Bed bugs are spreading worldwide, including in France. According to a study by Anses, 11% of French households experienced an infestation of bed bugs between 2017 and 2022. Unfortunately, an infestation can spread to an entire building in a matter of weeks and cause numerous problems in everyday life. Preventive measures, existing bed bug treatment, mistakes to avoid, rules for dealing with the issue between co-owners: here is all the practical information you need to know about bed bugs in co-owned properties.
N.B.: this article provides advice for both residents and property managers.
In brief
➡️Bed bugs can quickly spread throughout a building by travelling through walls, floors or service ducts.
➡️ In the event of an infestation affecting several units and/or common areas, the property manager is required to implement appropriate treatment.
➡️ The cost of treatment is divided among the co-owners according to their share of the property.
➡️ Treatment must be comprehensive and coordinated: thermal methods, steam, approved insecticides and, in some cases, canine detection.
➡️ Preventive measures communicated to all residents are essential.
The causes of a bed bug infestation in a building
These insects, which feed on human blood, never appear ‘by chance’.
Here are the main causes of bed bug infestations:
- Travel: suitcases and bags brought back from hotels, hostels or accommodation that is already infested.
- Second-hand furniture: mattresses, bed bases, sofas or chests of drawers picked up on the street or bought without checking them first.
- Clothing and textiles: sheets, curtains or clothing stored in infested communal areas or laundromats.
- Mattresses and contaminated items thrown away without precautions
- Moving house: a single bug hidden in a box or piece of furniture is enough to infest a new flat.
- Visits from outsiders carrying bugs on them
Good to know: the presence of bed bugs is in no way linked to poor hygiene..
Apartment buildings: a breeding ground for bed bugs
Bed bugs are small, highly mobile insects that can travel from one flat to another through walls, floors or service ducts.
In a building, they use multiple passageways to invade new homes:
- cracks and gaps in floors or parquet flooring,
- pipes, electrical ducts and roller shutters,
- bedding, furniture and textiles moved from one flat to another,
- common areas (cellars, rubbish rooms, laundry rooms, halls).
The result: an infestation that starts in a single room can quickly spread to an entire floor, or even the entire building, if no collective action is taken.
To make matters worse, the problem is generally underestimated. Very often, those affected delay reporting the presence of bed bugs in their homes for fear of being stigmatised. The infestation then spreads to several flats before collective treatment is considered by the property manager or the co-ownership association.
➡️ In a condominium, it is therefore crucial to act quickly: the earlier the infestation is detected, the simpler and less expensive the treatment will be.
A very complicated daily life for occupants
Bed bugs are often a ‘living hell’. There are many inconveniences:
- Constant discomfort: sleep disturbances, itching, anxiety about being bitten at night.
- Financial costs: repeated treatments, replacement of infested mattresses, bed bases and furniture.
- Tension between neighbours: searching for the person ‘responsible’ for the infestation, conflicts with the property manager or co-ownership association.
- A strong psychological impact: stress, social isolation and sometimes shame in talking about it.
Steps to take in the event of bed bugs in a building
Step 1: Report it quickly
The first thing to do is to immediately alert the building manager or property manager. The sooner the problem is dealt with, the more effective and limited the treatment will be. Bed bugs multiply very quickly; an adult female can lay 5 to 10 eggs per day and around 500 during her lifetime. A colony can therefore form very quickly.
It is also important to inform your immediate neighbours (in adjoining flats, above and below) so that they can inspect their homes.
⚠️Do not hide the problem for fear of being stigmatised!
Silence only makes the situation worse and leads to higher costs for the entire building.
Step 2: Inspection and clear diagnosis
Once the infestation has been reported, an inspection must be carried out in the infested flat, as well as in neighbouring flats and certain common areas (cellars, laundry rooms, stairwells).
The areas to be checked as a priority are:
- Bedding: mattresses, bed bases, headboards.
- Textiles: sheets, curtains, sofas, armchairs.
- Structures: skirting boards, cracks in walls, floors, parquet flooring.
To confirm the presence of bedbugs and assess the extent of the infestation, it is often recommended to use a certified detection dog. Sniffer dogs are more than 95% reliable.
