Services for Landlords

While bed bugs is an expense that no-one wants to have the cost of getting things wrong can be a lot higher than you might first think. Below is an indication of the cost of getting a problem solved correctly versus what can happen. It is based on a London case study from 2013:

Costs incurred:

Net saving

Clearly the impact of getting things wrong vastly outweighs the cost of doing things correctly. The most damaging mistake was made through the use of an aerosol shop bought spray which while lethal if directly sprayed at an insect will cause others to disperse making the issue harder to resolve.

The cost / need to replace the bed was also another common mistake as the new bed continued to become infested from both the dispersed bed bugs and the initial source which continued to be introduced.

Simply put bed bugs is one of those issues which you are better of fixing correctly the first time and then learning the essential long term solutions and best practices to limit the potential impact of future introductions.

There is also the environmental costs to consider, we are proud of the fact that we provide a 100% green and sustainable solution in our approach to eradicating bed bugs achieved in part through our clear approach to communicating with tenants and helping them with clear instructions and guidance on what needs to be done to maximize the efficiency of the treatment.

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When you have reports or suspicions of a bed bug issue in one of your properties its important to take the matter seriously and start the process of resolving it as soon as possible. Insects are generally anxiety triggers in most people and the thought and misconceptions people have about bed bugs mean that tenants have a right and expect swift service.

We are happy to liasse direct with your tenants to ensure they are available for the appointment, if the property has multiple rooms they MUST all be inspected on the first visit to ensure there is no “unreported” infestation which will continue to spread if untreated.

Preparation

We request you not do any preparation in advance of our assessment consultation visit. This is to avoid disturbing potential signs of an infestation and prevent inadvertent contamination of non-infested areas within your property. We only need to treat the rooms and areas that have confirmed issues and as such bed bugs could be in just one room, or if left to get out of control all bedrooms and lounges.

In the event that preparation is required, due to a dispersed or heavy infestation, we will provide clear instructions regarding what needs to be done in advance of treatment. If necessary, we can arrange for our “Prep Support Team” to help you with this task but this is only needed int he more extreme cases that we deal with.

We work to dispel the popular myths and tension points at the start of the process to ensure all parties are working together towards a solution rather than being at odds over this issue.

Assessment

The first stage of any treatment program is to assess the area to confirm that the infestation is bed bugs. This is not only a legal requirement under several Acts of the UK Parliament, but is also good scientific practice. Our standard form of confirmation is the detection of one or all of the recognized activity signs, which include live samples, cast skins or faecal traces. In the case of faecal traces, for absolute accuracy, we use the Bed Bug Blue™ faecal trace confirmation kit. Visual confirmation alone is not considered 100% reliable.

During the assessment, the technician will focus on establishing the extent, duration and dispersal of the infestation to determine the most appropriate and efficient treatment program. It also helps us to better understand your exposure profile and thus what steps you need to take to ensure bed bugs stay away. Each room is thoroughly checked before the treatment phase starts to ensure that we address the entire issue from the start.

If our assessment reveals that your home does not have bed bugs, we will endeavour to identify the cause of the problem and will offer you our recommendations on how to resolve it, by means of non-chemical methods. In such cases, we charge a small assessment fee and leave an educational pack detailing how to avoid coming into contact with bed bugs in future. This includes advice on what monitoring solutions we recommend, plus a free sample identification pack should you find something of concern in the future.

Green Eradication

In 2011 we formed a technical working agreement with an Italian company to develop the world’s first steam generation system that is optimised for the treatment of bedbug infestations. This equipment is now the standard equipment for all our technicians. The use of this unique Integrated Pest Eradication method enables us to resolve your infestation before we leave the site. Following treatment, most clients report little or no subsequent activity. Therefore, only rooms with an active infestation need treatment.

