Website of the UK government

Insects and pests covered by environmental health services

Typical pest control services your local council will help you to get rid of include:

• rats
• mice
• wasps
• fleas
• cockroaches
• bedbugs
• carpet beetles
• ants

Reporting pest problems to your council

There is usually a small charge for using your council’s pest control services. However, pest control is free if you receive benefits. Local councils also have powers to make sure that people take all necessary steps to deal with mice and rats in their property.

Councils do not usually provide for the control of larger animals such as deer, foxes, rabbits, squirrels, moles or birds.

If you enter details of where you live in the link below, you will be taken your local council’s website where you can find out more about your council's environmental health services or report a pest problem.

• Find out more about pest control or report a problem (opens new window)

How you can tell if you have mice or rats

Mice
Mice are normally active at night, and you may not see them during the day.You may find nests, which are made of materials such as paper and look like a ball of material loosely woven together. You may find partially nibbled food and small droppings.

Rats
Rats are also nocturnal. Droppings near food sources are the most common sign of rats along with evidence of gnawing, tracks, burrows and nests.

Health and safety risks from mice and rats

Mice and rats contaminate the environments in which they live through their urine, droppings and hairs. They can carry a wide range of diseases that can be passed on to humans, either by directly contaminating food with droppings and urine, or by contaminating surfaces. Rats in particular can pass on Weil’s disease, which can be fatal to humans.

Rats can also cause extensive structural damage to property. They are capable of gnawing a range of materials including electric cables and wiring, which could cause fire or electrocution.

Reduce the risk of mice and rats in your home

Mice and rats may be discouraged and infestations prevented by improving hygiene and by blocking access points to your home:

•  make sure that air bricks are in place and intact (do not block them)
• look for access points around gas, electricity and water pipes
• check that doors fit tightly
• fit cone guards around the bottom of drainpipes to prevent rats from climbing up – you’ll be able to get these from your local hardware or DIY store
• fit metal balloon guards to the bottom of drainpipes to prevent them climbing up the inside – again, you can get these from your local hardware store

Improved hygiene will restrict the availability of food for mice and rats, reducing the chances that they will remain and breed successfully. Examples of how hygiene can be improved are:

• store food carefully so that they do not have access to food sources
• sweep up any spills as soon as they happen
• remove rubbish
• clean up under work units and other areas where food debris can build up

Controlling mice

There are two methods of control available:

•  trapping
• poison baiting

Controlling rats

Before you attempt to deal with a rat problem try to find out where rats are living, feeding and drinking, and the routes they take between these areas. Look for:

•  holes and burrows
• runs and tracks
• droppings
• footprints
• other signs such as sightings or a musky smell

Find out how the rats are getting into your home – this can be done by blocking any holes with newspaper and coming back 24 hours later to see which holes have been re-opened. You can then take preventative action to permanently block the access holes.

Get rid of fleas in your home

If possible, try to identify the source of the problem. In many cases this can be traced to a family pet. Treatment for pets may take the form of insecticide aerosol sprays, pour-on products or a tablet. Your vet can explain where and how to use the product.

Consult your vet or the pest control officer at your local council for more information about the product you are using if you need it. Alternatively the pest control officer can treat your premises using a combination of insecticides and products that inhibit flea development.

More information on getting rid of mice and rats

• Find out more information from Natural England about controlling rats (opens new window)
• Read leaflets from Natural England on a range of wildlife problems including control of rats (opens new window)