The Environmental Protection team has specific legal powers within the Prevention of Damage by Pests Act 1949, to take steps to ensure that owners and occupiers of land keep their land free from large numbers of rats and mice. The legislation provides the Council with powers to require the owner or occupier of land infested by rats or mice to take any steps that are deemed to be necessary to deal with the infestation.
If you believe that a property that is not your own is infested with rats or mice, please contact the Environmental protection team on 01225 477551
If a complaint is received, an officer will inspect the alleged offending premises to assess the following:
- Any food source that maybe encouraging vermin
- Any form of harbourage (nesting) for vermin
If either of the above evidence is present at time of visit, the officer may formally require the property owner or occupier to remove such items.
Issues that would generally not be enforceable for the team under the above legislation include overgrown gardens or build-up of inert waste (such as fridges, car parts, builders rubble, scrap iron, broken glass)
When making a complaint we will need the following information from you:
- Your names, full address, telephone number
- Address of the problem property or land and exact location of the rubbish or waste
- Whether the problem property is vacant or occupied
- What the rubbish and waste consists of.
Please note that the environmental protection team DOES NOT:
- Investigate anonymous complaints
- Bait on public land
- Investigate complaints where the source of the infestation is unknown.
- Investigate complaints of improper display of rubbish for collection or littering – please report this issue to Council Connect on 01225 394041 to refer to cleansing enforcement department.
If you would like to book a pest control treatment on your property, please contact Pest Control on 01225 396007. Please note there is a charge for a treatment.
Click on Rat Treatment to go to our Pest Control page.
