Bed bug heat treatment in London
Heat treatment raises a room above the temperature bed bugs and their eggs can survive, and holds it there while sensors confirm the heat has reached the mattress seams, the sofa joints and the gaps behind skirting boards. In London it is usually done in a day, which suits flats where the family has nowhere else to sleep for a fortnight.
It costs more than spraying. As a guide, a one-bed London flat runs about £750 to £1,300 and a two-bed about £950 to £1,650.
A free matching service, not a pest control firm. We find you a bed bug specialist who covers your borough and tell you who they are first. How it works
Typical London prices for heat treatment
| Studio or one-bed flat Whole property, one day | £750 to £1,300 |
| Two-bed flat or house Whole property | £950 to £1,650 |
| Three-bed home Whole property, sometimes over two days | £1,200 to £2,000 |
| One room only When a survey shows the rest is clear | £550 to £950 |
| Each further room Treated on the same visit | £400 to £650 |
Rounded from the London and South East column of the Fantastic Services cost guide (updated 30 September 2026, including VAT), MyBuilder's heat treatment figures with the London uplift that guide applies, and Checkatrade (May 2026). A guide, not a quote. Try the London price calculator.
When heat is the better choice
- Spray treatments have been tried, by you, the council or a firm, and the bites came back.
- There are young children, someone pregnant, or pets in the home and you would rather avoid insecticide where possible.
- The bugs are in a sofa, an upholstered headboard or a bed base that is hard to spray thoroughly.
- You need the room back quickly, for example a lodger, a short let or a single bedroom flat.
- The firm can get its heaters in: ask about stairs, lifts and the electrical supply in older conversions.
Heat treatment in London buildings
Most London enquiries are for flats, and flats share walls, floors and risers. Heat clears the flat it is used in, but bugs can move along pipework and cable runs to a neighbour, and back again. Expect a careful firm to ask about the neighbouring flats on every side, and perhaps to treat the shared walls with a long-lasting product.
Converted Victorian and Edwardian terraces often have suspended timber floors, gaps behind skirting and old wiring. Firms usually need to know the age of the electrics before they bring in several kilowatts of heaters. In a purpose-built block with a lift and decent parking, the job is simpler and sometimes cheaper.
Not sure heat is worth the extra? A specialist can inspect first and tell you whether spray would do.
Ask for a free quoteWhat happens on the day
Survey and price
The specialist confirms bed bugs, maps which rooms are involved and gives a fixed price with a preparation sheet.
Your preparation
Bedding and clothes washed hot or bagged, clutter lifted off the floor, heat-sensitive items out. Furniture stays where it is.
Setting up
Heaters, fans and sensors go in. Smoke and heat detectors may be covered, so the firm will tell the building manager if there is one.
Heating
The rooms are brought up slowly and held until every sensor reads high enough, usually several hours.
Cooling and checks
The rooms cool and the kit comes out. Most people sleep at home the same night. A follow-up visit is booked.
Six things to get in writing
Two quotes that cover these can be compared line by line.
- The target temperature and time
- Most firms aim for 50°C or more at the hiding places and hold it for an hour or two. Ask for their figure in writing.
- Where the sensors go
- Inside the mattress, the sofa, the bed base and wall gaps, not just in the middle of the room.
- A list of what must come out
- Aerosols, candles, medicines, vinyl records, plants and fish. Agree it before the day, not on the doorstep.
- Power and access
- Heaters draw a lot of current. In a Victorian conversion or a high-rise flat, ask how they will power and carry the kit.
- Whether a spray or dust is added
- Many firms add a residual treatment to skirting and entry points. Ask what, where and why.
- The follow-up
- When they come back to check, whether it is in the price, and what happens if bites continue.
Questions Londoners ask
How much is bed bug heat treatment in London?
- Roughly £750 to £1,300 for a studio or one-bed and £950 to £1,650 for a two-bed, as a guide. London prices run roughly 10 to 20% above the rest of the country. The London price calculator works out a range for your home.
Does heat treatment kill bed bug eggs?
- Yes, when the heat reaches them for long enough. That is its main advantage over most sprays, which can leave eggs to hatch between visits. The hard part is getting heat into the hiding places, which is why the sensors matter.
Will it work in a flat if my neighbours have bed bugs?
- It will clear your flat, but it cannot stop bugs coming back through shared walls and service gaps. If a neighbour has them, tell the specialist, and tell your landlord or managing agent so the building can be treated together.
Can I stay in the flat during treatment?
- No. Nobody, pets included, can be in a room while it is being heated, so plan on being out most of the day. Most people are back that evening.
Is heat treatment safe for my belongings?
- Most furniture, clothes and electronics are fine. Some things must come out first. A good firm gives you a written list beforehand.
Can I hire heaters and do it myself?
- Not reliably. The NHS points people towards the council or a professional firm rather than home remedies. Domestic heaters cannot push enough heat into a sofa or mattress.
Ask for a heat treatment price
Three short steps: your postcode, the property, then how to reach you. The more the specialist knows about the building, the closer the first price will be.
This is a free matching service, not a pest control firm. We find a bed bug specialist who covers your borough and name them to you first. Nobody calls you until you say yes.
Thanks, your enquiry is in.
- Within one working day we will ring or email with the name of a bed bug specialist who works in your borough.
- Nothing is passed on until you tell us you are happy with that firm.
- The firm inspects and sets a fixed price. We will not send you sales emails.