Rat Control & Rat Removal Across the East Midlands

Which rats do we deal with in the East Midlands?

Almost every rat job in Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Lincolnshire is the brown rat (Rattus norvegicus), also called the common or Norway rat. It's a strong swimmer, a good climber and a burrower. It lives in sewers, under sheds and decking, along hedge lines and in compost heaps, and moves indoors when it finds a way in, especially as food outside gets scarce in autumn and winter.

Rats breed quickly. A female can have several litters a year, so a couple of rats seen in spring can become an established colony by the end of summer. Their front teeth never stop growing, so they gnaw constantly: on wood, plastic pipes, insulation and electrical cables. Chewed wiring is a real fire risk.

They also carry disease. The NHS lists rat urine as the main source of leptospirosis (Weil's disease) in the UK, and rats can spread salmonella onto food and worktops. That's why we treat rats indoors quickly and why we ask you to keep children and pets away from any area where rats have been active until it's been cleaned.

How we get rid of rats

Every job starts with a survey. The technician checks the loft, under the kitchen units, the boiler cupboard, the outside walls, air bricks, the garden and, where it's relevant, the manholes. We're looking for droppings, runs, gnawing and grease marks so we can find where the rats are living and how they're getting in. Finding the entry point matters more than anything else: treat the rats without closing the gap and new ones move in.

Treatment is with professional rodenticide in locked, tamper-resistant bait stations, secured so children, pets and wildlife can't get at the bait. Where poison isn't suitable, for example in a kitchen, near pets or for a single rat indoors, we use traps instead. We record where every station is placed.

We then come back for follow-up visits to check the bait take, top up or move stations, and remove the stations and any dead rats we can reach once activity stops. Most domestic rat jobs take two to three weeks from first visit to sign-off. The follow-up visits are included in the price.

Rodenticide stewardship: why we don't just leave poison down

Professional rodenticides in the UK are sold under the UK Rodenticide Stewardship Regime, run by the Campaign for Responsible Rodenticide Use (CRRU). Its code says bait should only be used where there's an active infestation, should be protected from children, pets and non-target animals, and should be removed when the treatment is finished. Permanent baiting isn't the default.

That matters for wildlife. Barn owls, red kites and other birds of prey can be poisoned by eating rats that have taken bait. So we search for and remove carcasses where we can, use the least bait that will do the job, and take everything away at the end.

Does the council deal with rats?

Under the Prevention of Damage by Pests Act 1949, local councils have a duty to keep their district free of rats and mice as far as practicable, and they can serve notice on the owner or occupier of land to deal with an infestation. That doesn't mean they treat your home for free. Many councils now charge for rat treatments, some only offer advice, and waiting times vary. Check your council's website for what it offers.

If your rats are coming from a neighbour's property or a public drain, tell us. We'll treat your side, show you where the problem is coming from and tell you who to report it to.

What our customers say

“Absolutely amazing service. Returned from a long holiday to find rats had gotten into my house. These guys came the next day (I didn't call until 4pm) and did a follow up visit today. Very helpful and extremely thorough. Highly recommended” — Sarah, September 2025, Google review.

If the rats are coming up from the drains, we can arrange a CCTV drain survey through our sister company, Urgent Drainage Solutions. See our rats in drains page for how that works.