Bed Bugs in London: How Common They Are and Why

Bed bugs are a common pest in London, although no official figure shows exactly how many homes have them. They travel with people, in luggage, clothing and second-hand furniture, and spread easily in flats and buildings where residents change often. They turn up in clean homes as well as untidy ones.

Reviewed by James Rhoades, Owner, ThermoPest · Last reviewed 16 October 2026

If you’ve just found bites or a bug on your mattress, it’s natural to wonder whether this is a London-wide problem or just bad luck. This guide sets out what the published figures actually say, why a city like London suits bed bugs, what happened when the 2023 Paris headlines reached the UK, and what you can do to lower your risk.

How common are bed bugs in London?

There’s no national register of bed bug cases in the UK, so nobody can say for certain how many London homes have them. The best figures come from council pest control services, which only cover part of the picture because many people go straight to private pest controllers.

• London-wide: the Evening Standard reported in April 2024 that council pest control services visited 8,864 London homes with a bed bug problem in 2023, with call-outs up by about a fifth on the year before. The figures came from a Freedom of Information request by the insurer Direct Line.
• Borough by borough: local figures don’t all point the same way. Freedom of Information and Local Democracy Reporting figures, published by South London News in December 2023, showed call-outs rising in Southwark but falling in Lambeth.
• Some councils saw no change: during the 2023 headlines, the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea told ITV News it had not seen any noticeable upturn in bed bug treatment requests, while noting that private pest control companies also work in the borough.

Source for the table: South London News / Local Democracy Reporting Service, December 2023. Council figures only; private pest control jobs aren’t included.

Put together, the honest answer is that bed bugs are a regular, everyday pest in London, with thousands of council visits a year, but the published data doesn’t show a single clear citywide trend.

Are bed bugs common in the UK?

They’re found across the UK, not just in London. The same Evening Standard report said council call-outs across the UK rose by 23 per cent in 2023 compared with the year before, again based on Direct Line’s Freedom of Information request. As with the London figures, that only counts council work.

The British Pest Control Association (BPCA) says in its public advice leaflet on bed bugs that they’re prevalent for several reasons, including increased travel, the use of second-hand furniture and suspected tolerance to some pesticides. It also says bed bugs are generally spread through bad luck. The NHS makes the same point: bed bugs are found in both clean and dirty places.

So finding bed bugs doesn’t mean your home is dirty, and it doesn’t mean everyone around you has them. For more on that, see does every bed have bed bugs?

Why are bed bugs a problem in London?

Bed bugs can’t fly or jump. They travel with people and their belongings, then settle close to where someone sleeps. London has a lot of the conditions that help them move around.

Travel and Visitors

London is a hub for international travel, and the BPCA names increased travel as one reason bed bugs are common. They hide in the seams of luggage and folded clothes, so a bag that sat on an infested hotel bed can bring them home. Our guide to checking and treating bed bugs in luggage covers what to do after a trip.

Flats, Conversions and Shared Walls

Many Londoners live in flats, including Victorian and Edwardian houses converted into several homes. Bed bugs can move between units through gaps around pipes, cables, skirting boards and floor voids. Older buildings tend to have more of these cracks and gaps, which also give bed bugs more places to hide. If you live in a flat, read can bed bugs come from neighbours?

Renting and Frequent Moves

The BPCA says infestations are particularly common in multi-occupancy buildings with rapid resident turnover, such as hostels, hotels and blocks of flats. Shared houses, short lets and student accommodation in London fit that description. Every move brings furniture, bags and boxes in and out, and a previous occupant’s problem can be left behind.

Second-Hand Furniture

Markets, charity shops and online marketplaces are part of London life. The BPCA advises against taking second-hand bedroom furniture without checking it thoroughly first. Look closely at joints, seams and screw holes, where bed bugs can hide.

Busy Times of Year

Move-in season, the end of summer travel and new students arriving all bring a lot of luggage and furniture into the city at once. We cover that in more detail in why September is a busy bed bug month in London.

Are there bed bugs on the London Underground?

Bed bugs live where people sleep, not on trains, so the Tube isn’t a place they settle. During the 2023 headlines, Transport for London told ITV News it was not aware of any confirmed sightings of bed bugs on its network, and that cleaning teams were briefed to spot and report them. A bug could in theory drop off someone’s bag onto a seat, but that’s far less likely than picking them up from a bed, a sofa or luggage. Our post on bed bugs on the Tube and trains looks at the real risk.

