SOME residents of La Ciotat House in Bridgwater have reportedly been sleeping on sofas and kitchen floors due to a bedbug infestation in part of the building.

Homes in Sedgemoor said it is now stepping in to help deal with the issue, despite emphasising that pest control is tenants' responsibility.

Two La Ciotat residents got in touch with the Bridgwater Mercury about the issue.

One said: “The issue with bedbugs first came to light three months ago, and it is affecting several flats within the property.

“People are sleeping on sofas and on kitchen floors, and everyone is so stressed and we do not know where to turn for help or advice.

“Homes in Sedgemoor have been saying if we wanted to get rid of the bedbugs quickly we would have to pay for it ourselves.”

The second resident added: “Homes in Sedgemoor have been made aware of the issue, but the most they have done so far is issue small trap devices which have been ineffective.”

But Homes in Sedgemoor said it was now stepping in to solve the problem.

A spokesperson for Homes in Sedgemoor said: “Pest control is tenants’ responsibility, however, we have been made aware that a small number of flats at La Ciotat House have been affected by bedbugs.

“After taking expert advice from Environmental Health, who deemed the issue as high risk due to the layout of the building, we are assisting tenants to help tackle the issue by funding a specialist contractor.

“The contractor has started work on eradicating all bedbugs through specialised treatment plans and is working directly with tenants to offer advice and tailored treatment options to ensure any infestations are dealt with thoroughly.

“We have been in regular contact with tenants and we will be working with the contractor to continue to provide weekly updates on the treatment plan.

“We understand this is a challenging time for tenants, and although pest control is ordinarily tenant responsibility, we are working hard to resolve the issue as quickly as possible.

"If you have any concerns, please contact our Customer Services team on 0800 585 360 or 01278 552400.”