A rise in bed bug infestations in Paris and across France in recent months has sparked concerns across the UK. Bed bug fears hit the headlines in the UK during October, with many people asking for preventative treatments and advice on if they had bed bugs or not. Rentokil reported an increase of 196% for bed bugs in October this year compared to the same month in 2022, with only 65% resulting in confirmed bed bug activity. Media attention has led to an increasing fear of being invaded by the bedroom pest though in reality the likelihood is extremely low. However, raising awareness is important, as bed bugs can spread quickly so the more people know about them and how to spot the signs, the faster infestations can be dealt with by yourself with Pest Expert products or by trained Pest Controllers.
The excessive reporting by the media has as it often does led to an abundance of caution and worry, which leaves people susceptible to unscrupulous scammers, like those recently arrested in France for scamming elderly and vulnerable people in France out of Thousands of Euros for Bed Bug treatment that was completely unneeded.
In some countries you have to go through various training courses to become a Pest Controller unfortunately in the U.K anyone can call themselves a Pest Controller. We strongly advise if looking into getting someone in to do the work instead of buying the products to treat yourself, that you do your research. Make sure they are a legitimate business, how long have they operated for, are their reviews good? And don’t be afraid to ask for a quote and shop around. Pest Controllers can be pricey so be careful they are not scammers and do the job before handing over any money.
There have not been any reports of pest-control-related scams so far in the UK, but householders should be vigilant. If you’re not sure whether or not the treatment you’ve been offered is necessary or correct:
Get a second opinion – professional pest control companies are often happy to give advice where needed
Don’t allow pesticides to be used if the presence of pests hasn’t been confirmed – this is against the law in the UK.