Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

Fleas in rented cottage - wwyd??

104 replies

piedbeauty · 25/12/2022 22:04

We have rented a gorgeous cottage in the Yorkshire Dales for Christmas. Cost £1900.

Dd woke the first day with bites on her back and arm - clusters of three. More the next day. Nothing visible in bed.

Changed beds. More bites. Then today we were all scratching, so dd went to have a shower, and found five fleas on her... and we found some live ones. Small ones, not adults. Dd now has about 40 bites.

Owner is sympathetic but says nothing can be done as it's Xmas.

House is very clean. Guest with dog stayed a few weeks ago; no other guests have stayed since.

I'm minded to ask for a partial refund as we've just paid a lot to be bitten! Do you agree? If so, how much is reasonable?

OP posts:
Original poster
piedbeauty · 25/12/2022 22:25

@mathanxiety, I don't think it's bed bugs. Fleas. Have posted pic of bites.

OP posts:
ginghamstarfish · 25/12/2022 22:35

The owner should have offered full refund, as it's not just a minor inconvenience but carries the risk of you also taking them home and also dealing with it there. I'm sure emergency pest control exists but they probably don't want to pay for it. This is why I would never stay in a place that allows dogs.

SaveMeCheezus · 25/12/2022 22:36

If you can OP, get some Indorex on the way home, open your cases outside your house, spray them thoroughly and then close them again for a day or two, then everything through a hot wash.

Agree with PPs I'd be asking for a full refund, whenever my cat has brought fleas in (mildly before I realise and sort it) they've only ever really gone for my feet and ankles. The place must be riddled for that amount of bites!

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Holidays
Aquasulis · 25/12/2022 22:38

Full refund and compensation for the bites etc

MsAdoraBelleDearheartVonLipwig · 25/12/2022 22:48

Did you rent through a holiday company? If so can’t they get hold of another housekeeper to send over with some flea treatment? Although if you’re leaving the next day there’s probably not much point. I’d definitely be asking for a bit of a refund though. The housekeeper would only have been in the house for a few hours when it was cleaned etc between guests and might not have noticed any fleas. Funny the previous guests didn’t though or presumably it would have been treated. Any comments in the guest book?

whatever1980 · 25/12/2022 22:54

Knew someone who got bitten by bed bugs in a hotel. They literally left everything and bought new clothes to wear before entering their house. Nothing from the hotel (luggage or clothes) came home with them. They were told they'd infest their own home.

They were fully compensated for it all.

ISawFreeShips · 25/12/2022 23:00

Don't know about compensation but I would suggest trying to figure out which room the fleas are most in and make sure DD is sleeping somewhere else, preferably high up, with tight fitting PJs tucked into socks, top tucked into bottoms etc. Clothing isn't 100% effective but it can limit access for them quite a lot. Simple stuff like tucking trousers into socks will really help.

Some people just don't react to the bites. When we had an awful infestation my housemates were fine. They must have got bitten too and just didn't react.

Oral antihistamine tends to work better than antihistamine cream for the itching.

Fleas can last months, but also guests can lie about whether they have brought pets with them. There could have been other dogs or cats in. It's tough one because it is plausible that they wouldn't necessarily know, but this does sound like quite a major infestation. Check all recent reviews carefully, online and in the visitors' book

Gemmanorthdevon · 25/12/2022 23:08

That's either really BIG fleas ( a much older infestation than the recent four legged guest mentioned, involving not just adults, but fully evolved Warrior fleas with suits of armour bobble hats and UGG boots on.. )

Or that's bed bugs!

Original poster
piedbeauty · 25/12/2022 23:20

Gemmanorthdevon · 25/12/2022 23:08

That's either really BIG fleas ( a much older infestation than the recent four legged guest mentioned, involving not just adults, but fully evolved Warrior fleas with suits of armour bobble hats and UGG boots on.. )

Or that's bed bugs!

But we have seen fleas. What are the odds that there are bed bugs too??? And dd has been most itchy and bitten today in the lounge. Lots of bites around feet and ankles.

House is professionally cleaned between guests with all bed linen going to a laundrette not just being washed at home...

OP posts:
Original poster
piedbeauty · 25/12/2022 23:21

No comments in guest book, few reviews online. Nothing recent.

OP posts:
MidnightMeltdown · 25/12/2022 23:29

dd went to have a shower, and found five fleas on her.

It's highly unlikely that these were fleas. Pet fleas don't live on humans. They may occasionally bite humans, but it's not likely that she would suddenly be attacked by 5 at once! I think this has been caused by something else.

As others have suggested, maybe bed bug bites?

Original poster
piedbeauty · 25/12/2022 23:29

OneFrenchEgg · 25/12/2022 22:12

Dog leaves fleas which lay eggs which take a few weeks to hatch?

