Burrows under the shed, gnawing in the walls or droppings in the loft? Our rat control service finds where the rats are living and how they are getting in, for homes, gardens and businesses across Bexley and South London. I spent nine years at Rentokil before starting Pest2Control, so I know where to look, and I’ll explain everything I find as I go. Give me a call and I’ll give you a price over the phone.
Most gardens see a passing rat now and then. It becomes a problem when rats start living there, and once they are settled in the garden, the house is often next.
Look for burrow holes around 6 to 9cm wide, often under decking, sheds, paving slabs and the base of hedges. Well-worn runs through the lawn or along fences, dark droppings about 1 to 2cm long, and gnawed fruit, vegetables or compost bin lids are other clear signs. Bird feeders and compost heaps are the most common attractions, as they give rats a steady supply of food.
Rats are mostly active at night, so seeing one in daylight usually means something has changed. It can be a sign of a larger population competing for food, or that their nest has been disturbed. Either way, it is worth getting the garden inspected before they find a way into the house.
Rats indoors are usually heard before they are seen. Heavy scratching and scurrying in the walls, under the floorboards or in the loft at night, gnawing sounds and a strong ammonia smell are typical. Unlike mice, rats leave greasy smear marks where they run along walls and pipes, and their droppings are much larger.
A large share of indoor rat problems start in the drains. Rats living in the sewer network can get into a property through a cracked or collapsed pipe under the floor, an old drain that was never capped off after building work, or a damaged inspection chamber. When there is no obvious entry point above ground, the drains are one of the first things I check. Rats coming up through a toilet is rare, but it does happen where there is a defect in the drainage.
Rats can climb pipework, ivy and rough brickwork to reach the roof, and they get in through gaps under roof tiles, around soffits and at the eaves. Once inside, they travel along cavity walls and between floors. Noise in the loft in the early morning is more likely to be squirrels, which our squirrel control service covers.
South London’s older sewers, railway embankments and green spaces give rats plenty of places to live. Homes near the Thames from Greenwich to Erith and Belvedere, along the railway lines through Welling, Sidcup and Eltham, or backing onto allotments and parks tend to see more activity. High streets with restaurants and takeaways, such as Bexleyheath Broadway, add a steady food supply from bins and waste.
Building work also plays a part. Rats are often disturbed when drains are opened up or old outbuildings are cleared, and they move into neighbouring gardens and homes. If there is work going on nearby and rats appear soon after, that is rarely a coincidence.
Search for how to get rid of rats and you will find peppermint oil, ultrasonic devices and poison from the hardware shop. The problem is that rats are cautious by nature and avoid anything new in their territory, so traps and bait put down in the wrong places are often ignored for days. Poison bought over the counter also carries risks for pets, children and wildlife if it is not used in secure bait stations, and a rat that dies under the floor leaves a smell that can last for weeks.
Dealing with rats properly means finding where they are nesting, placing treatment where they will actually take it, and closing off the route they are using. That is the job of a professional rat catcher.
After a quick chat on the phone and an estimate, the first visit starts with a full inspection of the house, garden, outbuildings and drainage points. I’ll show you the burrows, runs and entry points I find, explain what is causing the problem, and put treatment down in secure positions where the rats are active.
The second visit is about checking progress. We look at how much treatment has been taken, check for fresh signs and adjust the plan if the rats are using a different route. On the third visit, we confirm the activity has stopped, clear away treatment that is no longer needed and go through the proofing work that will stop them coming back.
Treatment clears the rats that are there now. Proofing stops the next ones getting in. The most common fixes include sealing gaps around pipes and cables, replacing damaged air bricks, blocking holes under doors and garage doors, and dealing with drain defects. Our rodent proofing service covers all of this, and it is the difference between a one-off treatment and a problem that keeps returning every year.
In the garden, move bird feeders away from the house or stop feeding for a while, use rat-resistant compost bins, keep the space under sheds and decking clear, and store bins with the lids closed.
Rats don’t respect fences, so if they are coming from a neighbour’s garden, treating just your side rarely works for long. Where we can, we speak to neighbours and look at the wider area. Some local councils offer a pest control service, but it is often limited or charged, and it may not include proofing. In rented homes, rats getting in through structural defects or drains are usually the landlord’s responsibility, so let your landlord or agent know straight away.
For restaurants, shops and other businesses, our commercial pest control contracts keep rats under control with regular visits. We cover the whole of Bexley and South London, including Lewisham. If the droppings you are finding are small, like grains of rice, you are more likely dealing with mice, and our mice control page is the better place to start. For an overview of all rodent problems, see our rodent control page.
It depends on where the rats are, how established the problem is, the size of the property and whether proofing or drain work is needed. Call us with a few details and we will give you an estimate over the phone.
Rats can carry diseases such as leptospirosis, which causes Weil’s disease, and they contaminate areas with urine and droppings. Keep children and pets away from burrows and droppings, and wash hands after gardening. We plan every treatment around the people and pets at the property.
It is rare, but it can happen when there is a defect in the drainage system. If you see signs of rats in the bathroom, keep the lid down and have the drains checked.
Not if they have food, water and shelter. Rats breed quickly, and a small problem left alone usually becomes a larger one within a few weeks.
Most rat treatments are completed over three visits. A small garden problem can clear quickly, while an infestation linked to drains or a building can take longer. You will get a realistic timescale after the first inspection.
Rentokil-trained and Level 2 certified, so you know you’re in safe hands.
We don’t just show up, treat, and leave. We walk you through exactly what we found, why it happened, and what we’re doing to fix it.
Pests don’t work 9 to 5, and neither do we. We’re available when you need us most.
We are Level 2 certified technicians, fully insured, and members of BPCA, BASIS Prompt and RSPH. You’re in safe, qualified hands.
Hundreds of satisfied clients across South London have trusted us to get the job done right, and we back every job with a satisfaction guarantee.
We’re not a faceless national company. We’re local, we care about our community, and we treat every property as if it were our own.
Call us or fill out the contact form. We’ll assess your situation and give you a straight, honest estimate over the phone.
Our technician visits your property, carries out a thorough on-site inspection, and begins treatment right away.
We carry out a 3-visit treatment programme to make sure the problem is fully resolved, not just temporarily patched.
Job done. Your property is protected, and you’ll know exactly what was done and why every step of the way.
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Rodent proofing specialists
