bed bugs - what to do about next guests over easter weekend?

[smallcheese]

I've just had a call from people staying at one of my rental properties, saying that their son was very badly bitten while staying at our house, and on taking him to the doctor this morning, was told they were bed bug bites.

We've apologised, and offered them a rebate of part of their rental cost, which they've accepted.

My chief concern is what to do about the people who will have arrived at the house this afternoon. It's now Saturday evening of Easter weekend - I don't know of anywhere I could buy new beds/mattresses for them either tonight or tomorrow, so the earliest we could get new beds for the twin bedroom concerned would be Monday.

Should I telephone them now and warn them, or am I best to wait until Monday, and tell them my husband will be turning up with new beds? We live 90 miles away from the property, so going over to do a clean and inspection tonight isn't really an option, and in any case, wouldn't be sufficient in the case of bed bugs. As well as replacing the beds, we will have to get a pest control person in to go through the house.

Why do these things have to happen on a bank holiday weekend?

[Hells Bells]

If you turn up with new beds, and simply remove the old ones, the bed bugs may just start to live in the new ones. They may be living and breeding in other furnishings, luggage etc . Consult a pest control expert if you are certain it is bed bugs.

[Moliere]

Also ask yourself - who brought them in? Cos that's the only way they got there.

Moliere

[kg1]

What happened? I would have called guests, given full refund & advised them to go home, then get the house fumigated. You can't prove who brought them in, just concentrate on getting rid of them. We had a similar problem with sand flies in a flat abroad & you just have to bite the bullet & pay.

[Hells Bells]

If your guests are already there, let's hope they don't react to the bed bug bites (not everyone does). Get the place fumigated (I think it needs two treatments at least) asap and cancel bookings until they are gone.

[frenchy]

I had a situation with bed bugs in my apartment. When they were discovered the tenants did not want to stay in the apartment - they had been there ten days of a two week let - I got them re-accomodated for the last few days of their holiday which I paid for and when they returned from their holiday they demanded a full refund of their rental costs for the whole two weeks - this episode proved very expensive for me. Your original tenants have been very reasonable - not everyone is - I dont know where you are - uk or not - but I would be tempted if a UK let - to ring them, explain the situation and cancel the booking and give a full refund of what they have paid. If abroad - have you any contacts who could offer them alternative accommodation? My saga over the bugs went on for months - the problem is that some people see bed bugs as a sign of dirt and that is not true!!

[limetree]

I hope you managed to sort out your problem with bed bugs