Is the landlord responsible for bed bugs in Scotland?

Private landlords must keep the home meeting the Repairing Standard, which includes being reasonably fit to live in. In practice the landlord arranges treatment, especially in shared flats where the source cannot be pinned on one person. See the Scottish Government guidance. This is a general guide; your tenancy and the facts of your case matter.

What can a tenant do if the landlord does nothing?

Report it in writing and keep a copy. If nothing happens in a reasonable time, a tenant can apply to the First-tier Tribunal (Housing and Property Chamber), which can order the landlord to do the work. mygov.scot explains the steps.

Do HMO licence holders have extra duties?

Yes. An HMO licence in Glasgow comes with conditions on the condition and management of the property. Leaving an infestation untreated sits badly with those. See Glasgow City Council's HMO licensing pages.

Who pays if a tenant brought them in?

It is very hard to prove where bed bugs came from: luggage, second-hand furniture, a neighbour, public transport. Most landlords pay for treatment and avoid an argument that delays it. Check your tenancy agreement and take advice before trying to recharge a tenant.

How much does an HMO treatment cost?

For a five-bedroom shared flat, expect around £440 to £920 for a spray course and £1,400 to £2,200 for heat, as of October 2026. See the price sheet for other sizes.

What about student halls?

Purpose-built student accommodation is run by the university or a private operator, who will have a pest contractor. Students in halls should report to the accommodation office straight away.

Landlords, HMOs and student flats in Glasgow

Glasgow has a lot of rented flats, and a lot of them are shared: tenement flats in Hillhead, Partick, Woodlands and Finnieston let room by room to students and young workers, and family flats across the Southside and the East End. Bed bugs spread fastest in exactly these homes.

This page is for landlords, letting agents and the tenants who live there. It covers what Scottish law expects and how to get a shared flat treated properly the first time.

Get a price

Shared flats, typical prices

Three-bed shared flatSpray course	£350 to £720
Five-bed HMOSpray course	£440 to £920
Five-bed HMOHeat treatment	£1,400 to £2,200

Typical prices, October 2026, VAT included. A guide, not a quote.

What the rules say in Scotland

The rules here are not the same as in England, so English advice online can mislead. This is a general summary; it does not replace advice from a solicitor or advice service.

The Repairing Standard

A private landlord in Scotland must make sure the home meets the Repairing Standard at the start of the tenancy and throughout it. One part of the standard is that the house is reasonably fit for people to live in. A serious infestation in a flat the landlord is responsible for is hard to square with that. The Scottish Government publishes <a href="https://www.gov.scot/publications/repairing-standard-statutory-guidance-private-landlords/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statutory guidance on the standard</a>.

Private Residential Tenancies

Most lets since December 2017 are Private Residential Tenancies. The statutory terms say the tenant must tell the landlord about repairs, and the landlord must be allowed access, with notice, to carry them out. For bed bugs, that means the tenant reports promptly and the landlord gets everyone's agreement to the treatment dates.

HMO licensing

A flat let to three or more people from more than two families, who share a kitchen or bathroom, needs an HMO licence from Glasgow City Council. Licence holders are expected to keep the property in good repair and manage it properly. An untreated infestation, or one that keeps coming back, is the kind of thing that comes up when a licence is renewed. <a href="https://www.glasgow.gov.uk/article/3468/HMO-Licensing-Process" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Glasgow City Council explains the process</a>.

If nothing happens

A tenant whose landlord will not deal with a problem can apply to the <a href="https://housingandpropertychamber.scot/repairs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">First-tier Tribunal for Scotland (Housing and Property Chamber)</a>. It can inspect and make an order requiring the work. Most landlords would rather sort it in a week than end up there.

A landlord's plan for a shared flat

Five steps that stop a one-bedroom problem turning into a whole-flat problem.

Same day: acknowledge it in writing
Reply to the tenant, note the date, and ask what they have seen and in which room. Tell them not to use shop sprays or move to the couch.
Within a few days: inspect the whole flat
Every bedroom and the shared living room, not just the room that reported it. In a close, ask the factor to let the neighbours know.
Agree the method and the dates
Spray needs every tenant to clear and bag their room on each visit; heat needs everyone out for a day. Give written notice of entry, as the tenancy requires.
Treat everything at once
Treating one bedroom while the next is untreated is the most common reason HMO jobs drag on. Plan the flat as one job.
Check, and keep the paperwork
A check visit two to four weeks later, and a short written report. Keep it with your repair records; it is the evidence you acted.

Students and the West End

Late August to October is the busy season. Students arrive with luggage from hostels, trains and family homes, furnished flats change hands in a fortnight, and second-hand furniture goes up and down the closes. A flat that had bed bugs in spring can be let in September with nobody the wiser if it was never checked.

For landlords of student flats, a check between tenancies is cheap compared with treating a full flat in October. For students: look at the mattress seams and the bed frame when you move in, before you unpack, and tell the landlord or agent in writing if you find anything.

If you live in university halls or a large purpose-built block, report it to the accommodation office or reception. They will have a contractor and a procedure.

Tenants of housing associations

Glasgow City Council transferred its homes to housing associations in 2003, so if you rent what was a council flat, your landlord is now an association. Most associations in the city have a pest control policy and arrange treatment for their tenants. Report it to your association's repairs line, then follow their instructions for preparing the flat.

If you own a flat in a mixed close where the association owns the others, tell the association too. Treating your flat alone will not help if the flat below is the source.

Questions from landlords and tenants

Is the landlord responsible for bed bugs in Scotland?
Private landlords must keep the home meeting the Repairing Standard, which includes being reasonably fit to live in. In practice the landlord arranges treatment, especially in shared flats where the source cannot be pinned on one person. See the Scottish Government guidance. This is a general guide; your tenancy and the facts of your case matter.
What can a tenant do if the landlord does nothing?
Report it in writing and keep a copy. If nothing happens in a reasonable time, a tenant can apply to the First-tier Tribunal (Housing and Property Chamber), which can order the landlord to do the work. mygov.scot explains the steps.
Do HMO licence holders have extra duties?
Yes. An HMO licence in Glasgow comes with conditions on the condition and management of the property. Leaving an infestation untreated sits badly with those. See Glasgow City Council's HMO licensing pages.
Who pays if a tenant brought them in?
It is very hard to prove where bed bugs came from: luggage, second-hand furniture, a neighbour, public transport. Most landlords pay for treatment and avoid an argument that delays it. Check your tenancy agreement and take advice before trying to recharge a tenant.
How much does an HMO treatment cost?
For a five-bedroom shared flat, expect around £440 to £920 for a spray course and £1,400 to £2,200 for heat, as of October 2026. See the price sheet for other sizes.
What about student halls?
Purpose-built student accommodation is run by the university or a private operator, who will have a pest contractor. Students in halls should report to the accommodation office straight away.

Also on this site

Bed bug treatment in Glasgow
The job, in order.
Inspection
Written findings for your records.
Heat treatment
Turn a flat round in a day.
Price sheet
Every size of home.

Where this information comes from

Scottish Government: Repairing Standard statutory guidance for private landlords
Scottish Government: Private Residential Tenancy statutory terms, repairs and maintenance
mygov.scot: getting repairs done as a tenant
First-tier Tribunal for Scotland (Housing and Property Chamber): repairs
Glasgow City Council: HMO licensing process
mygov.scot: applying for an HMO licence
NHS: Bedbugs
Prices: typical UK prices from published price lists we reviewed, October 2026, including VAT

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