Bed bugs: Pest control dealing with most cases in three years

By Robert Firth, Local Democracy Reporter

Pest control are dealing with the most bed bug incidents in three years in one borough – but the council insists the problem isn’t getting worse. 

Workers at Southwark council were called out to 629 cases involving the blood sucking insects in between 2022 and 2023 – a 40 per cent increase in incidents compared to the previous year.

A Freedom of Information request revealed the council attended 515 jobs involving bed bugs between 2021 and 2022 and 373 between 2020 and 2021. 

The council was unable to provide data on call outs prior to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Councillor James McAsh, cabinet member for streets, said the surge in cases was down to officers attending fewer properties to deal with incidents between 2020 and 2021 due to lockdown restrictions. 

He said: “As restrictions eased, our officers resumed property visits, resulting in an increase in the number of visits. Service levels are now back to normal.”

But figures obtained by the Local Democracy Reporting Service show that a neighbouring borough has seen the number of bed bug cases it deals with fall since lockdown restrictions were eased. 

In Lambeth, pest control dealt with over 18 per cent fewer cases of bed bugs this year than between 2020 and 2021. 

Workers were called out to 280 incidents between 2022 and 2023, compared to 294 in between 2021 and 2020 and 344 the year before that.

The council said bed bug cases had been falling for the past four years, but added that there had been a slight recent increase in calls about the insects due to the increased spotlight on the issue. 

A Lambeth council spokesperson said: “Our pest control teams can provide expert advice on preventing bed bugs and, where required, visit homes to treat affected rooms.”

Pictured top: Southwark Council HQ (Picture: Google Street View)