Bedbugs or fleas in Airbnb

[TheWayTheLightFalls]

We're staying in an Airbnb close to home because building works at ours are overrunning badly. Home is not habitable and won't be for weeks. This is a residential property but being managed by a 3rd party who handles bookings, cleaning, communications etc. There's nowhere else to stay nearby.

Anyway - it has bed bugs. And / or fleas - as in, DH found a flea on one of our kids, after I’d found bugs. I'm being bitten to fuckery, DH is broadly fine bar a bite here or there. I've found bed bugs and the associated things you find.

Maybe it's just my lack of brain-space at the moment but I'm not sure what to do here. I don't want to message the contact person, tell them there are bed bugs and have them cancel or offer to cancel my booking because then we won't have anywhere to stay, but I also feel hugely aggrieved at the situation - as well as sleep deprived and irritated, and itchy - and wouldn't want the next person to find what we've found the hard way.

I've bought dia-whatsit earth to apply, in the meantime.

What now?

Is there absolutely nowhere else to stay? I couldn't sleep knowing bedbugs were biting me - maybe somewhere just a little bit further away?

Make sure you take photos for evidence.

You could message the contact and ask them what they suggest? Presumably they can't force you to leave if you actually don't want to.

Beware of taking the fleas/bedbugs home with you.

Looking ahead,
If it’s bed bugs, put your suitcases in the bath when you get home. NOT anywhere in the house.
That way if you have bugs in your clothing or suitcase you will see them against the white porcelains and can deal with them.
Meanwhile , the host or agent should get a professional out to deal with the infestation. You can remain in situ for that.

Is there absolutely nowhere else to stay? I couldn't sleep knowing bedbugs were biting me

I’m not sleeping really, I’m lying awake and losing my mind.

Not really, re place to stay. We’re a large family, which makes it harder.

Personally I'd rather camp out in a house that is a building site, or look further away for accommodation than sleep with bed bugs. Fleas are easily dealt with. Bed bugs aren't.

We have very young kids @SlipSlidinAway , hence the hesitation. As an adult/couple I’d be out of here.

Whatever you do, do not return home without quarantining / disinfecting all of your clothes, suitcases and other belongings (car!). Bed bugs are very, very hard to get rid off.

you realise you will have to wash everything on a super hot wash or destroy it. I would be looking for compensation for all my belongings! Not acceptable. Id rather stay further away or in a caravan to be honest.

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/bedbugs/

Be careful with anything you take with you. Wash on a 60 wash, use a dryer as much as possible. Put everything in the bath so the ‘darlings’ can’t climb out. Honestly we have had bedbugs and they are an absolute nightmare to get rid off. House sprays, new bedding, hoovering constantly, weekly sprays. The air B&B host needs pest control in asap tbh.

How horrible 🙁.

Can you have a blitz of vacuuming and spraying? Spray all the bed and mattress crevices, all round the edge of the carpets, everywhere. I would get the kids out for the day as early as possible, vacuum, spray, get a fumigation bomb, then air out at the end of the day and bring the kids back in.

Might help manage the problem short term.

Meanwhile do tell the manager.And have the evidence preserved before your spraying onslaught.

You absolutely cannot move your bags, clothing etc to another place, temporary or your home, without boil washing, microwaving or freezing (for 48 hours) all your clothing, teddies etc. Vacuum and spray luggage. Empty and wash the vacuum filter etc.

One ready-to-hatch-babies bed bug can create an infestation and they are terrible and expensive to eradicate.

Also send the evidence to AirBnB HQ. This infestation cannot have developed overnight. Negligence.

Is there no other Airbnb?

I'd be out of there and asking for a refund.

DE is rubbish. If you have to DIY use cimexa.

You really need to be careful on going home. The absolute best thing to do when you get home is leave the suitcase outside your house preferably the bottom of the garden and don't go anywhere near it for at least 3-6 weeks. Then wash everything on the hottest wash and dry on the hottest setting then quarantine everything again. They can be so hard to get rid off once they are in your home.

It you can afford it. Bin it all. Even the clothes you are wearing and shoes.

You should contact them and go somewhere else. It's not healthy for the kids