Bats and their roosts are strictly protected by law - but the droppings (guano) they leave in lofts can be professionally cleaned, safely and legally, and that is a job we do. JG Pest Control never disturbs bats or roosts; we deal with the mess, the contaminated insulation and the smell, working within the legal framework. We are open every day except Christmas Day, early until late.
First, the law - because it shapes everything
All UK bat species and their roosts are protected. It is an offence to harm bats, block their access, or damage a roost - even an unoccupied one, and even unintentionally during building or cleaning work. That means no pest control company can lawfully “remove bats”, and you should be wary of anyone who offers to. What CAN be done: cleaning up droppings in a way that does not disturb the bats or alter the roost, ideally timed when the bats are absent, with advice from the national bat advice service or the licensing authority where the situation needs it. We work within those rules, and we will tell you when a job needs licensed ecological input first.
Is bat guano dangerous?
Mostly it is unpleasant rather than dangerous: bat droppings are dry, crumbly (they sparkle slightly with insect fragments - a handy way to tell them from mouse droppings, which are hard and smooth), and the main day-to-day issues are smell, staining and contaminated insulation. As with any accumulation of animal droppings, disturbing it dry can release dust and the rare-but-real possibility of fungal and bacterial contamination, so large deposits deserve protective equipment, damping-down and proper filtration rather than a dustpan and an open hatch. That is exactly the kit and method our biohazard-trained teams use.
What our cleaning service covers
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Assessment first
confirming the droppings are bat (not mouse or rat - a common confusion with real consequences), the scale of the deposit, and whether the roost timing or licensing position needs checking before work.
- Safe removal of guano from lofts, voids and surfaces using respiratory protection, suppression and HEPA filtration.
- Removal and replacement of contaminated loft insulation - heavily soiled insulation is rarely worth saving; see our loft insulation removal and replacement service.
- Sanitisation and odour treatment of the cleared areas, through our specialist biohazard cleaning team.
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What we will not do
exclude bats, block access points, or carry out work that would disturb a roost. Where you want changes to the roost itself, that is a licensing matter and we will point you to the right route.
Bats or mice? Check before you assume
Half the “bat problems” we are asked about turn out to be rodents. Bat droppings crumble to dust between finger and thumb (wear gloves) and contain shiny insect fragments; mouse droppings smear or stay waxy-hard, and come with gnawing, scurrying and nest material. If it is rodents, that is a straightforward job for our mouse control team - and unlike bats, mice are not protected.
Frequently asked questions
No - bats and their roosts are legally protected, and no pest controller can lawfully remove or exclude them. What we can do is clean the droppings safely and legally, replace contaminated insulation, and point you to the licensing route for anything affecting the roost itself.
Yes, provided the work does not disturb bats or damage the roost - which in practice means careful methods and sensible timing, often when bats are absent. We advise honestly when a situation needs guidance from the national bat advice service first.
Large or long-standing deposits can release dust and carry contamination risks when disturbed, so they justify protective equipment and filtration. Small scatterings are mainly a cleaning nuisance. Either way, do not sweep it dry.
Bat droppings crumble to glittery dust; mouse droppings are hard or waxy and smear. Gnawing and scurrying noises point to rodents. We confirm before any work, because the two problems have completely different rules.
Yes - removing contaminated insulation, sanitising the loft and refitting new insulation is one of our established services, carried out without disturbing the bats or their access.