Rats are the most damaging pest a UK property owner can have. They chew through cables, gnaw structural timbers, contaminate food storage, foul insulation and carry diseases that are notifiable to public health. JG Pest Control treat rat infestations across the whole of the UK, with same-day cover in major cities, 24-hour response across the rest of mainland Britain, and every job carried out by a BPCA Level 2 Certified Technician.
This is the JG hub for rat problems in the UK. It covers identification, behaviour, the signs you should never ignore, the legal duties for landlords and business owners, and exactly what we do to clear an infestation. If you have heard noises in the loft or seen droppings near the bins, call 0330 053 9002 for a free phone diagnosis.
FAST, DISCREET RAT CONTROL, GUARANTEED.
About Rats in the UK
There are two rat species established in the UK. The brown rat (Rattus norvegicus, also called the Norway rat or common rat) accounts for the overwhelming majority of UK infestations. Adults are 20 to 27 cm long in body, with a thick tail roughly the same length, weighing 200 to 500 g. Coats are brown to grey above, paler below. Brown rats are excellent burrowers and swimmers, nesting in sewer systems, drains, watercourses, garden compost heaps, decking voids, sheds and loft spaces.
The black rat (Rattus rattus, the ship rat) is now rare in the UK and largely confined to a handful of port and dockland locations. It is smaller, blacker, with larger ears and longer tail, and is a climber rather than a burrower.
A brown rat reaches sexual maturity at 5 weeks. A breeding pair can produce 4 to 6 litters of 6 to 12 pups a year. That is why a sighting of “just one rat” is almost always the visible edge of a much larger problem. UK rat activity is year-round, with autumn (October to December) producing the biggest surge in indoor calls as outdoor rats look for warm overwintering sites.
Rat Quick Facts
- Brown rat is the main UK species
- Body 20 to 27 cm, tail similar length
- Excellent swimmers, climbers and burrowers
- Sexually mature at 5 weeks
- Carries Weil’s disease, Salmonella, hantavirus
- Chews lead pipe, brick mortar and electrical cable
Suspect rats? For BPCA Level 2 Certified rat control and a free phone quote, call 0330 053 9002
Why Rats are a Problem
Rats damage property and they spread disease. Both are serious.
On the property side, rat incisors grow continuously and rats must gnaw constantly to keep them in check. UK loss adjuster data routinely links rats to chewed electrical cabling (and the resulting fires), chewed plastic pipework and water leaks, gnawed structural timber, fouled loft insulation, and damaged stored goods. A single family of rats in a loft can write off the insulation in a few months.
On the health side, brown rats are reservoirs for Leptospira (Weil’s disease, potentially fatal), Salmonella, Campylobacter, hantavirus and a long list of other zoonotic infections. Transmission is via urine, droppings or contaminated water. For any food business this is a Food Standards Agency issue with the potential to shut the business down. For households with vulnerable occupants the risk is real even if statistically small.
For landlords there are clear legal duties under the Prevention of Damage by Pests Act 1949, which requires occupiers to report rat or mouse infestations to the local authority, and under the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018, which requires let property to be free of significant pest infestations. Persistent rat problems in let property are increasingly being treated as fitness failures by environmental health teams. JG provide written treatment reports suitable for those records.
Signs of an Infestation
- Droppings (15 to 20 mm, sausage-shaped, dark)
- Scratching or scurrying noises in lofts and wall cavities, mainly at night
- Smear marks (greasy fur trails) along skirting and pipework
- Gnawed cable, pipe lagging, food packaging or door bottoms
- Burrows 50 to 100 mm wide near compost, sheds and decking
- Strong, musky ammonia smell in confined spaces
- Disturbed loft insulation, displaced into nest mounds
Professional vs DIY: Why Shop-Bought Baits Rarely Solve It
The DIY rat trap aisle is full of products that will catch a rat. The harder problem is the population behind that rat, the entry route the rats are using, and the ongoing biosecurity to stop the next group moving in. None of those are addressed by a snap trap from the garden centre.
Consumer rodenticide blocks sold in the UK have also been progressively restricted. The most effective second-generation anticoagulants are now subject to the UK Stewardship Regime, requiring a CRRU-certified or BPCA-qualified professional, and many of the strongest products are no longer legally available for amateur use. The shop-bought blocks that remain are weaker, slower, and prone to producing bait-shy survivors when used without a proper protocol.
Professional rat control is a survey, a treatment, and a proofing job, not just a trap. We map the population, identify and seal the entry points (rats only need a 25 mm gap), apply legal, properly chosen rodenticide in tamper-resistant bait stations where appropriate, monitor consumption, and confirm zero activity before sign-off. On commercial premises and food businesses, a documented routine monitoring contract is the only way to satisfy auditors.
