Bed bugs in student accommodation: what students need to know

Student housing is one of the highest-risk environments for bed bugs in the country, and it’s easy to see why. Thousands of people move in and out within the same few weeks each year, furniture is left behind and passed on, and students travel constantly between term-time houses, family homes and trips abroad. Every one of those movements is a chance for bed bugs to hitch a ride.

Why shared student houses are such a hotspot

• High turnover — a bed bug problem left by last year’s tenants can still be there when you move in
• Second-hand furniture — beds, mattresses and sofas passed between houses are a classic route
• Shared walls and HMOs — in houses split into rooms, bed bugs can spread between bedrooms
• Constant travel — bugs picked up on a trip or at home over the holidays come back with you

How to spot them early

Don’t rely on bites — around a third of people don’t react to them at all, and your housemates might be bitten while you’re not. Check the bed itself: small dark spots or rusty smears on the mattress seams and sheets, pale shed skins in the bed frame joints, and flat, apple-seed-sized brown insects around the headboard. If you find any of these, you almost certainly have an active infestation.

Who is responsible — halls vs private lets

In university-managed halls, report it to your accommodation office immediately — they are responsible for arranging pest control and usually have a process for it. In a private student let, your landlord or letting agent is responsible for keeping the property fit to live in, which a significant bed bug infestation undermines. Report it in writing (email) straight away, with dated photos, so there’s a clear record.

If the infestation was there before you moved in, or is spreading through a shared house, the landlord is normally expected to arrange and fund treatment. Our guide to bed bugs in rented accommodation covers the responsibilities in more detail.

What to do (and not do)

1. Report it in writing to your hall office or landlord the same day, with photos
2. Tell your housemates so neighbouring rooms can be checked too
3. Don’t drag the mattress out or move belongings between rooms — that spreads it
4. Don’t buy a shop-bought spray — they rarely work on established infestations and can scatter the bugs
5. Wash and tumble-dry affected bedding and clothes on a hot setting

Don’t take them home at the end of term

The end of the academic year is when bed bugs travel furthest — straight into family homes across the country. If you’ve had any sign of them, deal with it before you pack up. When you do go home, wash and tumble-dry your clothes on a hot setting, keep your bags out of the bedroom until you’ve checked them, and don’t take suspect furniture with you.

Getting it treated

Whether you’re a student whose landlord is dragging their feet, or you just want it sorted fast, The Bed Bug Network can help. Submit your postcode and a few details and we’ll match you with a vetted local specialist covering your area — the service is free to use.