Updating post from Reddit.

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Posted by Ok-Book-1908 2 weeks ago
Is my landlord liable for this bedbug infestation?
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Posted by NoughtyClaire 2 weeks ago

I think we need a little more info. How long have you been living there? Did the infestation just start mid tenancy? Or have you just moved in and discovered it? Is the property firnished by the landlord? Have yoi brought in any soft furnishings yourself? Bedbugs are hardy little critters. They do like to travel from place to place in clothes/on people etc. Depending on the answers to these questions, you may have a case to bring it up with your landlord. In any case they'd probably want to know about an infestation in thier property whether they are liable or not.

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Posted by Special-Improvement4 2 weeks ago

Depends…. Day 1 yes, day 1000 no…. Quite where the yes turns to no is debatable

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Posted by Mistigeblou 2 weeks ago

If you find bed bugs within the first few weeks (2-3) of moving in, it's likely the landlord is responsible for treatment.

If it's been more than the 3 weeks then no, it's usually Tennant responsibility because you have unfortunately brought them in by whatever means.

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Posted by Witty-Bus07 2 weeks ago

I say day 1, there are some who visit and can leave bedbugs.

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Posted by SectionSad4385 2 weeks ago

I uh...don't think so? I'm not a landlord at all, but keeping the house tidy is usually the tenants responsibility. Bedbugs arise from a lack of cleanliness, inadvertently being transported from one place to your home, or second hand furniture. Plus, an infestation of this size wouldn't have spontaneously appeared overnight, that would have taken time to develop. I think it's on you, but as I say; not a landlord. I just know that as a tenant, I wouldn't blame the landlord if they weren't there when I moved in.

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Posted by fgspq 2 weeks ago

Bedbugs don't arise from a "lack of cleanliness"

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Posted by Ok-Book-1908 2 weeks ago

This is from next door’s renovations, same landlord, that they’ve dumped outside of my place. Ive asked several times for them to remove it. For reference that headboard isn’t in my flat it’s outside!

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Posted by chairman_meowser 2 weeks ago

Then yeah, it's your landlord's responsibility to sort it out.

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Posted by Mistigeblou 2 weeks ago

This is a LL problem, 100%,

can you prove its from what's going on next door (LL might argue you already had them)?

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Posted by No_Tackle_5439 2 weeks ago

>not a landlord at all

You surely sound like one.


If you don't clean your house, it doesn't mean you'll automatically get bedbugs...wtf did you pull this one out? Bedbugs are parasites, and you get them with objects that come in contact with an infested area.

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Posted by Competitive-Bowl2696 2 weeks ago

That’s not at all where bedbugs come from but hey thanks for this post from 1850.

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Posted by Training_Ad4291 2 weeks ago

Not if they were not there when you moved in

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Posted by OkFeed407 2 weeks ago

Having infestation of bugs is really unfortunate. Like other comments mentioned, day 1 yes week 1 yes but afterwards, NO. However assuming both your LL and yourself has been maintaining good communication, you might like to consider mentioning to your LL and see if their insurance cover anything for vermin infestation. A lot of landlord policies has a certain level of cover or emergency help when there are vermin infestation. It’s definitely worth a go asking. If not please contact a reputable vermin control company like Retokil, assuming you are in England. I wouldn’t recommend going to Bobby from round the block who advertise himself as a pest control expert. If you don’t want to go that far, try googling a treatment called borax, but do research the pros and cons before you use any chemicals. Bed bugs are not easy to eliminate and it is not fair for the property owner to get back the house with infestation if they didn’t hand over the house with bugs to you in the first place.

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Posted by Monty_is_chonky 2 weeks ago

Phone your local council, they often have cheap pest control. I used them when I moved into a house that was full of fleas.

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Posted by eleanornatasha 2 weeks ago

It depends, if there were bedbugs when you moved in then 100% yes it’s their responsibility. If you brought them with you when you moved, or brought them into the house after moving in, it’s likely your responsibility. With the amount that’s there it looks like it’s been a while of them being there, so if you moved in recently then they were probably there before you moved in.

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Posted by StunningAppeal1274 2 weeks ago

This is a tenant issue not landlord. Speak to the local council they offer cheap pest control

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Posted by zxzqzz 2 weeks ago

Interestingly NRLA just say it’s landlords responsibility “in the vast majority of cases”.

Suggest spending £50 on permethrin spray & powder off Amazon. It’s a pretty good way to make a start whilst discussing with LL.

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Posted by Puzzleheaded-Yak9722 2 weeks ago

It seems like from the first screenshot of the email, this headboard/panelling was left in a communal hallway, which is what caused the bedbugs to get into your flat? (Who tf would leave that there??)

In that case I don’t think you would be responsible for it, but whoever left it there/ brought the infestation would be.

The landlord should probably be the one to call the exterminator and get the whole building treated and then charge it to the culprit (as a fee or deductible from their deposit)

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Posted by Particular_Work_1789 2 weeks ago

Sprinkle Diatomaceous Earth around your house and should help eradicate them. Also check the walls in case they have crawled from next door.

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Posted by PlayfulFinger7312 2 weeks ago

Yeah don't do this. Breathing diatomaceous earth is terrible for you.

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Posted by Mistigeblou 2 weeks ago

Yea, don't do this. It's not effective at all on bedbugs, nor is it ideal to breathe in the powder

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Posted by [deleted] 2 weeks ago

[deleted]

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Posted by fgspq 2 weeks ago

Having a clean house doesn't mean you won't get bedbugs.

You could have a neighbour with an infestation. You could have bought some back from holiday, there are so many ways.

Stop being a judgemental prick.

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