What the council offers
Lewisham Council runs an in-house pest control service. The council page lists bed bug treatment at £186 for two visits, from 1 April 2026, when checked in October 2026. A concession rate of £93 is listed for households that get housing benefit, council tax reduction or Universal Credit. The council may ask for proof.
The page also warns that you must prepare the home before the first visit. For example, you strip the bed linen, take down curtains, empty wardrobes and wash textiles at the highest temperature the label allows. If the home is not ready, the visit cannot go ahead and the fee is forfeited. Our guide to preparing for treatment walks through the same steps in more detail.
Because fees change each April, read the Lewisham Council pest control page before you book. A council visit is only one route. Our post on council or private bed bug treatment in London explains how to compare it with a private contractor.
If you rent in Lewisham
Many Lewisham homes are privately rented, so the tenant and landlord split matters. The council’s page on repairs and pests for private tenants says a landlord is not legally obliged to pay for pest control. However, that does not stop you asking, and some landlords agree to arrange treatment.
Write to your landlord or agent first. Include dates, photographs of any bugs or bites, and earlier messages. Our renters and landlords guide explains the usual positions in plain English.
If you live in a house in multiple occupation, the same council page says to contact its housing team. Similarly, if you think the bugs come from a neighbouring home, the page lists a separate council contact. Check the page for the current email addresses rather than relying on an old message.
Flats and shared buildings in Lewisham
Lewisham has a mix of purpose-built blocks, estates and Victorian houses converted into flats. In each of them, bed bugs travel through gaps around pipes, cables and shared walls. As a result, a treatment in one flat can leave the problem next door.
Tell your neighbours and the managing agent early. Ask whether the building will check adjoining flats. Our post on bed bugs in London flats and shared buildings explains how to raise this without causing a row.
Lewisham also has student rooms and short lets, where guests come and go. In these places, the operator should act quickly because new guests can carry bugs in. The hotels and short lets guide covers what a sensible response looks like.
Getting a fair inspection
A good inspection starts with questions. Ask what evidence the inspector found, which rooms they checked and how they will treat each one. Ask how many visits to expect and what a follow-up costs.
Be wary of anyone who quotes a fixed price over the phone without seeing the room. Likewise, treat pressure to sign up on the spot as a warning sign. If you are unsure that bites are from bed bugs, our post on telling bed bug bites from something else can help, and the NHS bedbugs page says most bites clear within about a week.
Next steps
Start with proof: a live bug, a cast skin or dark spots on the mattress seam. Then tell your landlord or managing agent in writing and book an inspection. Our bed bug treatment guide for London lists what a sound plan should include.
After treatment, keep checking for several weeks. Neighbouring areas have the same issues, so see the Southwark area guide and the bed bug guidance for Greenwich if you move or work nearby.
Questions about bed bugs in Lewisham
Does Lewisham Council treat bed bugs?
Yes. The council page lists a bed bug treatment of two visits, with a reduced rate for some households on benefits. Check the page for the current fee and for what proof the council may ask for.
Does my Lewisham landlord have to pay for pest control?
The council page says a landlord is not legally obliged to pay for pest control. Even so, a landlord may still agree to arrange or share the cost, so ask in writing and keep a copy.
What happens if I do not prepare my home before the visit?
The council says treatment cannot go ahead if the home is not prepared, and the fee is then forfeited. Read the preparation list before the visit, and ask for help early if you cannot lift or wash things yourself.
Who do I contact about bed bugs in a Lewisham house in multiple occupation?
The council page points tenants in shared houses to its housing team for infestations. Use the contact route on the repairs and pests page, because it can change.
Sources and further checks
Open each source before you act, because council services, prices, tenancy rules and product labels can change. We list the pages this guide relied on when it was last checked.