How they get from one home to the next
Bed bugs do not chew or burrow, so they depend on gaps that already exist. A block of flats has plenty: holes where heating and water pipes pass through walls and floors, the space around electrical wiring, and the line behind skirting boards where they meet a party wall. A bug that has been disturbed, or has no one to feed on nearby, is more likely to wander along them.
Pipework, wiring and skirting
- Riser cupboards and boxed-in pipes that run up through every floor
- Plug sockets and light switches set back to back with the flat next door
- Gaps under skirting boards along a shared wall
- Ceiling roses and light fittings below the flat upstairs
- Service holes behind kitchen and bathroom units
On belongings and people
Just as often, they travel the ordinary way, tucked into a bag, a coat or a cardboard box. In shared houses and HMOs, such as those in Kilburn, a sofa moved between rooms, a laundry basket left on the landing or a friend who stays the night can all carry them. Furniture dumped in a communal bin store can end up in somebody else's flat.
Signs they have come from next door
Bugs showing up first along a party wall, beside a radiator pipe or around a socket, rather than in the bed, can point to a route from a neighbouring home. So can a fresh problem soon after a neighbour mentions being bitten. None of this is certain, but it is worth mentioning when you get in touch.
Why one flat on its own can fall short
If the flat next door or the room across the landing is also affected, bugs can keep crossing back. That is no reason to wait for every neighbour to agree before acting, but it is a strong reason to tell whoever manages the building. The more homes that are checked around the same time, the better the chance of bringing it to an end.
Who to tell
Tenants should let their landlord, letting agent or housing association know in writing, with photos of what they have found. Leaseholders and tenants in blocks of flats, in Wembley or anywhere else, should also contact the managing agent so neighbouring flats can be warned. Housing association tenants, in Stonebridge and elsewhere, can report it through the usual repairs or tenancy route. Check your tenancy agreement for who arranges treatment.
Talking to neighbours
It can feel awkward, but a quiet word helps everyone on the corridor. Bed bugs are not a sign of dirtiness, and nobody is to blame for picking them up. A neighbour who knows what to look for can check their own bed before things grow, and is far less likely to leave an infested mattress on the landing. The first signs of bed bugs is a useful page to pass on.
Keeping your flat from feeding the problem
- Never put an unwrapped mattress or sofa out in a shared corridor or bin area
- Carry bedding and clothes through communal areas only in sealed bags
- Keep sleeping in your own bed rather than moving into a friend's flat
- Avoid shop-bought foggers and bug bombs, which are not recommended and can scatter bed bugs into wall voids
Getting it sorted
When you book, tell us it is a flat or shared house and how many rooms show signs. Bed bug control in Brent is £220 for the first room and £120 for each additional room. Before the visit, read how to prepare a room for bed bug treatment; afterwards, why you might still see bed bugs explains what can be normal.
