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Dealing with Pests

AVOIDING UNWANTED VISITORS

Pests in your home are unpleasant and can cause a variety of health and safety problems. Any home can have a problem with pests or vermin, and these unwanted guests are simply looking for food or a bed for the night. Prevention is far better, and cheaper, than cure, so the more careful you are about looking after your property and how often you clean your home, will help to keep them away.

If you do not pay service charges and live in a house or flat classified as a street property this is your responsibly including vermin removal (rats/mice), wasp/bee’s nests and other infestation; that is except where point of entry is a result of design fault or damage to the exterior of the property. You should contact your local authority who will charge for this service.

If you already pay for pest control in your service charges please email housing@arhag.co.uk or contact your Housing Officer who will arrange for an appointment.

Follow these simple rules to reduce the chances of pests and vermin coming to stay:

If you see holes in the external fabric (brickwork, roof, fascia, soffit) of the building that are not part of the design, please let us know immediately.

Internally, if there are holes in skirting boards and floorboards, it may mean that there is an entrance point already made externally or pests have set up home via a back door or windows being left open. Reporting external defects to us will prevent rats, mice and squirrels from getting into your home.

If it’s not down to the fabric of the building, it is your responsibility to manage it. Any external nests or swarms are also your responsibility to manage and remove.

Keep your home clean, especially the kitchen. Clean your surfaces and floors regularly to remove any traces of food. If possible, store food in sealed containers.

Uncovered food can attract pests and vermin. Put rubbish out in sealed bags or bins, take care that all split bags are double bagged and not just dumped, especially within communal bin stores. Always use a bird table when you feed garden birds. Putting bird food on the ground can attract rats and mice, as can putting cooked food on a compost heap.

Don’t leave old furniture, mattresses or other rubbish in your garden or outdoor spaces as these make a great place for mice and rats to nest. Ask your local council to collect bulky household waste or dispose of such items yourself at your nearest recycling / refuse centre.

If you have your own garden area, keep this tidy and well maintained as an overgrown garden provides a good home for mice and rats.

If you’re worried about pests or suspect you may have them and need some help, you should first contact your local authority. We’re also happy to offer advice on how best to deal with the problem, and any assistance that we may be able to provide.

A private pest control company can also deal with your pest and vermin problem although their fees are likely to be higher than your local council.