Bed bugs in a rental: who does what

Bed bugs in a single-family home are a contained problem. In an apartment building they are a shared one, and the most expensive mistake is treating the unit that complained and stopping there.

Inspect the neighbours

Standard practice is to inspect the units either side and the ones directly above and below. Bed bugs travel along wall voids and plumbing chases; a unit with no complaint can still have a population that will re-seed the treated one.

Preparation matters more than the product

Laundering on high heat, decluttering the perimeter of the bed, and keeping the mattress encasement on for the full year afterwards do more for the outcome than the choice between heat and chemical.

Heat or chemical

Heat is one long visit and needs the unit vacated. Chemical is two to four shorter visits and does not. Both work; the right one depends on the building, not on the pest.