Fleas in London flats: London dog owners top a new survey, and the home is the bigger job

What the survey found

A survey commissioned by the National Office of Animal Health (NOAH), reported by Companion Life on 4 November, found that one in five cat owners and one in ten dog owners across Great Britain say their pet had fleas in the past year. Among dog owners, those in London were the most likely to report fleas, at 15%.

The survey also found that around a third of cat owners and a quarter of dog owners do not treat their pets for fleas proactively, and that younger owners were the most likely to report fleas: 37% of cat owners aged 18 to 24.

Why it matters in a London flat

Companion Life quotes the PDSA's estimate that around 95% of a flea problem lives in the home rather than on the pet. Flea eggs, larvae and pupae sit in carpets, bedding and soft furnishings, which is why treating the pet alone so often fails. In a flat, the same few rooms take all of it: the sofa the dog sleeps on, the bedroom carpet, the rug by the radiator.

It matters for renters too. A tenant who moves into a flat where a previous tenant kept a pet can find themselves bitten with no pet of their own.

What to do

1. Treat the pet first with a vet approved flea treatment, so it stops bringing new fleas in.
2. Vacuum thoroughly and often, carpets, sofas and pet bedding included, and empty the vacuum outside the home each time, because adult fleas can survive in it.
3. Wash pet bedding and throws that the pet uses.
4. Treat the home if bites carry on. A professional treatment covers carpets, floors and furniture where the eggs, larvae and pupae are, not just the places you see fleas.

If you rent

If you have just moved in, have no pet and are being bitten, tell your landlord or letting agent in writing straight away and keep a copy, because the fleas probably came with the flat. If your own pet brought them in, check what your tenancy agreement says about pets and pest treatment, and deal with it before you move out.

For help in your home, see our flea control page. We give a fixed written quote after a free survey, across London.