In short
As soon as a guest reports bites or insects, block the following nights, ask for photos and have the flat inspected before you relet it. Stick to the facts: a calm, dated reply backed by an inspection report protects you far better than a denial.
The message often arrives late at night or on the morning of check-out: “I've been bitten”, “I saw a bug in the bed”. The temptation is to reassure straight away, or to push back. Both expose you: if the infestation is real, the next guest will suffer it; if it isn't, you'll have nothing to show for it.
This guide breaks the first day into simple steps, with one aim: protect the next guests, establish the facts and reopen the flat as soon as possible.
Hour 0: reply and freeze the situation
Reply quickly, through the platform's messaging so there's a written record. Thank the guest for telling you, say you're taking it seriously and arranging a check. At this point, admit nothing and deny nothing: you don't know yet.
- Ask for clear photos of the insect (ideally kept in a bag or on sticky tape), the sheets and the bites.
- Ask where they slept in the nights before: the insect may have travelled with them.
- Suggest they wash their clothes at 60 °C or tumble-dry them hot when they get home, so they don't take the problem with them.
Hour 1: block the calendar
Close the coming nights until the inspection result is in. This is the most important decision: reletting a possibly infested flat turns one incident into a string of complaints. If a guest is due that evening, let them know and check with the platform what rebooking options its terms provide.
Tell the cleaning team too: no full clean before the technician's visit, so clues aren't wiped away and insects aren't carried to another property.
Hours 2 to 12: get a professional to confirm
The inspection answers one question: is there, yes or no, bed bug (or other insect) activity in the flat? The technician examines the bedding, frame, skirting, sockets and upholstered furniture, and looks for possible routes in from neighbouring flats.
In the Méthode Verrou this is the “Detect” stage: clues recorded, dated photos and a map of affected areas. The report is emailed to you the same day, and it's your key document from here on.
Hours 12 to 24: treat or reopen
There are two possible outcomes, and one rule that applies to both.
- No evidence: keep the report, let the guest know tactfully and reopen the calendar. The bites may have another cause (mosquitoes, fleas, a previous stay).
- Infestation confirmed: treatment is scheduled. Dry steam and heat treatment (above 55 to 60 °C every life stage dies) often keep downtime short; a chemical treatment comes with a re-entry period given in writing.
- Either way, only close the file after a follow-up visit.
Keep a tidy file
Keep everything in one place: screenshots of messages, the guest's photos, the inspection report, the treatment report, the invoice and the reopening date. You'll need this file if a refund is requested, a review is posted or you contact your insurer.
Re-read your insurance policy: pest cover varies widely between policies and is often excluded.
The first 24 hours in 6 steps
Follow them in order, even if you doubt the report.
- 1
Step 1
Acknowledge
Reply via the platform's messaging, neither admitting nor disputing.
- 2
Step 2
Gather evidence
Photos of the insect, sheets and bites; where the guest stayed before.
- 3
Step 3
Block the next nights
Close the calendar until the inspection result is in.
- 4
Step 4
Pause cleaning
No full clean and no moving linen until the technician has been.
- 5
Step 5
Get an inspection
Book an inspection slot and get a dated photo report.
- 6
Step 6
Decide and inform
Treat or reopen based on the report, then reply to the guest with the facts.
Printable checklist
Guest complaint: the first 24 hoursTick as you go, or print the page: the list fits on a single sheet.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to refund the guest?
That depends on the facts and on the platform's rules, which include their own claims procedures: check the terms that apply from your host account. A dated inspection report lets you discuss facts rather than impressions.
What if the guest brought the bed bugs?
That's rarely provable. What matters is treating the flat if it's affected. Asking about the previous nights mainly helps you assess the risk to your other properties.
Can I treat it myself with a shop-bought product?
It's not advisable: aerosols scatter bed bugs into neighbouring rooms and lengthen the professional treatment. They also give you no proof that the treatment worked.
How long should I keep the file?
At least until any dispute is over, and ideally in the property's history: it shows that when an alert comes in, you act quickly and methodically.
Worried after a check-out?
Book an inspection in a 2-hour slot: the photo report tells you the same day whether the flat can reopen.
