Bedbugs have returned to flats in a Brighton tower block weeks after council contractors sprayed them, according to tenants.
Residents in Kingfisher Court, Whitehawk, are certain that the bugs are in the walls and have reinfected their homes even though Brighton and Hove City Council sent workers to spray affected areas after reports last month.
The nine-storey block of 45 flats, in Albourne Close, has had repeated bedbug infestations since 2020.
Tenants who have spoken out have asked not to be identified because they said that they were trying to move out of the building and feared repercussions.
One tenant described being desperate to move out of the building after repeated treatments failed to eradicate the bugs which reappeared just before Christmas.
The tenant said: “They’re in the walls so spraying properties is not going to be sufficient. I do not understand why someone would say they have bedbugs if they didn’t.
“Off the top of my head, I know of eight properties that have had them in the last year. That’s eight out of 45 which is not a small amount.
“It’s almost 20 per cent of residents that have been affected by them. That’s only the ones I know about.
“I’m sure there’s more that haven’t been vocal about it, I wasn’t the first time I had them as I was so ashamed and disgusted.”
Another neighbour who feared that their home had bugs later learnt that it was infested with another type of bug after council pest controllers visited their home.
One family in the block replaced beds, mattresses, wardrobes and bedroom furniture twice in four years and had “countless” new bedding. Repeated chemical treatments had also made family members ill.
Another household with a young baby was worried about multiple treatments to get rid of the bugs, particularly as the block was still “plagued”.
Labour councillor Gill Williams, the council’s cabinet member for housing and new homes, said: “The council had received reports of bedbug infestations at Kingfisher Court and in each case the treatment has been arranged.
“Following the most recent report at the end of December, pest control has visited the property this week and confirmed that there are no bedbugs in the property.
“While it is affecting a relatively small number of homes, we know this is distressing for the residents so we are providing support to anyone impacted by infestations and in each instance we carefully consider what additional action may be needed.
“After the reports in late autumn, we wrote to all households in this block of flats asking them to contact the council if bedbugs are found so we can respond quickly and efficiently.
“Anyone concerned about bedbugs should report it as soon as possible and we will continue to respond to any new cases residents make us aware of.”
Needs two treatments as a minimum.
bed bugs have become resistant to some treatments, particularly pyrethrins and pyrethroids (the first one is obtained from the flower of the Chrysanthemum and the second is a synthetic chemical version). So if they are using those to try and get rid of them they may be wasting their time. Took me a whole year to eradicate them from my house but I won in the end.
Very hard to get rid of, they should spray everything, not just the infected areas, they spread fast,
This is a deeply concerning issue, and it’s alarming that bedbugs are returning so soon after treatments. It highlights a much larger problem: the dangers posed by widespread pesticide use, particularly when untrained individuals handle these substances.
Pesticides, including those commonly used for bedbug infestations, can have serious health risks. Many, such as cypermethrin, are known to cause respiratory problems and are linked to carcinogenic effects. Cypermethrin, for instance, was banned in the EU for its risks but is still sold on sites like Amazon and other outlets. The fear and frustration caused by bedbugs often lead tenants to take matters into their own hands, applying these chemicals without training, unknowingly exposing themselves and others to potentially severe health hazards.
Another troubling aspect is the involvement of private pest control companies using substances like piperonyl butoxide without proper training, certifications, or credentials. This not only risks ineffective treatment but also endangers public health.
An alternative, far safer solution that should be promoted is steam cleaning. Steam cleaning kills both adult bedbugs and their eggs without the health risks associated with chemical pesticides. It’s a method that prioritises safety and effectiveness, avoiding the dangers of toxic residues in homes.
We need better regulation and oversight of pesticide use, stricter requirements for pest control professionals, and increased awareness of non-toxic alternatives like steam cleaning. Tenants deserve effective solutions that don’t come at the cost of their health.
You’re suggesting the walls and structure of the building is steam-cleaned? What are the council going to do, pop the whole block on a plate and stick it in a microwave?
Ah, yes, the bedbugs in the walls — clearly thriving on a rich diet of trapped Victorian stowaways and mysterious insulation protein bars! If only they could feast on drywall, we’d have a lot fewer problems, wouldn’t we?
But alas, bedbugs are annoyingly picky eaters. They need blood — and no, not the “ghosts in the walls” variety. Without live, warm-blooded humans or animals to snack on, they’d have quite a hard time reproducing. Bedbugs can technically survive a few months without feeding by going into a sort of vampiric hibernation, but they’re not tucking into rot or insulation for a midnight snack.
When they’re hanging out in walls, they’re just lying in wait, regrouping, and planning their next dinner party (you’re the guest of honour, by the way). So, unless you’ve got a whole secret family living between your plasterboards, those bugs are heading straight back to the living areas when they get hungry enough.
As for keeping them at bay, steam cleaning might just be what the doctor ordered. Not only does it evict these uninvited guests without resorting to chemical warfare, but it also keeps your flat clean and tidy. It’s like a spa day for your home — except the bedbugs don’t leave glowing reviews!
Took me over a year to eradicate them from my house which is detached it’s a nightmare don’t know how you could get rid of them in a block of flats the could potentially infest the whole building they breed at a alarming rate spraying won’t kill them I still have nightmares and that was 15 years ago good luck