If you suspect that you have an infestation of German cockroaches, report it to the property management if necessary and call in a professional pest control company. As a first measure, it is advisable to store all food in an airtight container to deprive the cockroaches of any food source.

Further information on preventing and combating an infestation can be found on the  information sheet from the Pestizid Aktions-Netzwerk e.V. (Pesticide Action Network). (opens in a new tab)

Bedbugs feed on blood, which they suck from their host, preferably humans, at night. The skin reaction to the bites is different for each person. The risk of transmission of pathogens is classified as low in bed bugs. Nevertheless

nevertheless cause health problems such as sleep disorders.

Further information on the prevention and control of infestations can be found on the  Federal Environment Agency's flyer on bedbug infestations (opens in a new tab).

In tenancies, the owner should always be informed, as other apartments may also be affected by the infestation.

It is advisable to hire a professional pest control company to deal with the problem. You can find a selection on the websites of the  German Pest Control Association (Deutscher Schädlingsbekämpfer Verband e.V.) (opens in a new tab) and the  Association for the Promotion of Ecological Pest Control (Verein zur Förderung ökologischer Schädlingsbekämpfung e.V.). (opens in a new tab)

If you are unable to find a suitable company or lack the financial means, you can find detailed tips on how to help yourself on the website of the  Bed Bug Foundation CIC (opens in a new tab).

Rats and mice are considered health pests and can transmit infectious diseases. It is therefore important to control an infestation. Who is responsible for this control depends on where you have seen the rats or mice.

If you live in a rented house/flat and the rodents are on and in the house, your landlord is responsible for commissioning pest control. This is a matter of private law in which the public health department can only intervene if there is also a serious risk to public health.

If you have seen rats in urban green spaces or on public roads, you can contact the  Department of Public Order and Lost and Found of (opens in a new tab) the City of Bonn.

 The Federal Environment Agency (opens in a new tab) has also compiled helpful information on rat management.

You can find questions and answers about mold infestation on the  website of the Federal Environment Agency (opens in a new tab).

The public health department also offers initial advice by telephone. However, the public health department is not responsible for combating mold and cannot commission a specialist company to remove it.

You can remove minor mold infestation (e.g. < 0.5 m2 and only superficial infestation) yourself. You can find more information on the  website of the Federal Environment Agency (opens in a new tab).

In the case of larger mold infestations, the owner should be informed, as structural conditions can always play a role in addition to user behavior. In addition, a major mold infestation should always be assessed and remediated by a specialist company. Simply painting over it is generally not effective.

The owner is responsible for the removal of mold and insect and rodent infestation. In any case, this is a matter of private law in which the public health department cannot become involved.

You can find help with legal questions on the  website of the consumer advice center (opens in a new tab).

You can also contact a tenants' association. Membership is often necessary.

If a major mold infestation in privately financed housing is clearly due to serious defects such as leaking roofs or facades and living is significantly impaired as a result, you can contact the  housing inspectorate of the City of Bonn (opens in a new tab).

If you have problems in publicly subsidized housing, you can contact the City of Bonn's inventory and usage control department at the following e-mail address:  bnkbonnde

Circumstances occurring alone or in combination, such as

• Littering of rooms and the resulting consequences,
• unpleasant odors,
• vermin and/or disgusting conditions,
• maggot infestation,
• spoiled, moldy or fermenting food do not in themselves

do not in themselves constitute sufficiently concrete reasons for official intervention that can be justified under infection law (Section 16 of the Infection Protection Act) and do not meet the criteria for classification as a "significant risk" or "hazardous to the health of others". Experience in Bonn and other municipalities tends to indicate that littered or neglected apartments do not pose a risk of infection or epidemics.

Landlords or housemates of a "neglected" apartment always have the option of taking civil action for impairment of property or possession. In this respect, affected neighbors should contact their landlord directly if they feel disturbed by a littered apartment. If you consider the situation to be dangerous, the  control center of the public order office (opens in a new tab) can be contacted.

If there are indications that a person is neglected due to mental health problems, the  social psychiatric service of the public health department (opens in a new tab) can be consulted.

Both from a health authority and commercial law perspective, the authorities have no means of obliging the operator to make improvements. The only option open to them is private law. It can also be useful to submit a constructive review on relevant review platforms.

The situation is different in medical, nursing or childcare facilities. Here, the supervisory role of the public health department is enshrined in law. Please send any relevant complaints by email to  gesundheitsaufsichtbonnde or call  0228 77 3803.