Tower Hamlets: Bedbug capital of the UK

Data collected by the British Pest Control Association (BPCA) has awarded the unenvious title bedbug capital to Tower Hamlets.

Tower Hamlets was found to have the highest ratio of bedbug call-outs made per 1,000 people with a rate of 2.80, representing a 21% decrease compared to the previous year (from 3.53 to 2.80).

The figures were released in response to a freedom of information request sent by the BPCA to local authorities across the UK. Of the 390 authorities contacted, 364 replied with data about their dealings with vermin.

Tower Hamlets is home to the most bedbug-related call-outs, at 796 incidents.

In 2012 Tower Ha received 4,205 calls about pests from residents in 2012, which although high, is down from a massive 17,857 calls made in 2011, which at the time made it the worst place in the UK for pest problems.

Hackney in north London topped the charts when it came to cockroaches, at 565. The rat capital is Bridgend in Wales, they reported 2,849 rat-related call-outs between 2015 and 2016, a rate of almost 21 per 1,000 people.

What are bedbugs?
Bedbugs are small blood-sucking insects that live in cracks and crevices in and around beds. They crawl out at night and bite exposed skin to feed on blood.

Adult bedbugs are oval-shaped, flat and up to 5mm long – similar to an apple seed. Their colour varies between dark yellow, red or brown.
Bedbugs aren’t dangerous and don’t spread any diseases, but some people experience a reaction to their bites and they can be stressful to live with.

If you have a bedbug problem you can contact Pest Control. Please call the Customer Contact Centre on 020 7364 5007, weekdays 9am to 5pm.