What happened with the Paris bed bugs, and did they reach London?

In autumn 2023, social media videos and reports of bed bugs in Paris, including on public transport, made headlines around the world, and France’s transport minister pledged action with transport operators. More travel and growing insecticide resistance were blamed for the rise.

The coverage soon reached the UK:

• London’s mayor, Sadiq Khan, told PoliticsJoe it was “a real source of concern” and said he’d been in contact with TfL, as reported by LBC (10 October 2023).
• TfL said it was not aware of any confirmed sightings on its network, and Kensington and Chelsea council said it had seen no noticeable upturn in requests (ITV News, 12 October 2023).
• The BPCA later noted that, while 2023 media coverage reported rises in bed bugs in Europe, particularly in Paris, pest control companies’ own experience didn’t always confirm those claims. It backed a Europe-wide survey of pest professionals by CEPA, the European pest control association, to gather better evidence (BPCA, July 2024).

In short, there was no evidence of a Paris-style outbreak spreading to London, but the headlines were a useful reminder that bed bugs move with travellers.

Are bed bugs common in London hotels?

Any place where many people sleep in turn can get bed bugs, and the BPCA lists hotels and hostels among the multi-occupancy buildings where bed bugs are particularly found. That includes expensive hotels, because bed bugs follow guests, not star ratings. We’re not aware of any official public register of hotels with bed bugs in the UK, so the best protection is to check the room yourself when you arrive. Our guide on how to check a hotel room for bed bugs walks you through it.

How to Lower Your Risk of Bed Bugs in London

You can’t make a home bed bug-proof, but a few habits make it much less likely you’ll bring them in, and more likely you’ll spot them early.

• After travel: unpack away from the bed and check suitcase seams and pockets. The NHS advises washing affected clothing and bedding on a hot wash (60°C) and tumble drying on a hot setting for at least 30 minutes.
• Second-hand furniture: check beds, sofas and bedside tables closely, especially joints, seams and screw holes, before bringing them home.
• Check your bed now and then: look along mattress seams, the headboard and bed frame joints for small dark spots, pale shed skins or live bugs. Adults are about 5mm long, according to the NHS.
• If you rent: tell your landlord or managing agent as soon as you suspect bed bugs, so neighbouring flats can be checked too.
• Avoid foggers and bug bombs: they don’t reach the cracks where bed bugs hide and tend to scatter them into new spots, including next door.

What to Do If You Think You Have Bed Bugs

The NHS says it’s very difficult to get rid of bed bugs yourself and that you should contact your local council or a pest control service. Bites alone can’t confirm bed bugs, so the first step is to find out what you’re dealing with. A professional bed bug inspection will confirm whether bed bugs are there and how far they’ve spread.

If it is bed bugs, ThermoPest’s treatment is heat-led, with targeted spray where it’s needed, and is planned around your home. In flats, we ask to inspect neighbouring flats as well, because bed bugs don’t stop at the front door. Return visits may be needed, and we’ll tell you what to expect. You can read how it works on our page for bed bug treatment in London, and see our pricing.

FAQs

Are bed bugs common in London?

Yes, they’re a regular pest in London. Council pest control services visited 8,864 London homes for bed bugs in 2023, according to Freedom of Information figures reported by the Evening Standard. That figure doesn’t include private pest control jobs, and there’s no official count of every infested home. Borough figures vary from year to year.

Is there a bed bug epidemic in the UK?

The published evidence doesn’t show one. Some council figures rose after the Covid years and others fell. During the 2023 Paris headlines, TfL said it had no confirmed sightings on its network, and the BPCA later noted that pest companies’ experience didn’t always back up media claims of rising infestations in Europe.

Can you get bed bugs from the Tube?

It’s possible for a bug to hitch a ride on a bag or coat, but it’s unlikely. Bed bugs live near where people sleep, not on trains, and TfL said in 2023 that it was not aware of any confirmed sightings on its network. Luggage, hotel stays and second-hand furniture are far more common routes.

Is there a list of London hotels with bed bugs?

We’re not aware of any official UK register of hotels or buildings with bed bugs. Online reviews sometimes mention them, but they’re not checked. The most reliable step is to inspect the bed, headboard and luggage rack when you arrive and keep your suitcase off the bed.

Do bed bugs mean my home is dirty?

No. The NHS says bed bugs are found in both clean and dirty places, and the BPCA says they’re generally spread through bad luck. Keeping your home tidy helps you spot them early, but it won’t stop them arriving in a bag or on furniture.