Fleas
Fleas When a Finchley Flat Changes Hands
A rented flat near Finchley Central or Woodside Park might see a new tenant every year or two. If the outgoing tenant kept a pet, and the carpets stay, flea eggs and larvae in the pile can be left behind. Pupae in their cocoons sit quietly while the flat is empty between lets, then hatch when someone moves in and starts walking about. Flea problems after moving in explains why the timing catches people out.
Furnished lets
In a furnished flat the sofa, armchair and rugs stay with the property as well as the carpets. A previous tenant's cat may have slept on the same sofa you now sit on, and flea larvae can develop in the seams and underneath. If the bites are mainly when you sit in the living room, the furniture is worth mentioning.
The flat below, and the shared stairs
In a converted house, the communal stair carpet and hall are walked by everyone, including a neighbour's dog. Fleas can be picked up there, though the rooms inside a flat are usually where they breed. Stairs and halls are not counted as rooms, and the shared ones are the freeholder's to deal with.
Tenant or Landlord: Who Does What
If you have just moved in and are being bitten, tell your landlord or letting agent in writing straight away, with the date you moved in and which rooms are affected. Who pays depends on the tenancy agreement and the circumstances; we do not decide that, and either of you can book. Landlords turning a flat round can look at flea treatment between tenancies, and the area page, Pest Control Finchley, covers who arranges what in a converted house.
Signs worth noting before you report it
- Bites around the ankles and lower legs, often soon after coming home
- Tiny dark insects jumping on pale socks or a white sheet laid on the carpet
- Dark specks along the skirting or in the carpet where the last tenant's pet may have slept
- Bites that are worse in one room, such as the living room with the sofa that came with the flat
How to know you have fleas goes through the signs. Bites on the arms and shoulders overnight may be bed bugs instead, which is worth ruling out in a flat furnished from a previous let. If bites become infected, speak to a pharmacist or GP.
Getting a Rented Flat Ready
- Vacuum all carpets, rugs and upholstered furniture, including edges and under beds, and empty the vacuum outside
- Put bedding and washable throws through a hot wash
- Clear boxes still waiting to be unpacked off the floor
- If you have a pet of your own, speak to your vet about treating it at the same time
- Count the affected rooms before booking, leaving out the hall
Preparing a property for flea treatment has the full list. Afterwards keep vacuuming, as fleas still in cocoons can go on hatching for a while; how long depends on the flat and how established they were. If you keep finding live fleas, get in touch and see why fleas can still bite after treatment.
Stopping It Happening at the Next Changeover
Landlords with pet-friendly lets can ask outgoing tenants about recent flea treatment for their animals, check carpets at the end of the tenancy, and book treatment before the next tenant arrives rather than after. New tenants can ask at viewing whether the last occupier had pets. For fleas elsewhere in the borough, see Flea Control Barnet.
