Pest control

Residential owners and occupiers have a responsibility to keep their property and land free from rats and mice. As we do not offer a pest control service, we suggest you approach a private pest control company to deal with any pest control work.

If you rent from a housing association or a private landlord, speak to them about treatment in the first instance.

Dealing with pests

If you have a problem with pests you could try reading an online advice guide to take action yourself. The British Pest Control Association (BPCA) provides an A-Z of pests with advice on how to deal with each pest (such as insects and mammals).

If this does not work you may like to call in a professional pest controller. When looking for a pest controller, make sure you:

Get at least three quotations
Find out if there is a call out fee or fixed charge
Find out what service and guarantee they will provide you
Check they have insurance cover
Check their qualifications (a certificate in Pest Control from the Royal Society for the Promotion of Health (RSPH) or the BPCA)
Are happy with them and understand the advice they give
Consider personal recommendations from friends, neighbours or colleagues

If bait is used your pest controller will need to visit a few times to inspect the bait and keep it topped up. He or she should also carry out a final Inspection once the programme is complete to ensure no bait is left behind.

If rodenticides are used, your pest controller should carry out an environmental assessment to consider the possible threats to wildlife and domestic animals.