Bed bug inspection in London
Bites on their own do not prove bed bugs. Mosquitoes, fleas, mites and skin conditions can all look similar. A proper inspection finds the evidence, works out how far it has spread, and stops you paying to treat a flat that does not need it.
In London an inspection on its own usually costs £60 to £150, and many firms take it off the price if you book the treatment.
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 inspections
| Visual inspection One flat or house, with a written finding | £60 to £150 |
| Inspection with treatment Often free or deducted if you book | Often free |
| Detection dog survey Several rooms or flats in one visit | £350 to £450 |
| Monitoring traps Interceptors under bed legs, left for a week or two | £20 to £60 |
Rounded from Checkatrade (inspection about £60, May 2026), MyBuilder (£50 to £100), a London firm that charges from £100 and waives it when you book, and published detection dog prices of about £365 plus VAT. A guide, not a quote.
When to book an inspection first
- You have bites but have not seen a bug, a shed skin or the small dark spots on the mattress seams.
- You are moving into a rented flat or a room in a shared house and want it checked.
- You are a landlord between tenants, or a tenant has reported bites.
- A neighbour in the block has bed bugs and you want to know if they have reached you.
- A treatment has finished and you want proof it worked.
Inspections in London homes
In blocks of flats and HMOs the question is rarely just "do I have them?" but "where else are they?". A detection dog can check a whole corridor of rooms or several flats in one visit, which is why managing agents and hostels use them. For a single household, a careful visual inspection is usually enough.
London councils still treat bed bugs in some boroughs, but they treat what you report rather than survey a building. If you are not sure what you have, an inspection is the cheaper first step. The British Pest Control Association lists the signs to look for: dark spots about 1mm wide, small blood smears, pale eggs and shed skins.
Found something on the mattress? Seal it in a clear bag or take a sharp photo before the inspection.
Ask for a free quoteHow an inspection works
Booking
Tell the specialist what you have found, how many rooms and whether the property is a flat, a house or a shared building.
Before the visit
Leave the beds made and do not spray anything. Sprays scatter bed bugs and hide the evidence.
The visit
Usually 30 minutes to an hour for a flat. The inspector lifts the mattress, checks the frame and works outwards.
The finding
You get a plain answer: bed bugs, something else, or nothing found, with a price to treat if needed.
Six things to get in writing
Two quotes that cover these can be compared line by line.
- Which rooms are checked
- Every bedroom and the living room at least, plus anywhere someone sleeps, including sofas.
- What they look in
- Mattress seams, the bed base, headboard joints, skirting, plug sockets, curtain tops and picture frames.
- What they found
- Live bugs, eggs, shed skins or the dark spotting. A written note or photos you can show a landlord.
- How far it has spread
- Which rooms need treating, and whether flats next door should be checked.
- The treatment they suggest
- Heat, spray, steam or a mix, with reasons. A good inspector will say when no treatment is needed.
- What it costs to treat
- A fixed price for the treatment, and whether the inspection fee comes off it.
Questions Londoners ask
How much does a bed bug inspection cost in London?
- Usually £60 to £150 for a flat or house. Many specialists waive or deduct it when you book the treatment. Detection dog surveys for several rooms or flats are more, about £350 to £450.
Can I check for bed bugs myself?
- Yes, and it is worth doing. The NHS lists bites, blood spots on bedding and brown spots of droppings on bedding or furniture as signs. Look along the mattress seams and the joints of the bed frame with a torch.
Are detection dogs worth it?
- For one flat, usually not. For a hotel, a hostel, an HMO or a block where several units may be affected, a dog can check many rooms quickly. A good handler confirms any find visually.
What if the inspection finds nothing but I still have bites?
- It may be something else, such as fleas, mites or a skin reaction. Interceptor traps under the bed legs for a week or two can settle it. If bites worry you, speak to a pharmacist or your GP.
Should I throw my mattress away before the inspection?
- No. Dragging a mattress through a block of flats spreads bed bugs, and the inspector needs to see it. Most mattresses can be treated.
Book a bed bug inspection
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.