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Never assume the tenant who complains about bed bugs is the only tenant with bed bugs

nobugsonme — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 23:45:04 +0000

Cambridge (UK) tenant Alison Stephenson claims her property development and management firm Places for People is not concerned about her flat’s bed bug problem. The tenant is apparently responsible for treatment, and Stephenson seems to be happy to arrange for this. But she says other units are infested also. And there’s nothing she can do to keep bed bugs coming back to her unit, if other flats are infested.

Cambridge News Online reports that

Ms Stephenson says that despite raising the issue with property management and development company Places for People she hasn’t received a response.

She said call handlers for the firm suggested that if left alone the bugs would go away of their own accord.

She claimed they even hinted she might have caused the outbreak herself.

Two errors there: first, bed bugs do not go away on their own.

Second, when you assume the first person to complain about or notice bed bugs in their unit is the source of said bed bugs, it shows an ignorance of this pest and how easily it spreads. The Bed Bug Blame Game is pointless: everyone loses.

Stephenson is getting pest control treatment from Environmental Health — that’s not the issue.

Instead, she reports she’s concerned that the building is not dealing with the spread of bed bugs within the building:

“The call handlers kept saying that it was my problem and that I would have to pay for it, and that’s fine, I am willing to pay for it despite being a single mum, but if all that happens and they just come back then what’s the point?

“I’ve heard from three other people in the block, across three different floors, who also have them and it’s made me so ill I’m not sleeping.

It’s very hard to get rid of bed bugs if all infested units are not detected and simultaneously treated.

Cambridge News online also spoke with the management company:

A spokeswoman for Places for People said: “We are aware that Ms Stephenson has a problem with bedbugs in her home.

“Though this is an issue that individual customers are responsible for, we are happy to provide advice on arranging treatment through the local environmental health department, and to assist in any way we can.

When bed bugs are present, it simply is not sufficient to look at the one unit where a problem has been reported or detected. Building management companies need to help coordinate inspections and treatment within a building. At the very least, adjacent and attached units must be inspected, if not the entire building. Other units may need treatment, especially if what Stephenson reports about her neighbors is true.

If other units are infested and are sending bed bugs over, it is immensely frustrating for tenants whether landlords pay for treatment, or — as in this case — pest control is the tenant’s responsibility. It is not enough to put out the bed bug fire in one unit.

Instead of assuming a tenant’s complaints of bed bugs in their unit is an isolated incident, management companies need to get people who are experienced in searching for bed bugs to do some investigating and actually confirm this is the case.

Consider the alternative: in most cases, if bed bugs in your building become very bad, tenants can eventually move.

Landlords are stuck with an infested building. Property managers would do well to consider this fact and take care of their investment property.

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Students vs. bed bugs at British outdoor activity center

nobugsonme — Wed, 20 May 2009 06:14:36 +0000

The Kingston Guardian (UK) reports that A school trip to an outdoor activity center went awry when students encountered bed bugs:

Children from Coombe Junior School had to camp outside while their dormitories were sprayed with pesticide last week, after bed bugs invaded an activity centre.

Year 5 pupils were affected when Hindleap Warren in East Sussex was infested with bed bugs, closing down many of its 80 rooms, after an outbreak six weeks ago.

The father of one Coombe Junior pupil said: “The children are very disappointed because they could only go for a couple of nights.”

But David Nottidge, director of Hindleap, denied poor cleanliness was responsible for the outbreak and said visitors had been warned of the bed bug outbreak before they arrived. He said the local council had also been informed.

A simple warning means little to people who don’t know much about bed bugs.

It would therefore be interesting to know what kind of information was provided about bed bugs — and how to avoid them — for these visiting groups, and for the local council. I truly hope they also took precautions to avoid taking bed bugs home.

The same article notes that students from another school group, Claremont Fan Court School in Esher, returned home from the same center complaining they’d been infected with scabies there; the center denied the presence of the scabies mite.

