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 →We help homeowners, landlords and accommodation owners with careful rat control, from the first inspection through to proofing and advice on what is attracting them.
Why accommodation and older buildings need extra care
Torquay is a Torbay resort town with seafront hotels, guest houses and holiday lets, as well as many older converted properties. Converted buildings often have hidden voids, old pipe runs and gaps where services enter, which are ideal routes for rats once they get close.
Busy kitchens and bin stores add to the pull. Guests leave food waste, bins fill quickly in the season, and bags can be left outside overnight. None of that means a business is doing anything wrong. It just means the routine around waste needs to be tight, and we can help you set that up.
Steep streets, gardens and what lives in them
Away from the front, Torquay's steep streets and terraced gardens give rats banks, walls and overgrown corners to burrow in. We often find runs under sheds, decking and dense planting, and nests in lofts or cavities reached along pipes and cables.
Our inspection covers both the property and the outside space. We will show you what we find, explain where the rats are coming and going, and agree a plan. Treatment is safe and controlled, with pets, children and guests kept in mind throughout the visit.
Keeping rats out once they are gone
After treatment, proofing matters just as much. We seal or recommend repairs to gaps we have found, and suggest practical habits: lidded bins, no food waste left outside overnight, and tidy storage areas. We cover Torquay across the TQ1 and TQ2 postcodes, and we also cover Paignton, Cockington and Maidencombe. Get in touch and tell us what you have noticed.
Frequently asked questions
I run a guest house in Torquay. Will you work discreetly?
Yes. We understand guests should not be alarmed, so we plan visits around your routine where we can and keep the work tidy. We will explain clearly what we find and what it will take to resolve.
Why are there rats near the seafront bins?
Overflowing or open bins offer an easy meal, and rats will visit again and again if food is available. Good waste storage and regular collection help, and we can advise on what suits your premises.
How long does it take to clear rats?
It varies with how long the activity has been going on and how many entry points there are. Often it takes a few visits to treat, check and proof. We will give you an honest idea once we have inspected.