Tenants at a block of flats in Brighton say they are eager to move out after the return of bedbugs, despite council pest controllers spraying them.
Residents at Kingfisher Court in Whitehawk, said the parasites had returned in the walls and reinfected their homes.
One woman in the building, in Albourne Close, said the constant fear of their return had been “soul-destroying”.
Brighton & Hove City Council said it was common to see bugs following treatment as the chemical used works by attracting bed bugs to the treated area.
The block of flats has had repeated bed bug infestations since 2020, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
Pest controllers hired by the council sprayed the affected areas of the nine-storey block in December 2024.
Gill Williams, cabinet member for housing and new homes, said treatments can take up to three weeks to work.
“Unfortunately, the reality is bed bugs can be incredibly difficult to remove and often require more than one treatment,” she said.
“While it is affecting a relatively small number of homes, we know this is distressing for the residents.”
Ms Williams said that the treatment was in line with best practice set out by the British Pest Control Association.