Rats

How to book

You can book a pest control visit by phone on 01245 606606.

Cost

The fee for treating rats is £72.

If you claim benefits, there is no fee for treating rats.

All prices are valid from 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025.

Preparing for treatment

You do not need to prepare for treating this type of pest

Treatment

We use a slow-acting poison (rodenticide) bait, which will kill the rat once it has eaten a lethal dose. This can take between 4 and 12 days.

We dye the bait a bright colour and keep it in a tamper-proof box, so that other animals are not poisoned by mistake.

Re-treatment

Yes, we will visit again to collect any dead rats if they are in an easily accessible area. If an infestation requires multiple visits, the pest control officer will decide when the treatment is complete and the infestation is dealt with.

We will not charge for re-treatment of residential properties if you tell us there is a recurrence within three weeks of the pest control officer closing the job.

Restrictions

We can only treat in the loft if it is fully boarded. If it is not, we will only be able to leave the bait trays or boxes around the loft hatch.

The fee covers up to five visits for residential properties only. However, if the problem persists beyond five visits (owing to continued garden bird feeding, keeping of chickens, waterfowl or other animals), then a further fee will be payable for the treatment to continue. We will not offer free re-treatment if the problem recurs within three weeks if the chickens/fowl are still being kept at the property.

If we give advice on how to stop the infestation or prevent reoccurrence and you don't take any action, a further fee will be payable for the treatment to continue (beyond the initial five visits).

We will not offer free re-treatment if the problem recurs within three weeks of the closure of the job, if you don't take any action.

We will not treat if:

• you are keeping large numbers of chicken or fowl
• you are a landlord of a residential property

These would be commercial properties and you would need to contact a private pest control provider.

Treatment time

It takes 30 to 60 minutes to lay the poison or the traps.

After treatment

After the treatment, we will give you advice about how to prevent rats in the future.

You may have to stop feeding birds and wildlife, or change your method of feeding.