I paid £1,800 for an Airbnb, but it had bedbugs. What should I do?
An Orwell prize-nominated investigative journalist, Kate lives in Portugal and covers news, travel rules, tourist taxes and visas.
Your questions, solved by the Which? Travel experts
Which reader Katie Cariad asks…
“The Paris Airbnb I stayed at was a disappointment from day one. Stained sheets, dirty cutlery and glasses, and little-to-no essentials like loo roll and washing up sponges. I messaged the host immediately, and he offered to refund the cleaning fee – around £18.
But shortly after, I noticed what I think was a bed bug bite on my daughter, then on my son the following day. Eventually, I was bitten too. I also found and photographed what seemed to be a bed bug.
I had to throw away two suitcases and some clothes I feared were infested, hot-wash our laundry and spent my last morning in Paris packing everything into airtight bags. Airbnb offered a partial refund of £459.26, but am I entitled to more?”
This article first appeared in Which? Travel magazine. We don't accept freebies from travel companies, airlines, or hotels, so you can be sure that our investigations, recommendations and reviews are completely unbiased.
Kate Pasola says…
It’s great that you reached out to your host as soon as you spotted cleanliness issues with the apartment – but it’s understandable that you didn’t want to settle for a cleaning refund or even partial refund, and you were right to push for more.
When we got in touch with Airbnb, it told us that it ‘sets quality standards’ for hosts and homes’, but that it was disappointed to learn about this experience. It also said the handling of your report didn’t follow its support standards.
After Which? intervened, you were offered a full refund of £1,803 plus reimbursement for new suitcases.
How to check for bed bugs
Bedbugs hide in all sorts of places, including on furniture, on bed frames and mattresses, clothing, and even under loose wallpaper. Signs of bed bugs include bites, small brown spots on bedding or furniture — and, of course, spotting the bugs themselves. They’re easily misidentified, so if you spot one, take a picture of it next to a penny for scale, and show it to a pest expert.
Read our full guide on how to check your hotel room for bed bugs, and your rights if you spot them.