With the explosion in tourism and travel, cases of bed bug infestation are becoming increasingly common in holiday lets. Airbnb accommodation is particularly affected, leaving travellers and owners often powerless to deal with the problem. What are the right things to do? Is it possible to get a refund? Who should pay for treatment? Here’s a practical guide to the subject of bed bugs in Airbnb accommodation.

How do you know if there are bed bugs in an Airbnb?

Before unpacking your bags and enjoying your Airbnb, it’s a good idea to check whether or not the accommodation is infested with bed bugs. Prevention is better than cure! Although these pests are often difficult to spot at first sight, they do leave some characteristic clues.

Here are the steps to follow to detect their presence:

1. Inspect the bed and bedding

Carefully examine the mattress, sheets, pillows and seams of the bed base. Look for traces of blood, black spots (droppings), whitish eggs or dead skin. Don’t forget to check the headboard and footboards.

2. Check the nooks and crannies

Bed bugs love to hide in cracks, skirting boards or furniture close to the bed. Use your phone’s torch to get a better look.

3. Detect an unusual smell

In the event of a major infestation, bed bugs give off a slightly sweet or musty smell due to their pheromones.

4. Keep an eye on your bites

If you notice bites grouped in rows or clusters on exposed areas of skin during the night, bed bugs are very likely to be present. These bites often cause intense itching.

In principle, bed bug bites are not dangerous to health, but they can cause allergic reactions.

What to do in the event of an infestation

Discovering bed bugs in an Airbnb can be very stressful. Don’t panic, here’s what you need to do to limit the damage.

Report the problem immediately

Contact your host and Airbnb customer service as soon as you suspect the presence of bed bugs. Take photos of any visible marks (black spots, bedbugs, eggs) and bites on your skin to support your report. Transparency is essential to avoid other travellers being affected as well.

Contact Airbnb user support

The Airbnb platform offers assistance for travellers.

Good to know: every booking on Airbnb includes AirCover protection, which means that in the event of a serious problem, you will be offered similar accommodation, subject to availability and at a comparable price.

Don’t move your luggage

Avoid placing your luggage on the floor, bed or surfaces close to infested areas. Place it on a metal support, such as a luggage rack, or in the bathroom, where bedbugs have fewer hiding places. In any case, up high! And lock your luggage at night.

Protect your personal belongings

Put your clothes and personal belongings in airtight plastic bags to keep bedbugs out. If you have any doubts, wash your clothes (worn or not) immediately at a minimum temperature of 60°C or freeze them at -18°C for at least 48 hours.

Inspect and clean your luggage

Before leaving your home, thoroughly inspect your suitcases and bags. Use a hoover to remove any eggs or bedbugs. Empty the contents of the hoover into an airtight bag and dispose of it outside.

Avoid carrying bedbugs home

When you return, take precautions to avoid contaminating your home. Unpack your luggage outside or in a tiled room that’s easy to clean, or even in your bathtub. Put your clothes in a tumble dryer at high temperature or use a steam cleaner on your luggage and textiles.

Don’t sleep in another bed in your home

Changing beds or rooms can worsen the infestation by dispersing bed bugs throughout the accommodation. It’s best to stay in the infested room until the host takes action.

Request a change of accommodation

If the infestation is confirmed and the host cannot resolve the problem immediately, ask to be rehoused.

➡️ Also worth reading: Bed bugs in hotels

Precautions to take when travelling

To avoid bringing bed bugs home with you after a stay in an Airbnb or other accommodation, here are the preventive measures to take before, during and after your trip.

Before you arrive

• Check the latest notices
• Prepare your bedbug repellent kit: Take along airtight plastic bags, a natural repellent spray (such as pyrethrum-based sprays), a repellent leaflet and, if necessary, adhesive traps.

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During your stay

• Avoid placing your luggage on the bed or floor
• Inspect bedding and furniture
• Store your belongings in airtight bags
• Use bed bug repellents

Before going home

• Wash your clothes at a high temperature: Run your clothes at 60°C minimum or tumble dry to kill any bedbugs or eggs.
• Inspect your luggage: Check the seams, folds and pockets to make sure no bedbugs have infiltrated. Vacuum your luggage and empty the bag into an outside bin.
• Put your luggage in the freezer if necessary: If you have any doubts, leave your luggage in a freezer at -18°C for 48 hours to eliminate any parasites.

Once you’re home

• Unpack your suitcases outside
• Never put your luggage on or near your bed
• Use a steam cleaner: steam dry your luggage, textiles or other objects to disinfect them completely.

Bed bugs in an Airbnb: can you claim a refund?

Refunding your stay

Here’s how to proceed:

• Report the problem immediately within 72 hours of discovering it.

You can contact Airbnb user support by email, online chat or by phone on +33 1 84 88 40 00.

• Provide proof: photos or videos.

Good to know: In principle, the owner is obliged to provide pest-free accommodation. In the event of a proven infestation, payment will therefore be cancelled in full or in part.

Reimbursement of medical expenses

Medical consultations, antihistamines or antiseptic ointments – bed bug bites can cost money. Here again, travellers can request reimbursement of these costs.

Airbnb owners: what to do if your accommodation is infested by bed bugs

The use of Airbnb accommodation by French and foreign travellers automatically increases the risk of contamination. It should be remembered that the presence of these pests is in no way linked to a lack of hygiene.

➡️ For further information: The complete protocol against bed bugs.

Here’s what landlords should do if they find bed bugs in their Airbnb rental property.

Schedule a specialist response

Airbnb can help you coordinate the services of a company specialising in bed bug treatment. Dog detection is also a very effective method.

The professional who carries out the inspection in your Airbnb property must provide you with a detailed report following the inspection.

Carry out appropriate treatment

In the event of an advanced infestation, chemical treatment against bed bugs is necessary.

We recommend that you use a service provider with Certibiocide accreditation (certifying that technicians are properly trained to handle powerful insecticides). To avoid fraudulent intervention, here is a map of approved professionals.

Does home insurance cover bed bug treatment?

The extent to which home insurance covers bed bug treatment varies from policy to policy and from company to company. Generally speaking, standard home insurance policies do not cover the cost of eradicating pests, including bed bugs, as these operations are considered to be part of routine home maintenance.

You should therefore check the clauses of your home insurance policy and contact your insurer to find out whether such cover is included or can be added.