Oh I don't know, was always under impression they wouldn't last long

Google it. Fleas last a lot longer than you might think.

OP posts:
Original poster
piedbeauty · 25/12/2022 23:30

Thanks, @ISawFreeShips - good tips!

OP posts:
Original poster
piedbeauty · 25/12/2022 23:32

@Bekindbekind - pic posted! Surely if there's no cat or dog host, the fleas make do with people??

OP posts:
thelobsterquadrille · 25/12/2022 23:32

I'm afraid those look like they could be bed bug bites to me, though I'm no expert.

If they are, you can't bring any clothing or soft toys you've taken with you back into your house. They spread like wildfire.

Original poster
piedbeauty · 25/12/2022 23:33

Lots of bites around feet and legs. I wonder if dd is being bitten at night as she's left her PJs on the floor during the day then put them on at night?! She does use the floor-drobe...

OP posts:
MsFogi · 25/12/2022 23:36

piedbeauty · 25/12/2022 22:20

Owner lives miles away. Housekeeper is away for Xmas. We leave on 27th.

If you rent somewhere out for that sort of money you either need to be able to attend the property when there is an issue, or send someone who can. Even on Christmas Day.
You should not be expected to spend your time hoovering the property you are staying at and then spending a huge amount of time on decontamination when you get home in order to save the owner a few hours of their time or money. They either need to give a full refund or compensate for your time/inconvenience (and I would expect the latter to be more than the former).

Original poster
piedbeauty · 25/12/2022 23:39

@MsFogi, I tend to agree...

Indorex bought from Amazon. Thanks for the recommendation.

OP posts:
LeilaRose777 · 25/12/2022 23:43

People these are not bed bugs! They're fleas.
Also - animal fleas definitely bite humans, it's a myth that they don't.
Flea powder and a hot wash should sort out your clothing. But be sure to spray/dust your car and the inside of cases and bags too as soon as you can.

SaveMeCheezus · 25/12/2022 23:52

Also - animal fleas definitely bite humans, it's a myth that they don't.

Absolutely true, but often only noticeably when their animal host is no longer there, as is the case in a holiday cottage.

They prefer a dog / cat but without the option they'll take whatever's going.

Riu · 26/12/2022 00:02

Fleas happily bite humans. Don’t know why anyone is suggesting otherwise. They will also bite you anywhere on the body. I have always found that a bath/shower and washing the clothes that I have been wearing gets rid of them.

ISawFreeShips · 26/12/2022 00:49

piedbeauty · 25/12/2022 23:33

Lots of bites around feet and legs. I wonder if dd is being bitten at night as she's left her PJs on the floor during the day then put them on at night?! She does use the floor-drobe...

They will hide in the edges of carpets or furniture and seek her warmth or CO2 or whatever out at night. They can jump so well and they'll come looking for her, not her clothes. If she is getting bitten at night I would guess maybe her room has the worst infestation and she would be better sleeping elsewhere. Or maybe she happened to sit on the same bit of the sofa that the dog or cat did, or she has been lying/sitting on the floor more than the adults.

Indorex as above, along the edges of all carpets as a first pass then round the bottom edges of soft furnishings if you have some left over.

It's grim especially when you have spent so much, and very irritating that you are ending up doing the owners' job for them. Indorex is not cheap!

LuluBlakey1 · 26/12/2022 10:30

MidnightMeltdown · 25/12/2022 23:29

dd went to have a shower, and found five fleas on her.

It's highly unlikely that these were fleas. Pet fleas don't live on humans. They may occasionally bite humans, but it's not likely that she would suddenly be attacked by 5 at once! I think this has been caused by something else.

As others have suggested, maybe bed bug bites?

They don't live on humans but they are very happy to feed on them if furry friends are unavailable. I speak as a cat owner and we have them every summer.
Indorex is the thing for the house- spray the whole house- carpets, rugs, under rugs, soft furnishings, wooden floors, skirting boards etc.
Also spray bags, cases and coats- anything you can't wash on a hot wash.
Wash all clothing on a hot wash and iron it.
For the bites - anti-histamine cream and tablets (if needed).

They are easily dealt with if it's done thoroughly. The owners should refund you fully. It's a nasty inconvenience and , if they allow pets, they should be factoring regular flea prevention into their routines.

Original poster
piedbeauty · 26/12/2022 10:40

Thanks, @LuluBlakey1.

Dd has woken up today not feeling well - sore throat and cold. Is this likely to be due to any disease spread by the fleas?? Or a coincidence?? She must have over 40 bites.

OP posts:
Oblomov22 · 26/12/2022 10:52

You need to take photos of the actual fleas as evidence. You said you saw 5 when dd had a shower. Take photos of the actual fleas, not dd's bites.