Pests like cockroaches and bedbugs can be the landlord's responsibility, especially where they get in through disrepair. Here is who must deal with them and what to do.
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In short
Whether the landlord must deal with cockroaches or bedbugs turns on the cause. Pests entering through disrepair, gaps in the structure, broken drains, holes around pipes, or a shared infestation in a block, usually sit with the landlord.
Most council and housing association tenancies also fold pest control into the service. Report it in writing straight away. A pest problem tied to the building's condition, left by the landlord, may mean a claim. Call us free on 0800 030 4669.
When it is the landlord's responsibility
- Cockroaches often spread through shared walls, drains and pipework. In a block, that points to a building-level problem the landlord should treat across the affected homes, not just yours.
- Pests entering through disrepair, cracks, broken air bricks, gaps around pipes, damaged drains, fall under the repair duty in Section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985. The entry point must be fixed, not just bait laid.
- A serious infestation making the home unfit can also breach the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018.
Bedbugs: it can be more mixed
Bedbugs often arrive on furniture, luggage, or second-hand items, so the building is not always the cause. But bedbugs spreading between flats, or infested furniture the landlord supplied, may still sit with the landlord. Report it either way and keep evidence.
What to do
- Report in writing at once, with dated photos and where the pests appear.
- Ask the landlord to find and fix the cause. Treatment without the entry point sealed never lasts.
- Contact the council's environmental health team. They can inspect and serve a notice on the landlord, free. A serious problem can also run as a "statutory nuisance" under Section 82 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990; see our EPA Section 82 guide.
- Keep receipts for anything bought or replaced.
Where we fit in
Support for Tenants helps with housing disrepair claims. A pest problem tied to the building's condition, ignored by the landlord, may mean a claim. Call us free on 0800 030 4669, send the short form, or message us on WhatsApp. See also tenants' rights for rat infestations and where to get other housing help.
Sources
- Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, Section 11 (legislation.gov.uk)
- Environmental Protection Act 1990, Section 82 (legislation.gov.uk)
- Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018 (legislation.gov.uk)
We review every guide at least twice a year and update it when the law changes. If you spot something out of date or wrong, email help@supportfortenants.co.uk.
Reviewed against current housing law for England and Wales as at 24 May 2026. Checked by our SRA-regulated panel solicitors. This is general information, not legal advice for your specific case. Any compensation figures or ranges shown are illustrative only, not a promise; every case is different.
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Still stuck?
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