In 2014 we set out to be 100% green and chemical free before the year was out having perfected this approach with our commercial clients since 2012. We have proven time after time that even the most advanced infestations can be eradicated quickly and efficiently and with less disruption that a chemical based treatment. It relies upon the quality of the work more than the choice of insecticide and is not something that they can develop resistance to as they are immediately dead. Our decision also reflects the most recent medical research which confirms that insecticide use in homes can have long term health effects (Elizabeth Milne et al 2013). We would rather provide a more professional solution than keep our fingers cross that what has been sprayed is effective.

This treatment service is charged on an hourly rate basis, and has the following key benefits:

• 100% insecticide free and thus completely safe for your family
• Superior 180 °C treatment temperature for instant eradication
• Supported with organic residual product and Passive+ Monitoring
• Designed to resolve your problem on the day of treatment
• Backed up with the support of the Off-Site decontamination facility

Documentation

All assessment and treatment services are fully supported by a customised step-by-step guide to ensure that your tenants know exactly what needs to be done to assist us in resolving the infestation. This is based upon our extensive experience and will give you and your tenant peace of mind, in the knowledge that problem is being handled correctly. The documentation also covers diverse aspects to help deal with the psychological issues surrounding bedbugs, avoiding them in future and how to help educate friends, family and future visitors.

Once an infestation is resolved we recommend the installation of Passive Monitors, which can be installed during the treatment. These monitors can be checked by the tenants and will ensure that any future occurrences will be detected at the earliest possible opportunity. This will provide speedy detection and enable any future issues to be dealt with cost effectively, by a deep cleanse and Passive Monitor replacement.

The documentation also outlines the additional support services that we are able to provide, should you want any aspects of the post treatment recommendations to be managed for you or if Off-Site decontamination is recommended as part of the solution.

Client Confidentiality

We always fully respect the confidentiality of our clients, which is why all of our vehicles are unmarked. We do not wear bright highly visible clothing or safety suits, and we will not attempt to turn your home into something out of a Hollywood Sci-Fi film, with pipes and tubes running to the windows and doors like Ghostbusters or ET.

Health and Safety

All our work is carried out to the highest standards with due regard of health and safety, as evident from our membership to independent schemes. Furthermore no work will be carried out until any infestation is confirmed and the extent of the problem has been identified.

If you have been previously treated or have self treated please complete the “previously treated disclosure procedure” in advance of seeking an appointment. This is part of our risk assessment and cannot be circumnavigated for the health and safety of you as well as our staff.

 

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Under the 2004 Housing Act and the 1990 Environment Act landlords have a legal responsibility for bed bug issues.They are responsible for ensuring that the issue is correctly dealt with, this is irrespective of who brought the bed bugs into the location and inclusive of issues which disperse into adjoining properties.

The fines for breaches of this legislation can be significant along with the damage to your business reputation for being found to be in breach through the courts.

In contrast the courts have already ruled on a number of occasions “that landlords who have exercised our services are fully compliant with their legal obligations and that tenants thus have no case to bring before the court”.While always hope that non of our clients become subject to legal proceedings we carry appropriate public liability insurance to being able to offer expert testimony if and when it is needed.

Without taking correct action to resolve issues landlords can become responsible for any additional costs associated with adjoining neighboring properties as well as incidental expenses incurred by the tenant between the point of notification of the issue and once it is finally resolved.

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Given that it is rarely the landlord of the property who introduces bed bugs into the property (other than through the introduction of infested furniture) it may initially seem an impossible task to be ProActive with regards bed bugs. However, the reality is that nothing could be further from the truth. The following simple tests go a long way towards preventing issues int he first place:

• Clear and simple educational material about avoidance of bed bugs shared as part of the introduction pack (our newsletters are a great helpful resource).
• Installation of Passive Monitors which are replaced annually or at the end of tenancy to provide a clear record of the bed bug free status of the property.
• Changes to the tenancy agreement to make tenants responsible for checking their monitor monthly in the same way they are asked to check smoke detectors

Impact of installing and managing the risks through Passive Monitoring is that any introduction of bed bugs can be quickly detected and resolved with minimal disruption to the property and its occupants. It is also the most cost effective way to ensure that treatment costs are kept as low as possible reducing as low as £75+VAT