In my experience, doctors frequently misdiagnose bed bug bites as scabies, and treat for scabies (my own doctor did the same). Perhaps this was true in the case of these students as well.

See: Night of camping for Coombe pupils after bed bug infestation From Kingston Guardian.Similar Posts:

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Dacorum Borough Council: bed bugs not a public health problem, so we’re no longer offering free bed bug treatment to needy residents

nobugsonme — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 15:37:23 +0000

Dacorum Borough Council used to provide free treatment for bed bugs to householders who could not afford it. Alas, no longer.

One local resident, Alex Francis, was concerned:

“If there are people with bed bugs or mites who can’t afford to have them treated privately, will they just be living in those conditions, whereas before they could have them treated?” he said.

Well put.

It is understandable that the council is trying to save money at this time, and since bed bug cases are growing everywhere, the borough’s cost of providing treatment is likely to get bigger and bigger.

The move was included in cuts of £2.8million agreed by the council as part of its budget in February.

And,

Cutting the pest control service will save £84,000.

John Clarke, head of public protection at the council, advised residents with problems to use a private contractor.

This does not help people who cannot afford treatment.

Interestingly, the council will continue to treat for rats:

“From April 1 the council only offers a free rat treatment service for domestic premises, as they are a danger to public health,” he said.

(Emphasis mine.)

While it is true that bed bugs are not currently known to spread disease (as rats most decidedly do), they are nonetheless a public health problem.

I fear that this loss of service will mean many in the borough are forced to live with this problem because they cannot afford proper treatment to get rid of bed bugs.

And here’s a reminder to the people of Hemel Hempstead: if your neighbors have bed bugs, you have bed bugs.

When it comes to bed bug treatment, it really is best for everyone if no one is left behind.

via Pest control cuts start to bite – Hemelhempstead Today.Similar Posts:

Another journalist tells own bed bug tale of woe, this time Michael Hann in the Guardian (UK)

nobugsonme — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 04:01:11 +0000

It’s always good when journalists and others in the media tell their own bed bug stories.

As far as raising public awareness about how bed bugs can (and will) infest anyone’s home, having a journalist or writer tell their bed bug story in the news media is almost as good as having a friend or relative tell you they had the problem. Here’s a person who seems to have it together: decent career, nice home (we imagine), he doesn’t look too sloppy in the mugshot next to his byline.

The point is driven home: this can happen to everyone.

Unfortunately, it seems to take a lot of this in order to educate the public about bed bugs. We’re getting there, but slowly. So I am always grateful to see first-person accounts of bed bugs in the print media, on TV, and on non-bed bug blogs.

And today, Michael Hann writes in the Guardian about his family’s bed bug problems.

I can’t decide where, in our battle with the bedbugs, we reached the nadir. Was it when my son’s reception class teacher called my wife to express her concern about the number of bites on his arms, body and face? “He says they’re … bedbug bites,” she said, disbelievingly. “That’s right,” my wife replied. “We’ve got an infestation that we’re being treated for.” “Oh, I understand – I’ve come across bedbugs, when I’ve been travelling in Africa.” The words “but not when I’ve been teaching in north London” went unspoken.

And there, my friends, we see the need for still more public awareness about bed bugs: the teacher was shocked a kid in her classroom had bed bugs.

The article goes through the various experiences the family goes through, including treatment, and undergoing a post-treatment deep clean, only to find bed bugs harboring happily in a bed frame.

The article includes quotations from Bedbugger forum participant David Cain, of Bed Bugs Limited in the UK. David Cain’s suggestion to avoid sitting on public transportation is included as is the advice to the family from an unnamed woman who performed a deep clean after treatment:

… a woman who advised us that, in addition to never sitting down on public transport, we should always remove our clothes before entering a bedroom.

Now, that’s caution.

One of the tips at the end under “How to spot an infestation” intrigued me:

Look for unexplained rashes, although one in 10 people doesn’t respond to bites. If you react badly, use antihistamines.

