Advice
Signs of Rats in Your Home or Garden and What to Do
Rats are secretive and mostly active at night, so the signs they leave behind are often the first and clearest way to know they are there.
Read the guide →Our technician starts by working out where the rats are living, how they are getting in and what is drawing them to the property. Treatment then follows in a careful, controlled way that keeps children and pets safe.
Why rats turn up in a city like Exeter
Exeter is a busy cathedral city on the River Exe, with long runs of terraced streets, student lets, newer estates and a lively centre. Where homes and food businesses sit close together, there are plenty of bins, shared alleys and older drains, and rats move along all of them without being noticed.
In terraces, a gap round a pipe or a cracked drain run can serve a whole row. In rented properties, a pile of rubbish left out between tenancies can be enough to bring rats in. We often find the cause is a few doors away, so we look at the wider picture, not only your own front door.
What happens on a visit
We begin with an inspection inside and out. That means the loft, under floors, kitchen and utility areas, the garden, sheds, compost and the drains. We look for droppings, gnawed cables or pipes, runs along walls and burrows, then explain what we have found in plain terms.
Baiting and trapping are used in a safe, controlled way, placed where rats travel and where pets and children cannot reach. We then block the entry points we have found and talk through what to change, such as sealed bins, tidied garden waste and covered compost, so the problem is less likely to return. Around Exeter, we treat each address on its own merits.
Covering Exeter and the villages around
We cover Exeter across the EX1 to EX4 postcodes, for both householders and commercial customers such as restaurants, takeaways, landlords and managing agents. We also cover Topsham, Crediton and Whimple. If you are not sure the noises you can hear are rats, describe what you are seeing and we will help you work out the next step.
Frequently asked questions
How do I tell rats from mice in my Exeter house?
Rat droppings are larger than mouse droppings, and rats leave greasy runs along walls and gnaw thicker items such as pipes and cables. Noises tend to be heavier, usually at night. If you are unsure, we can inspect and confirm which pest you have.
Will you need to come into my loft or garden?
Usually yes. Rats nest in lofts, under floors, in sheds and in burrows in gardens, so we check all of those. It lets us find the real entry points and place treatment where it will work, rather than guessing from one room.
I rent in Exeter. Who deals with rats?
It depends on your tenancy agreement and where the rats are living, so check with your landlord or agent first. We work with tenants, landlords and letting agents, and can explain what we find so everyone knows what needs fixing.