Pests

Silverfish, ants and fur beetles are quite common but harmless guests in city homes. Bedbugs are also occasionally detected. Rats and mice thrive near waste bins, in particular. 

If you notice bedbugs, rats or other pests in your apartment, building or yard, submit a defect notification. Depending on the case, Heka will either give advice on independent pest control or take measures to eradicate the pests.

Heka is responsible for the eradication of rats and mice in our areas and buildings.

In public areas of the City of Helsinki, such as parks and street areas, rat control is provided by the Urban Environment Division. Rats found in the parks and street areas of Helsinki can be reported to the Customer Services of the Urban Environment Division. 

General information on bed bugs and fighting them

If you suspect that your home is infested with bedbugs or observe bedbugs or traces of them, report the matter to Heka immediately. Once we receive the report, we will request a pest control company to inspect your home. The fastest way to address the situation is to call our customer service or submit a defect notification.

Acting quickly guarantees the best result in the fight against pests. After the pest control company has been commissioned, they will visit your home to observe the situation and, if necessary, start pest control work immediately. They will also provide more detailed instructions on how to act in the situation. Pest control work can usually be carried out while the resident is living in the home.

When pest control work is performed inside your home, it is your obligation to follow the instructions issued by the pest control company carefully. Failure to comply with the instructions usually leads to the problem persisting. The lessor is also entitled to charge the costs of the control measures from the tenant, if they have neglected the instructions.

Any recommendation to dispose of furniture is always made by pest control. Heka will order and arrange for the disposal of contaminated goods. You should not dispose of your things yourself to prevent the problem from spreading to other homes. Heka will not reimburse the value of the disposed goods.

During the day, bed bugs can be found in beds, behind pictures on the wall and wall rugs, in the cracks of skirting boards and other suitable hiding places. Dark traces of excrement give away the locations of bed bugs. Empty larvae skins and eggshells may also be found.

Bedbugs die in temperatures of 15 degrees below zero or colder and in heat above 52 degrees. You can destroy bedbugs in clothing by washing at 60 degrees.

It is rarely possible to destroy bedbugs using home remedies. Destroying bedbugs usually requires at least three pest control visits. Bedbugs hide in structures, leading the problem to spread easily to neighbouring apartments. Because bedbugs can survive for long periods of time without food in structures, it is advisable to leave the prevention of the bugs to a professional.

Pest control companies always evaluate the necessary measures and pesticides to be used on a home-by-home basis. If you have any questions related to pest control, you should ask the pest control company directly.

Do not feed rats

Food dumped in the sewer and biowaste left outside waste bins are guaranteed to attract rats. The best way to prevent these vermin from spreading in your yard or even your home through the sewers is to not offer them treats. So do not pour leftover food down the drain, and keep the area around waste bins clean of loose debris.

The feeding of birds, squirrels and other wild animals is prohibited in Heka’s rules of conduct, as the food intended for them also attracts rats and other pests to the yard.