What JG Will Do
- Internal and external survey to find entry points
- Legal, properly chosen rodenticide in tamper-resistant stations
- Trapping where bait is not appropriate
- Proofing recommendations and quoted proofing work
- Drain surveys and CCTV where indicated
- Written report for landlords, agents and FSA records
- Guarantee in writing
For BPCA Level 2 Certified rat control and a free quote, call JG Pest Control on 0330 053 9002
Our Rat Treatment Process
- Phone diagnosis. A free 5 to 10 minute call to confirm the likely problem and book a survey. For most domestic jobs we can give an indicative price over the phone.
- Survey visit. A BPCA Level 2 Certified Technician inspects inside and out: loft, sub-floor, drains, garden, outbuildings. Entry routes are mapped and graded by priority.
- Treatment plan. The right mix of trapping, rodenticide in tamper-resistant bait stations, and proofing. For commercial and food premises this includes documentation that meets BRC, SALSA and FSA audit requirements.
- Treatment visits. Domestic rat jobs typically run 3 visits over 4 to 6 weeks: install, mid-point check, sign-off. Complex sites or multi-property infestations run longer.
- Proofing. The most effective rat control is preventing re-entry. We quote and carry out proofing work (mesh, brick repointing, drain caps, gap sealing) to industry standards.
- Guarantee. Every treatment is fully guaranteed in writing. If activity returns within the cover period we come back at no additional cost.
Related Services and Local Coverage
JG run rat treatments across the entire UK, with same-day cover available in major cities and a 24-hour response everywhere else.
Related rat and rodent services:
City coverage examples:
- Pest control in London
- Pest control in Essex
- Pest control in Manchester
- Pest control in Sheffield
- Pest control in Newcastle
- Pest control in Bristol
Not listed? Call 0330 053 9002 . We cover the whole of mainland UK and can usually be on site within 24 hours.
Trusted by 23,000+ Trustpilot reviewers, rated 4.8 out of 5. BPCA Level 2 Certified Technicians on every job.
Open early, late, every weekend, every bank holiday (except Christmas Day). Call 0330 053 9002
Recent Rat Work
- Domestic loft and sub-floor infestations
- Garden burrows beside decking, sheds and compost
- Drain-route infestations into bathroom voids
- HMOs, blocks of flats and student housing
- Restaurants, takeaways and food production sites
- Warehouses, farms and rural commercial sites
Why Choose JG Pest Control
- Same-day or 24-hour response across mainland UK
- Open every weekend and every bank holiday except Christmas Day
- BPCA Level 2 Certified Technicians on every job
- Full CRRU-compliant rodenticide stewardship
- Drain surveys, proofing and ongoing monitoring contracts
- Trusted by 23,000+ Trustpilot reviewers, rated 4.8 out of 5
- Founded in 2010, 15+ years of UK rat control
- Written guarantee on every treatment
Frequently Asked Questions: Rats
How quickly can you get to me?
Same-day cover is standard across London, Manchester, Sheffield, Bristol, Newcastle and Essex. Anywhere else in mainland UK we aim to be on site within 24 hours. Out of hours our national line on 0330 053 9002 rolls 24/7.
Are you available weekends and bank holidays?
Yes. JG Pest Control is open every weekend, every bank holiday except Christmas Day, with the phone line staffed early in the morning through to late in the evening. Rats in a loft do not wait for Monday morning, and neither do we.
Will the rat poison harm my pets or wildlife?
Professionally applied rodenticide is placed in lockable, tamper-resistant bait stations that are inaccessible to pets, children and non-target wildlife. We follow the UK Rodenticide Stewardship Regime, which exists specifically to minimise non-target poisoning. Where pets, livestock or sensitive wildlife are at higher risk, we use trapping rather than bait.
Do I need to leave the property?
No. Rat treatments do not require you to vacate. The work is done in lofts, sub-floor voids, gardens and out-buildings, with bait stations placed where you would not normally go.
How much does rat treatment cost?
Domestic rat treatments are usually a fixed package price for the survey, treatment visits and sign-off, agreed up front after the phone diagnosis. Commercial and complex sites are priced after a free survey. Call 0330 053 9002 .
How can rats be getting in? My house is sealed.
Rats only need a 25 mm gap (about the diameter of a one-pound coin). The most common entry routes we find are damaged airbricks, broken or missing drain caps, cracked render around service pipes, gaps under garage doors and gnawed weep vents. The survey identifies them and the proofing programme seals them.
How long until the rats are gone?
Most domestic rat jobs are resolved over 3 visits across 4 to 6 weeks. Larger or more entrenched infestations take longer. We do not sign a job off until consumption has stopped and there is zero new activity.
I am a landlord. Do you provide reports for environmental health?
Yes. A written treatment report on JG Pest Control letterhead is issued after every job, suitable for environmental health, managing agent and insurance records. Multi-property and account terms are available.
Are your technicians qualified?
Every job is carried out by a BPCA Level 2 Certified Technician, the recognised UK industry qualification for pest management. JG Pest Control was founded in 2010 and has been treating rats across the UK for more than 15 years.
For same-day rat control and a free phone quote, call JG Pest Control on 0330 053 9002