Jerome Goddard says as many as 70% of folks don’t react to bed bug bites. I am interested in the sources of either of these figures.

I know you’ll want to read the rest of Hann’s story here.Similar Posts:

Bed bugs as big business: 1939 Post Office London Directory

nobugsonme — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 14:44:58 +0000

This morning, a bit of history: the Post Office London Directory in two volumes, 1939, discovered at the New York Public Library. (Sorry for the graininess but let’s just say this was an accidental find — the camera phone was the only option.)

Note the advertisement around the edges: We Destroy Rats, Mice, Beetles, Moths, etc. on one side, a prominent picture of a bed bug on others.

The 1939 Post Office London Directory (apparently published by Kelly’s) in two volumes was the 1939 London “phone book.” It tells us a few things:

Bed bugs were big business: the company that could afford the most prominent advertising in London was a Bayswater (W1) pest control company.
Bed bugs were a big problem in 1939: the only picture included in the ad is a really big bed bug. Not a mouse, a rat, a beetle, a moth: the ad is primarily about bed bugs.
This also tells us that: bed bugs were visually recognizable to all.

1939 was, of course, before DDT.

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Bed-bugs.co.uk study of how bed bugs spread in London

nobugsonme — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 04:59:25 +0000

David Cain is well known to frequenters of the Bedbugger forums, and his company, Bed-bugs.co.uk has now completed a survey of the locations of bed bug infestations in London, with some interesting results the company has now made available.

By mapping bed bug infestations on a highly localised level, using postcode sectors*, the company has been able to both confirm certain theories and discount others about how this pest is spreading geographically.

(The notes tell us, “Postcode Sectors are the first part of a postcode plus the first digit of the second part e.g. SE1 1. Dependent on density, this gives a map resolution of approximately half a mile.”)

The report may help answer questions like:

Why… does the data show such a spike in 2004? And why do there appear to be distinct ‘hotspots’ and ‘corridors’ running through London?

Bed-Bugs.co.uk managing director David Cain says: “This is a real breakthrough in the fight against bed bugs. Mapping on this micro level has given us a hitherto unseen view of exactly how bed bugs are spreading across London”

“Most interestingly, the research shows that in certain areas (i.e. postcode sectors) infestations have been effectively tackled, with reported numbers considerably reduced. In other areas the problem has remained roughly the same but in some areas the number of reported infestations has risen alarmingly.

Our research also dispels the myth that bed bugs are a universal problem in London but confirms that in certain areas the problem has reached epidemic proportions and that current control methods are simply not working. The big questions are ‘why not?’ and ‘what can we do to address that?’ ”

Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, Councils were asked to supply data showing the number of infestations reported to them over the last 5 years, by Postcode Sector. The majority of Councils were able to comply with the request and the data has now been analysed and mapped.

The results show that, looked at on a macro-level e..g. by council or by postcode area e.g. SW or even by postcode district e.g. SW8 one receives a totally false picture of the problem.

Only when infestations are mapped on a micro-level such as Postcode sector e.g. SW8 5 does one get a clear and accurate picture of the problem. Across the Capital, we have identified numerous sectors showing large increases with many showing 300-400% year-on-year increases.

In other words, casting the net over a smaller geographical area yields more meaningful data and suggests patterns.

David Cain says his company will be sharing this information with all participating London councils at a conference on December 15th.

He also argues councils should all be tracking data on infestations (and doing so the same way), and that bed bugs should be a notifiable pest.

Want to get rid of bed bugs? Find out where they are, and keep track of how they spread.

We applaud Cain and his team for undertaking this research, and we hope all cities begin tracking infestations.Similar Posts:

Journal of Medical Entomology: only 10% of Britons can identify bed bugs

nobugsonme — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 18:49:10 +0000

The University of Sheffield has conducted a study as to whether British people can identify bed bugs, the Sheffield Telegraph reports. Researchers showed bed bugs to 350 people, and found that teenagers (under 15) were unable to identify bed bugs. The findings were published in the Journal of Medical Entomology.

