We survey first, so we can tell you how far it has spread and which option suits your home, your budget and how quickly you need the room back.

How to prepare for a bed bug treatment

Preparation makes a big difference. We'll give you a checklist when we book, but in general:

Bed bugs in rented homes: landlord or tenant?

Who pays depends on the tenancy agreement and how the bed bugs arrived. Landlords must keep a home fit to live in under the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018, and pests are one of the hazards assessed under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System. If bed bugs were present when a tenancy started, or are coming through from another flat in the building, the landlord or managing agent is usually responsible. If a tenant brought them in, the tenancy agreement may make it theirs.

We work for landlords, letting agents, HMOs and tenants. We can treat neighbouring flats in the same visit and provide a written report of what we found and did. If you're unsure where you stand, Shelter or Citizens Advice can help.

What our customers say

“I had moved into a property and discovered that it had bed bugs, Gino came out same day and carried out the treatment, he is very knowledgeable and polite and always cleans up after him self, I highly recommend him for any pest issues.” Margarita, Google review, September 2022

“Really impressed with Gino’s work results. He’s proved to be very reliable, friendly and professional. He took the time to make me understand how my bedbugs infestation issue manifest and advised how to prevent it in the future.” Silviu, Google review, August 2022