The British Pest Control Association (BPCA) has identified the eight most popular pests according to local authority call-out figures. Most councils offer some pest control services. This differs depending on where you live. Here are the treatments and charges for Chiswick: London Borough of
Hounslow or London Borough of
Ealing.
What are the most common pests and what should you do if your property is affected?
Rats and Mice
The problem: Rats and mice carry diseases and can inflict a great amount of structural damage. They can cause serious fires by gnawing away the insulation around electrical cables, floods by puncturing pipes and even death by chewing through gas pipes. The insurance sector has estimated that rodent damage to wiring is responsible for 25% of all electrical fires in buildings.
Property owners have a legal obligation under the Prevention of Damage by Pests Act 1949 to keep premises rat and mice free, or, if they pose a threat to health or property, to report infestations to the local authority.
Treatment: It is recommended you contact a professional pest control company, which will have access to a range of professional use rodenticides which are not available to the public.
Wasps
The problem: Wasps will attack and sting, sometimes unprovoked but usually if threatened. This is a risk and a cause for concern, particularly if you have small children or pets in your property.
Treatment: To get rid of wasps you do
not need to remove the nest, but you do need to treat it - make sure you use a trained professional for safety reasons.
Flies
The problem: Flies can cause food poisoning and more serious illnesses.
Treatment: Windows may be fitted with fly screens. Dustbins should be sited away from doors and windows, have tight-fitting lids and be sprayed or dusted inside and beneath with a household insecticide in warm weather. Fly killer aerosols will kill flies quickly, and sticky fly papers are also available.
Ants
The problem: Although ants aren’t thought to carry diseases they can cause nuisance and can bring in pollutants from outdoors in their search for food.
Treatment: First, find the nest entrances. These are indicated by small piles of earth pellets or can be located by watching the ants moving back and forth from nest to food. Pouring a kettle of boiling water over the nest site is a first-aid measure. You can buy products over the counter to deal with the issue. Some cause the workers to destroy their own nests, for example, sugar based liquid bait.
Bed Bugs
The problem: They are not attracted to dirt, so a bed bug infestation is not a sign of an unclean home, nor do they carry diseases, but they do bite. Bites cause red, irritating marks/ lumps and some people develop a more severe skin reaction. Avoid buying second-hand mattresses and old beds.
If you provide a furnished home check the bedrooms thoroughly between tenancies. Be prepared to throw away a mattress if it appears to be infested.
Treatment: For a suspected bed bug infestation act immediately by contacting a professional pest control company. Self-treatment of a bed bug infestation is unlikely to be successful.
Cockroaches
The problem: Cockroaches can cause food poisoning and more serious illnesses.
Treatment: Control of cockroaches is seldom easy because of the difficulty of getting the insecticide to the insect.
Professionals are trained in cockroach control and will have access to a range of professional use insecticides which are not available to the public. If you decide to carry out the work yourself, amateur-use insecticides are available from hardware stores.
Birds
The problem: Birds carry a variety of diseases including Listeria and E-coli that can be transmitted to people from the droppings as well as the birds themselves. Bird droppings are acidic and can corrode/erode metals, stonework and brickwork. Nesting materials can block chimneys, flues and guttering, causing possible issues with carbon monoxide and damage to buildings.
Closely linked to bird activity (such as nesting) are parasites such as mites, ticks, fleas and beetles. If you have a current or past problem with birds and have done nothing, you may find you’ll suffer from a parasite infestation too.
Treatment: Prevention can be better than a cure in the case of birds, with methods such as barriers, spikes, nets and wire, as well as shock strips, audible scarers and optical gels etc.
What do I do next? Will the council help me?
The local authorities for the W4 area outline what they will treat – and outline their fees and charges (see links above). Some councils will carry out some works for free, for example, treatment of rats and mice.
If they do not treat the pests you have identified, you will need to contact a private contractor. Trade associations such as the
British Pest Control Association can help find someone in your local area.
Landlords must inform tenants of pest control visits and likewise, tenants must inform landlords.
