Bed Bugs at The Guardian’s London HQ: Management Approves Working From Home, Union Steps In

By /

Key point in one sentence:

Bed bugs were found at The Guardian’s London headquarters; management approved working from home and the union stepped in — offices get infested too, not just homes.

Even The Guardian itself is not immune. According to Personnel Today (22 September 2026), The Guardian's London King's Cross headquarters, Kings Place, has a bed bug outbreak, worst on the second-floor news production area; the first discovery was about eight months ago (early 2026). Management emailed staff over the weekend approving work from home for the following week, and the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) has stepped in, demanding to know why staff were not notified sooner.

Timeline: from early in the year to September, getting worse the longer it dragged

  • First found: about eight months ago — early 2026 — bed bugs were discovered at the headquarters.
  • Early September: a deep clean was carried out but failed to eradicate them — according to The Times (22 Sep 2026), pest controllers were called back for a second treatment after further sightings; GB News similarly reported that the early-September preliminary deep clean of the second floor was insufficient and more reports followed.
  • Weekend of 19–20 September: management emailed staff approving work from home for the following week, as an "exceptional" measure.
  • 22 September: the story broke via Personnel Today; the NUJ got involved.

Why the union is angry: eight months without telling staff

  • NUJ steps in: the National Union of Journalists demanded management explain why staff were never formally notified despite the months-long problem.
  • Staff found out themselves: some employees said they only learned about it after spotting the insects themselves, not from the company.
  • WFH is an exception, not the norm: management approved working from home for "next week" only; what happens after was not explained at the time of reporting.

Pest controllers had to come twice: once was not enough

  • First visit: an early-September deep clean, including spraying, but sightings continued afterwards.
  • Second visit: pest controllers were called back for further treatment (per The Times, 22 Sep 2026, and GB News).

What the experts say: bed bugs are "expert hitchhikers"; an office is not dirty

  • Pest control experts at ThermoPest note that bed bugs are expert hitchhikers, clinging to clothing, bags and handbags to move around.
  • Bed bugs in an office do not mean the company is dirty — high foot traffic and shared spaces are the real cause.
  • The same applies to hotels: bed bugs don't care how clean a place is, only whether there are people and crevices to hide in.

Office self-defense: three tips for workers

  • Recognize the bites: bed bug bites usually appear as lines or clusters of red welts noticed after waking; compare with the bed bug bites symptoms guide if unsure.
  • Don't put bags on the floor at work: hang up bags, handbags and coats, or keep them in plastic boxes — not on carpets or shared sofas; use a locker if the office has them.
  • Check when you get home: inspect clothing openings and bag bottoms after work; wash suspected items in hot water and hot-dry them immediately instead of leaving them in the laundry basket for days.

Sources

(Written 18 Oct 2026; compiled from public reporting.)

Prefer to hire a professional?

If you would rather have a professional handle it, see our Hong Kong pest control directory, which lists contact details for 46 companies — you can ask each for a quote and how many follow-up visits are included before you decide.

Share this article:

Scroll to Top