Newport woman covered in bites after bedbugs found in mattress

Becky Rogers, 25, from Newport, was forced into temporary accommodation from the council after she was evicted from her previous flat on July 2. 

She moved into temporary accommodation in Morris Street in Newport around a fortnight ago, and said she had originally been "absolutely fine" with where she was staying. 

However, she was left "disgusted" to find bedbugs in her mattress in the property, after she woke up covered in bites one morning.

Miss Rogers said: "For two weeks, I didn't think anything of it at all, I just noticed some marks on the bed. 

"It was only when I woke up with bites that I called my sister, and realised the marks were actually bedbug poo. 

"My sister said I needed to get out of that place as soon as possible because everything would be covered."

Becky raised the issue with the council after she woke up covered in bites (Image: Becky Rogers) After noticing the bedbugs on Monday, July 22, Miss Rogers tried to contact Newport City Council for help in cleaning the property and being moved, but was met with negativity. 

She explained: "They just didn't care, and acted like it wasn't their problem, even after I told them about the bedbugs. 

"I'm a really vulnerable person, I've got some health issues and even without them, I just kept thinking why should I be left here? It's not good for my health."

After reporting the issue to the accommodation's on-site security, Miss Rogers was reassured it would be reported to the council, but didn't hear anything back. 

She noticed marks on the bed and realised they were bedbug poo (Image: Becky Rogers) Eventually, she decided to wait outside the council offices for two nights as she no longer felt safe to sleep in the bed. 

She said: "When I finally got to speak to someone, they told me they had found me a new temporary accommodation and were planning to move me there. 

"That was what I wanted, so I just couldn't understand why they didn't tell me that when I reported the bedbug issue?

"When I bought up the fact I'd not been told this earlier, they just didn't want to know."

Miss Rogers was also told during this meeting that she wouldn't be moved until the Friday, so had to spend a full week in the home with a mattress covered in bedbugs.

According to Miss Rogers, the council refused to do anything about the issue until she had left. 

Becky was horrified to find the dirty mattress still in the property when she went to collect her things at the weekend (Image: Becky Rogers) Although she has now been moved to the Queens Hotel in Newport centre, Miss Rogers has explained that she is still concerned for any future occupants of the Morris Street property. 

She added: "When I went back to collect my stuff on Sunday, nothing had changed. 

"The dirty mattress was still there and you could still see the marks of bug poo on the walls. 

"It was still infested, and I'm just really worried for whoever gets moved in there next. I've not had any communication from the council since moving, and I just want to know the issues I raised have been sorted."