Start with a real inspection
Ask whether the provider will confirm bed bugs before treatment and how they inspect beds, nearby furniture and adjoining sleeping areas. A bite photograph alone is not enough to select a treatment.
Remote photographs can help triage a clear specimen, but they cannot show every harbourage or the extent of activity.
- What physical evidence confirms the pest?
- Which rooms and furniture are inspected?
- Will findings be recorded in writing?
Check competence and insurance
GOV.UK directs householders to professional directories including the British Pest Control Association and National Pest Technicians Association. Directory membership is one signal, not a substitute for reading the proposal.
Ask for trading identity, public-liability cover, technician competence and the labels or safety data relevant to any product used.
Compare the complete service
A treatment-only price can omit inspection, revisits, monitoring or special preparation. Ask for the whole programme and any conditions attached to a warranty.
Use the national request route when you are ready to describe the property and evidence; it opens a separate service with its own privacy terms.
Sources and further checks
Open the source before acting on information that may change, including council services, prices, tenancy rules and product labels.