Once the detection has been carried out, the dog handler provides a detailed report on the infested areas, accompanied by recommendations for treatment.
Good to know: Choose professionals who are members of the SEDCP: Union of Bed Bug Detection Dog Experts.
Step 3: Implementation of appropriate treatment
When an infestation is confirmed in a building, it is essential to implement a coordinated treatment plan. At this stage, collective action is essential: several adjoining flats must be treated at the same time, ideally under the supervision of the property manager or a specialist pest control company.
Heat treatment
Heat treatment is currently one of the most effective methods for eliminating bed bugs in flats and buildings. Unlike conventional insecticides, it acts at all stages of the insect’s life cycle, including on eggs, which are often more resistant.
How does it work?
Bed bugs die at temperatures above 55°C, and their eggs are destroyed by rapid heat shock. Professionals use devices that generate dry heat (120°C steam, heat guns, ovens) to treat mattresses, bed bases, furniture, floors and textiles.
Thermal ovens such as the BugBuster can treat large quantities of contaminated items in a minimum amount of time. It is a type of large container equipped with a heat ventilation system.
This heat penetrates the most difficult-to-reach areas: seams, cracks, skirting boards, shutters and behind furniture.
| Benefits | Disadvantages |
| 100% environmentally friendly method, without chemicals. | Higher cost than conventional chemical treatment. |
| Effective against eggs, nymphs and adults. | Must be applied by certified professionals equipped with specialised equipment. |
| No harmful residues: dwellings can be reoccupied quickly after treatment. | May require several treatments depending on the extent of the infestation in the building. |
Insecticide treatment
Chemical treatment remains widely used. It involves applying approved insecticide products to infested areas and their potential hiding places.
Be careful to choose a professional with ‘Certibiocide’ certification. This is mandatory for handling this type of chemical product.
The products generally have a dual effect:
- Shock effect, which kills bedbugs on immediate contact.
- Residual effect, which acts for several weeks to eliminate insects that hatch afterwards.
⚠️Be careful, scams are common, so ask for several quotes.
A complete protocol must include at least two treatments spaced 7 to 15 days apart in order to eliminate newly hatched eggs and prevent the infestation from returning.
Who is responsible in the event of an infestation in a building?
The main task of a co-owners’ association is to maintain and manage the common areas (Article 14 of Law No. 65-557 of 10 July 1965).
If several units and/or common areas are affected by bed bugs, the infestation may be considered a structural problem. In this case, the property manager or landlord is responsible for organising and financing the treatment of the common areas and affected dwellings (unless otherwise explicitly stated in the co-ownership regulations).
In practice, the property manager has a duty to act to preserve the cleanliness of the common areas. They must organise a rapid response as soon as an infestation is reported.
See also: Bed bugs in university residences.
Who pays for bed bug treatment in a condominium?
The costs of bed bug treatment are divided among the co-owners according to their share of the property.
Good to know: for individuals, there are now bed bug insurance policies that can cover the cost of treating your home.
Prevention and best practices in co-ownership
For co-owners and tenants
Every resident of the building can reduce the risk of infestation by taking simple steps:
If you suspect an infestation, alert your neighbours and the property manager immediately rather than treating it yourself, as this may cause the bedbugs to spread.
- Regularly inspect bedding: sheets, mattresses, box springs and pillows.
- Check bedrooms for small black spots (excrement), traces of blood or moulted skin.
- Wash textiles (sheets, curtains, covers, clothing) at a minimum temperature of 60°C after travelling or staying in a potentially infested place.
- Avoid picking up furniture, mattresses or bed bases that have been abandoned on the street or in the common areas of the building.
For the property manager
The fight against bed bugs can only be effective if it is a collective effort. The property manager therefore has a key role to play:
- Establish a clear prevention protocol, with the help of certified professionals.
- Keep co-owners and tenants regularly informed: posters in lobbies, explanatory letters, information meetings.
- Set up a dedicated fund to quickly finance comprehensive treatment in the event of an infestation in several flats or common areas.
- Consider preventive canine detection campaigns in the most exposed buildings.