Overall, only 10% of people could identify bed bugs.

However, 20% of those over 60 could do so.

Dr Klaus Reinhardt, an entomologist at the University who led the study, said:

“Older people were expected to know what a bedbug looked like because of their war and pre-war time exposure to these nocturnal sleep-robbers.

“However it is also important that younger generations, in particular those that work in the travel and leisure industry, are educated in the appearance of bedbugs and their nymphs, eggs and traces. The ability to single out a lonely creature crawling over a hotel bed as a bedbug may make all the difference.”

Yes it may.

Some UK housing authorities ceasing to pay for bed bug treatment

nobugsonme — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 16:04:33 +0000

This article from the Hounslow Chronicle (in London) on Tuesday reports that some UK housing authorities are no longer paying for tenants’ bed bug treatment, due to the rise in cases.

It tells the story of Claire Prince, 24. She and her four children are sleeping on floors, air mattresses, and in a stroller, since their beds were discarded due to bed bugs.

Sadly, what’s coming between the family and a good night’s sleep is bed bug treatment. And the cost isn’t terribly high, by other regions’ pest control standards:

David [Cain of Bed-bugs.co.uk], who claims west London hotspots for bed bugs include neighbouring Twickenham (TW1), said the problem can only be fixed by professionals but many housing authorities are removing responsibility from tenancy agreements following the rise in cases.

In Claire’s case it would cost her £130 to have two rooms in her home treated by Hounslow Council pest control contractors. Hounslow Homes claim it is the tenants’ responsibility to eradicate the pests. But as a single mum, Prince says this is a cost she simply can’t afford.

I can understand why housing authorities might feel the pinch. Landlords, where required to pay for bed bug treatment, do too.

Unfortunately, if a family cannot get prompt and high quality bed bug treatment, they won’t get rid of their bed bugs. This puts their neighbors — and others who are in contact with the family at work or school or on public transit — at risk of getting the problem too.

Everyone needs treatment for bed bugs, regardless of ability to pay. Governments need to find a solution for this. “Each person for him or herself” does not work, because bed bugs can spread easily to others.

As long as someone in your community has a bed bug problem, so do you.Similar Posts:

Council bed bug treatment in the UK: rates going up

nobugsonme — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 20:15:54 +0000

The website This is Hampshire! reports that council (local government) extermination rates are going up, in Southampton at least. Now it costs more to get rid of bed bugs in Southampton.

CHARGES to get rid of bed bugs and vermin are to rocket as part of a hike of council fees and charges in Southampton.

Residents with a five-bedroom house in need of council assistance over the bugs will be charged £135 a visit – up £64.

Previously residents were charged between £50 and £60 depending on the size of their home.

£135 is about US$269 today. Most PCOs here in New York don’t seem to charge by the visit, so it’s hard to make a comparison, but I’d be interested in know what good private treatment goes for in Southampton (compared with London, a city more likely to be comparable to NYC).

Yanks have previously expressed jealousy that Brits can get Council treatment for bed bugs, but perhaps it’s not that much of a savings on private treatment after all.

Interestingly, the article states that rats and mice are treated for £10 upfront and £15 for follow-ups (I wonder why follow-ups cost more?), and it costs £83 to have someone spray for fleas or carpet beetles.

Not only do bed bugs cost the most to treat (and I don’t doubt this is related to the care required to properly inspect and treat), but they typically require 3 or more treatments. And that sure takes a bite out of your wallet.Similar Posts:

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This may be Leicestershire, but that is no bed bug

nobugsonme — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 21:10:41 +0000

Apparently, many journalists still don’t bother to find out what bed bugs look like!

As of writing (4 pm EST on 3/3/2008), this article from This is Leicestershire, which is obviously about bed bugs, contains a massive photo of a dust mite.

No wonder the article’s commenters think bed bugs are not such a big deal.Similar Posts:

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