One-sentence takeaway: A UK university halls bed bug ranking is out — De Montfort University in Leicester tops it with 86 reports per 1,000 beds, and eight of the top ten are London institutions. But the researchers warn a high count may simply mean better record-keeping, so don’t take the numbers at face value.
As the new academic year begins in the UK, thousands of Hong Kong students have moved into university halls — and checking for bed bugs should be one of the first things on the list. Bedding retailer MattressNextDay sent Freedom of Information (FOI) requests to 165 UK universities, 105 of which replied, compiling reported bed bug cases per 1,000 beds in university-owned or managed accommodation across the 2022/23, 2023/24 and 2024/25 academic years.
The ranking: the top 10
- 1. De Montfort University (Leicester) — 86.0 reports per 1,000 beds
- 2. University of East London — 59.0 reports per 1,000 beds
- 3. Queen Mary University of London — 49.8 reports per 1,000 beds
- 4. University of London — 47.9 reports per 1,000 beds
- 5. London South Bank University — 45.6 reports per 1,000 beds
- 6. King’s College London — 38.7 reports per 1,000 beds
- 7. London School of Economics (LSE) — 32.2 reports per 1,000 beds
- 8. University of Westminster — 14.9 reports per 1,000 beds
- 9. Anglia Ruskin University — 14.3 reports per 1,000 beds
- 10. University of the Arts London (UAL) — 13.7 reports per 1,000 beds
Eight of ten are London institutions; Queen Mary logged 130 cases in three years
Eight of the top ten are London institutions, showing London student halls report bed bugs at notably higher rates. Russell Group member Queen Mary University of London logged 130 cases over three years. De Montfort took the top spot with only 38 cases in total — but its halls have just 442 bed spaces, working out to almost one case for every 11 beds.
Don’t take the numbers at face value: record-keeping differs
The Tab quotes the researchers’ caveat: universities differ in how they keep pest records, so a high count may not mean more bugs — it may just mean more thorough reporting. In other words, the ranking reflects reporting rates more than actual infestation rates. Universities absent from the list are not necessarily bed bug-free; they may simply not have replied to the FOI requests or kept less complete records.
For Hong Kong students: check your hall room before settling in
Bed bug pressure in the UK keeps rising this year: this site previously reported cases up 40% year-on-year in some London boroughs, with experts blaming insecticide resistance. When moving into halls, remember:
- Inspect the mattress and bed frame: check seams and crevices for black faecal spots, blood stains and cast skins — the room-inspection steps in our travel bed bug checklist work for hall beds too.
- Treat second-hand furniture before bringing it in: bed bugs love hiding in second-hand bed frames and sofas; heat-treat or inspect thoroughly first.
- Watch your skin in the first weeks: waking up with rows of red, itchy welts means checking the bed immediately — see our DIY bed bug removal guide for the full process, and super bed bug insecticide resistance for why they’re getting harder to kill.
Source
- The Tab (2026-09-09) — Revealed: The 10 UK universities with the most bed bugs crawling around student halls
(Written 2026-10-31; compiled from The Tab’s public reporting. Data comes from a study commissioned by bedding retailer MattressNextDay and reflects only the 105 universities that replied to the FOI requests.)