Pest control

Cancellation fees

There’s a cost of £23.91 for cancellation of a pest control visit with less than 24 hours’ notice. If it’s a cancellation of a rodent (rats and mice) visit we’ll treat it as the second or third visit.

There’s a cost of £25.50 for cancellation of a pest control visit with less than 24 hours’ notice.

If it’s a cancellation of a rodent (rats, mice and squirrels) visit then we will treat it as the second or third visit.

Rats are active at night and usually hide from humans.

Typical signs to look for in the home:

• scratching noises – rats make scratching noises that you can hear from within walls, under the floor, under decking and in attics
• droppings – you usually find droppings around food sources – droppings are small, capsule shaped, black and glossy
• grease marks – you find these along beams and rafters (caused by a rat’s greasy fur) and gnawing marks on boxes and wiring
• distinctive smell – rats leave an ammonia-like smell that is particularly strong in enclosed areas
• damage – rats have teeth that grow continuously and gnaw on wood and plastic to keep them trim – rats tear open all types of packaging to find food
• nests – rats build nests in warm, hidden places using shredded material such as newspaper, plastic and fabrics
• burrows – rats dig burrows in gardens, especially in compost heaps or under sheds – they also build nests under garden decking

If you have rats in your home or business it is very serious.

We survey the property and find out where the rats are coming from. We use the best methods for getting rid of rats, normally a mix of traps and poison. We’ll also tell you how to prevent the rats from coming back.

One treatment includes three visits. You must complete all three visits within 12 weeks for the treatment to work.

We survey the property and find out where the mice are coming from. We use the best methods for getting rid of mice, normally a mix of poisons and traps. We’ll also tell you how to prevent the mice from coming back.

One treatment includes three visits. You must complete all three visits within 12 weeks for the treatment to work.

For commercial, larger or more complex properties, contact us for a quote.

Bed bugs are flat, oval shaped insects about 5mm long. They’re brown in colour but can become red after feeding. Their eggs are white with a cap, but are tiny and hard to see.

Bed bugs live in tiny cracks of bed frames and furniture during the day, coming out to feed at night. They may leave small dark spots of droppings on bed linen, but the most obvious giveaway is the itchy bite.

Treatment for bed bugs

We visit your home, check for bed bugs, identify the best treatment and get rid of them with insecticides. Before our pest control officers arrive, you should strip the bedding from your bed.

Cockroaches are large insects which range in size from 10mm to 23mm they have a long antennae and two pairs of wings.

Their eating habits can expose humans to dangerous diseases.

The two most common cockroaches in the UK are the:

• Oriental cockroach
• German cockroach

Treatment for cockroaches

Treatment of cockroaches is complex. You need professional help to deal with a cockroach infestation.

We visit your home or business, assess the problem and use the right treatment to get rid of the cockroaches. We also offer you advice on how to prevent them from coming back.

For every flea that you see on your pet, there are likely to be hundreds of eggs and larvae in your home. Fleas bite people and pets.

Treatment for fleas

We assess the situation and deliver the most appropriate treatment.

Prevention and control of fleas

Follow the steps below to help prevent fleas from coming back.

1. Shampoo – flea and tick shampoos help to rid a pet of fleas and ticks it already has on it, although some have residual activity. Work the shampoo in over the entire body and then leave it on for at least 10 minutes before you rinse it off. Shampoos often contain pyrethrins.
2. Vacuum –  pet bedding and upholstery should be thoroughly vacuumed and where possible washed, paying attention to carpet or floor edges.
3. Wash – wash pet bedding every week, preferably at a temperature of 50°C to kill fleas (but more importantly in line with the care labels).
4. Spray – you should treat the infested areas with an insecticide spray formulated for fleas. Once you have sprayed the areas you should leave them for 10 days before vacuuming thoroughly and repeating the treatment.
5. Repeat – insecticide will kill only adult fleas; it does not kill flea eggs, and this is why you may need to repeat the treatment more than once for it to work.

The pharaoh ant is small (around 2mm) and yellow or light brown in colour.

They feed on high protein and sweet foods, and live in colonies which range in size from a few dozen to 300,000 ants.

Colonies consist of:

• workers (sterile females)
• fertile males and queens

Treatment for pharaoh ants

We assess the situation and deliver the most appropriate treatment.

Wasps deliver a nasty sting which can be serious if you’re allergic to them. If you notice many in your home, it’s likely that there is a nest nearby.

Treatment for wasp nests

We provide a full service for the treatment of wasp nests.

We visit the property and confirm that it’s a wasps’ nest. If we can get access to the nest, we spray insecticides into it which will kill the wasps, larvae and queen. We won’t remove the nest, as this could damage your property.

• don’t use fertilisers like blood, fish and bone as the smell attracts foxes
• ensure that domestic waste in plastic bags are not stored outside unless you keep the bags in a secure container, and put plastic bags out for removal only on the day of collection
• don’t hand feed foxes or leave food out for them
• use bird feeders on a high bird table or feeder rather than leaving scraps on the ground
• ensure air bricks under your house are in good repair and use weld mesh to proof gaps below garden sheds
• make sure that you keep small pets or chickens are in strong hutches or enclosures and that foxes cannot dig their way in
• install a secure fence at least 2m high – the fence should have a 30cm overhang at the top and a depth of at least 45cm into the ground
• use commercial animal repellents which use smells to encourage foxes to leave the area – only approved products can be legally used and you must use them under the manufacturer’s instructions

The Fox Project provides further advice on fox deterrence. You can call on 01892 824 111.

We have no statutory duty to take action against seagulls.

Only the owner of a building or occupier can take action against seagulls nesting on it, or they can give someone else permission to do it.

We discourage members of the public from trying to kill seagulls which nest on their property. Only licensed contractors are legally allowed to kill certain species of gulls.

Preventing seagulls on your rooftop

The best method of preventing seagulls on your rooftop is to make changes to the surfaces on the roof so the seagulls no longer want to roost there.

If seagulls have built a nest on your roof, you should make it gull proof outside the nesting season – interfering with their nests may be illegal. Seagulls are powerful, so proofing can be difficult and dangerous.

You should contact a specialised seagull pest control company:

• British Pest Control Association
• National Pest Technicians Association

Consider a pest control contract with us. Call us on 020 8356 6688.

We can get rid of a pest infestation and advise on pest proofing.

We provide detailed reports that include:

• the pesticide used
• the inspected areas or rooms
• any pest evidence and what that evidence is
• any recommended action you to take

• seal or protect all gaps in the external fabric of the building including holes around pipework through walls, gaps under and around external doors –  do not seal air bricks but do cover them with insect proof mesh
• protect doors or windows left open for ventilation with fly screens
• install electronic fly killers (away from open food) the unit should be regularly maintained and bulbs replaced at least every 12 months
• keep all parts of the premises and yard areas clean
• check gullies and drain covers to make sure they’re not broken
• empty bins frequently and keep lids on
  clean and disinfect bins and yards regularly to remove spillages – the areas need to have good drainage that is in good condition
• never leave bags or boxes of rubbish outside unprotected
• check food products on delivery for signs of infestation and rotate stock regularly
• store foods off the floor
• make sure all staff are vigilant and look daily for evidence of pests