Commercial bed bug treatment for landlords, HMOs and hotels
One room with bed bugs in a hotel, a shared house or a block of flats can become five within weeks if it is left. Heat treatment lets a specialist clear a room, or several, in a day and hand it back the same evening. Commercial jobs are priced after a survey, but as a guide a single residential room usually costs £500 to £800, and London firms say commercial work runs 30 to 50% above that.
A free matching service, not a pest control firm. We find you a heat treatment specialist and tell you who they are first. How it works
When heat treatment suits a business
- A room or unit has to be back in use quickly, with no lingering smell or spray drying time.
- Guests or tenants have reported bites, or housekeeping has found spots on the sheets.
- Insecticide treatments have been tried and the bugs came back.
- Several rooms or flats may be affected and need treating at the same time.
- You want a written record of the treatment for the file, the insurer or a tenancy dispute.
Typical prices
| Job | Typical price |
|---|---|
| Single room heat treatment Residential guide price; hotel rooms are priced after a survey | £500 to £800 |
| Whole flat or small house A typical let of one or two bedrooms | £700 to £1,400 |
| HMO or shared house All rooms treated together; priced after a survey | Survey first |
| Detection dog survey One firm's price for up to 14 rooms, before any treatment | About £440 |
| Hotels, care homes, student housing London firms quote about 30 to 50% above residential | Survey first |
Residential prices from Fantastic Services, MyBuilder and Midlands Bed Bug; dog survey from Merlin Environmental (£365 plus VAT); commercial uplift from Buzzkill Pest Control, all read October 2026. No firm we checked publishes a price per hotel room. A guide, not a quote. The cost calculator prices a home by bedrooms.
What a good quote includes
Ask for these six points in writing. Two quotes that cover them can be compared line by line.
A survey first
Which rooms are affected, which neighbouring rooms or flats should be checked, and how the firm will confirm it. A detection dog or a visual inspection both have their place.
The method statement
How the rooms are heated, the target temperature, how long it is held, and how they protect sprinklers, smoke detectors and heat-sensitive fittings.
A temperature log
Readings from sensors placed inside mattresses, furniture and wall voids, not just the room air. The British Pest Control Association recommends checking that the heat reaches where the insects hide.
Preparation, in writing
What staff or tenants must do before the day, what has to come out of the room, and who is responsible for it.
Follow-up and any guarantee
When they come back to check, whether a residual treatment is added, and exactly what a guarantee covers. No honest firm can promise every bug is gone.
Membership and insurance
Whether the firm belongs to a trade body such as the BPCA, and its public liability cover. Heat treatment is not regulated, so this matters.
Have a room or a let with bed bugs? Tell us about the property and we will find a specialist who covers it.
Ask for a free quoteHow a commercial heat treatment usually runs
Survey
The specialist inspects the affected room and the rooms around it, then sets out a plan and a fixed price.
Preparation
Linen is bagged and washed hot, clutter is cleared, and items that heat could damage are taken out of the room.
Heat treatment
Heaters and fans raise the room to a lethal temperature and hold it there, with sensors logging the readings throughout.
Check and hand back
The room cools, the firm checks it, and you get the records. Many firms book a follow-up visit.
Questions people ask
Who pays for bed bug treatment in a rented home?
In England it depends on the cause. Shelter says landlords must deal with pests that come from disrepair or were there when the tenancy began, while a tenant who brought them in may be responsible. Councils take different views, so check your tenancy and your council's guidance.
Can a council make a landlord treat bed bugs?
Yes. Pests are one of the hazards councils assess under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System, and a council can serve a notice requiring the landlord to put things right. Councils can also act on verminous premises under the Public Health Act 1936.
Do all rooms in an HMO need treating?
Often, yes. Bed bugs move between rooms in shared houses, and some councils, such as Manchester, will only treat an HMO if every room is done at the same time. A specialist will tell you which rooms to include after the survey.
How long is a hotel room out of use?
A heat treatment usually takes most of a day, including cooling down. Preparation the day before and a follow-up check later add to that, so plan for a short closure rather than a long one.
Is heat or spray better for a business?
Heat kills every stage, eggs included, in a single treatment and leaves no smell, which suits rooms that must reopen quickly. It leaves no lasting protection, so some firms add an insecticide afterwards. Most professional guidance favours combining methods.
Will you name the firm before passing on my details?
Yes. We find a specialist who covers your area and the type of property, tell you who they are, and only pass your details on once you agree.
Get a quote for a commercial treatment
Three short steps: where, what and who. A little detail now helps the specialist price the job without a wasted visit.
This is a free matching service, not a pest control firm. We find a heat treatment specialist who covers your area and name them to you first. Nobody calls you until you say yes.
Thanks, your enquiry is in.
- Within one working day we will email or call to tell you which heat treatment specialist covers your area.
- Your details reach that firm only if you say yes.
- They survey the property and give you a fixed price. No marketing from us, ever.