Rat control for homes and gardens

What a rat controller does

A rat controller works out where the rats nest, where they get in and what they are eating, then sets traps or bait to suit. Expect a survey first, not a bag of poison left by the back door.

A standard course has three visits. At the first, the technician inspects the building, garden, outbuildings and drains, and sets snap traps or bait in tamper-resistant stations. At five to seven days they come back to see what has been taken and top up. The last visit confirms that activity has stopped and finishes any proofing.

Before the first visit, put bins in a closed container, take pet food up overnight, clear access to the loft, voids and drains, and fix any gaps you already know about.

Ask the technician to explain what they found. A good report names the entry points, says what is being used and why, and tells you what to do between visits. If they cannot say where the rats are getting in, the same problem is likely to return.

How long rat control takes

Most courses run for two to four weeks across the three visits. A job that involves drains or wall cavities may need more. Proofing, drain repairs and making good any damage are usually charged on top, so ask exactly what the quote covers. Prices are on our rat control cost page.

Ask for the guarantee in writing, with its length and whether a return visit is free. As a guide, Colchester council guarantees its own treatment for a month after the last visit. Private firms vary, so compare the period before you book.

When rats are a problem

Rats move indoors as the weather cools, so calls rise from October to March. In towns and cities the problem runs all year. Rentokil reported that rodent call-outs rose 10% from 2024 to 2025, with Yorkshire up 20% and the North West up 19%.

If you have seen droppings, gnawing or burrows, act early. Not sure it is a rat? Read how to identify rats first.

The rules that shape rat control

Several rules decide what a rat controller may use. They are a useful check on any quote.

• Glue traps: in England they have been licence-only since 31 July 2024, and a licence is for exceptional public-health cases, not ordinary homes. Wales has banned them since 17 October 2023 and Scotland since 1 July 2026. Turn away any firm that offers one to a householder. A firm should be able to tell you which of these rules applies to your job and what it will use.
• Professional rodenticides: buying them needs proof of competence under the CRRU scheme. Since 1 January 2026 that means CRRU competence training within the last five years, and farm assurance no longer counts.
• Second-generation anticoagulants (SGARs): these may not be used away from buildings, and the ban has applied since 1 January 2025.

Choosing a rat controller

Nobody needs a licence to run a pest control business, so a credential shows training, not permission. BPCA and NPTA are trade associations with audits and codes of practice. BPCA assesses member companies against BS EN 16636 and requires £2m public liability cover. BASIS PROMPT records an individual technician's qualifications and annual training, and RSPH Level 2 is the standard technician award.

The one legal gate is CRRU competence to buy professional rodenticide. There is no public register, so ask the technician to show their CRRU certificate. Also ask which method they will use, whether proofing is in the price, and what the guarantee covers.

Does the council treat rats?

Most councils treat rats. Your council may treat rats for a fixed fee, or in a few areas for free, so ring them before you pay for a private course. Bolton has treated rats and mice free since 2 April 2024, and Birmingham now treats rats only. See council pest control for fees by council.

Rats in a rented home

Councils must keep their area free of rats and mice. Under the Prevention of Damage by Pests Act 1949, an occupier must tell the council in writing about rats or mice in substantial numbers. The council can then serve a notice requiring treatment and repairs, and an infestation can be a statutory nuisance.

Rats that get in through defects in the building are usually the landlord's job to fix. Tell your landlord in writing and keep a copy. If you want to try first, see how to get rid of rats yourself.

Rats in the house

A rat indoors means there is a way in and food worth the risk. Look for droppings along walls and behind appliances, gnawed skirting, cables or pipes, and listen for scratching at night. Rats can use a gap the size of a 50p coin, so check around pipes, air bricks and under doors.

Clear food, close bins and set snap traps along the walls where you see signs. Call a professional if you can hear rats in the walls or ceiling, if you keep finding fresh droppings, or if trapping has not worked after two weeks.

Rats in the garden

Rats in the garden usually dig burrows about 6 to 10 cm wide near sheds, decking and compost heaps. They come for food: open bins, bird seed, pet bowls and cooked food in the compost. Remove what you can, keep compost closed and tidy up fallen seed.

Do not scatter loose poison. It can kill pets and wildlife, and predators are poisoned second-hand. Call a professional if the burrows are in use, or if the rats are getting into outbuildings or the house. Rules on rodenticide away from buildings are tight, so expect a different approach outdoors.

Rats in the loft or roof

Scratching, gnawing and thumping overhead at night, droppings in the insulation and shredded material for nests all point to rodents in the loft. Squirrels are noisy by day, and mice leave smaller droppings, so check before you book. Our guide to telling rats from mice shows the sizes.

Do not block holes until a professional confirms the rats are out, or you may trap them inside. Lofts are hard to treat safely, so call a professional soon after you hear them. A loft job typically costs more than a garden one.

Rats in the walls

Rats move through wall cavities and under floors, so you may hear them without seeing one. Poison laid in the cavity is a poor idea: a rat that dies there smells for some time.

This is rarely a DIY job, because you cannot reach the cavity to trap or monitor. Call a professional, who will look for the entry route from drains, air bricks or gaps around pipes and then seal it. Wall cavity work is dearer than outdoor treatment. If you rent, tell your landlord in writing.

Rats in the drains

Rats use broken or disconnected drains to reach gardens and houses. Signs are rats appearing near a manhole or gully, gurgling or smells, and rats indoors near a toilet or kitchen waste pipe.

Do not try to clear this yourself. A professional can check the drain and treat it, but a damaged pipe needs repair, and that is usually charged separately. Drain work is the dearest part of rat control, from about £250. If you rent or share the drain, tell your landlord or the owner in writing.