I personally would like to thank all of my customers whom chose to use my services to deal with their pest problems in 2023. While I have over 30 years industry experience, am fully certificated and am a member of various associations which require CPD and continuous training ‘RATTRAXS’ is a new company.

There are more well established companies on the search engines and quite often customers will have to sift through to find me, so thank you for choosing me above others. I try to provide the ‘Pest Control taken personally’ approach and I hope this has been conveyed to all my customers.

Reviews are important, I am extremely grateful to those who thought my services were worthy enough and were happy to post reviews about the service they have received from ‘Rattraxs’

So, thank you all once again, thank you for choosing ‘Rattraxs’ and myself. Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas, a Happy New Year and a Healthy, Wealthy 2024.

Darron Pearce (MRSPH) Member of the Royal Society For Public Health

For and on behalf of ‘Rattraxs Pest Control Services

To become a BPCA servicing member (Registered Pest Controller) you have to meet the the highest of standards. You as a technician are checked, the company you work for are checked and everything has to be correct. Ultimately they are there to ensure that we as pest controllers are doing our work correctly, not only the parts the customer sees but also all behind the scenes details from paperwork, environmental assessments to correct storage and disposal to name a few. Myself and my company proudly display the BPCA logo to display that we only work to the standards expected.

Being a servicing BPCA Member also comes with many benefits and more importantly constant industry updates and training in the form of courses, CPD opportunities, webinars and forums. I was recently asked to provide a talk at one of their forums in Manchester in front of a good sized audience consisting of fellow pest controllers. I have never done anything like this and embraced the opportunity, albeit nervously but hey, it was my first one..

There are many pest controllers out there who do not have a specialist area of control and will carry out treatments for all pest problems from Bed bugs to Feral Pigeon control, then there are pest technicians whom prefer to have there own specific avenues like Mole or Rabbit Control or Solar Panel Proofing against Birds. These areas are deemed more specialist areas. The area I was drawn to in my training days more than any was Rats and Sewers, the way rats breach properties and gain entry into our homes allowing them to invade our personal space and take advantage of the way we live. A Commensal Rodent, ‘To feed of mans table’

I was asked to carry out a talk on my area on expertise, to give a brief talk on my knowledge and gained experience, As a NADC certified Surveyor I was to explain how various drainage systems can affect the way rats could enter properties and what defects could be seen by the trained eye in assisting technicians to identify areas of concern within the drainage systems. This is not to imply that some pest controllers are ignorant to rats and drainage, I am still amazed when watching a good mole trapper, there is a genuine art to what they do. In many cases it really is each to our own in regards to prefered areas of control.

I must have make a good impression, my feed back was 9.36 out of 10, I received some great comments and some questions were asked. More importantly I have been asked to do several more talks in 2024 which is a fantastic opportunity for myself and my company.

This is another way in which being a member of the BPCA has its benefits not only for myself and the customer but it allows pest controllers whom usually compete for work to gather knowledge and skills from each other in a friendly and supportive environment. Thank you ‘The British Pest Control Association’ for giving me this opportunity.

**Rattraxs Pest Control are equipped, qualified and certified to carry out CCTV drainage surveys to attempt to identify drainage defects and issues. We do not carry out repairs or quote for repairs. In the event defects are noted within the drainage system we can advise a method to resolve the issue and will assist the customer in arranging works going forward if required.**

If you would like to contact us for advice, to ask a question or to book a call please click here.

Octobers most awkward job goes to a customer with Solar Panels in Rushden, Northants… Or should i say Pigeons under solar panels. (The customer was lovely, the job, not so much.)

Give me a Rat any day over a Pigeon, Pigeons are just filthy animals in my opinion especially when they’ve taken up to tucking themselves close up behind solar panels. Even though the panels were not too raised from the roof tiles the birds had managed to nest under every panel on the top row.

Over time some of the birds had expired either through natural causes or the fact that they were to big and got stuck, there was a large build up of corpses, feathers and Pigeon mess. Oh, and they stank vile. The rain water gutter at the font of the property was full to brimming with bird waste to the extent that every time it rained the gutter served no purpose and pigeon mess was splashing on to the public footpath below. Something had to be done.

Access to the roof was simple from the rear but the main problem panels were on the front. Due to limited access scaffolding was not a option, there was no working access for a cherry picker without a road closure so that was out of the question. So ladder work and harnesses it was.

Health and Safety is paramount. You can never remove the risk but you can minimise it. Which we did, nonetheless this was one of those jobs where you most definitely had to have your wits about you. On our attendance dare it was noted that there were not roosting pigeons under the panels, all of the birds had left as soon as we started our assent to the apex.

Solar Panel proofing is not a difficult thing to do normally but this one was just on its own. It took hours, limited working access meant constant ladder and harness relocation, cleaning down was slow as the amount of waste from under the panels had to be removed without it landing on the general public below. The panels had to be washed as they were covered in bird waste. There was buckets of the stuff to be collected and removed from site.

Once everything was clean and prepped we had to start the ladder and harness relocation all over to allow access to fit the panel mesh, but at least by this point we had a clean working environment.

What was expected to take the morning took up the entire day but its now done. The pigeons will still sit on the topside of the panels for a short while then they will find another more suitable place as they can no longer squeeze underneath.

On the flip side, another bird call turned out to be one of this months easier calls. Removal of a old and rather decrepit looking Swallows nest, a quick clean down and the installation of a ‘Swallow nest blocker Screen‘ which the customer ordered. A quick and simple solution to stop bird mess all over your nice cream walls and white window frames.

Two bird calls.. Poler opposites. Rattraxs Pest Control Services do not charge to carry out site surveys and to provide quotations for any bird proofing or clean down works. In the event that birds are getting you into a flap, their droppings are getting you in a mess, don’t wing it, Contact Us for a free, no obligation quotation.

September’s call of the months goes to a customer in Derbyshire. who had a recent repeated issue with rats entering the fabrics of the property. The property is a Detached property, well maintained with no obvious external defects. Everything was where it should be, no clutter, clean and clear environment… nothing untoward to attract rats to the property, yet they had returned.

Previous to my involvement another PCC had carried out assessments and advised that there was a CCTV survey carried out of the foul drainage system. A large amount of backfill debris had been noted within a manhole located at the rear corner of the extension, enough to cover the entire pipework and the chamber benching… (Clue). In total there are three chambers located within the boundary of the property.

The direction of flow was noted and it was confirmed that the chamber was a ‘Public Sewer’ and the asset of the Local Water Authority (Seven Trent Water) this is because the sewer waste from the neighbouring property passes through on its way to the main sewer system in the highway.

** Surfaces or boundaries are not relevant, it is where the drainage system becomes shared is where ownership from private to public takes place. **

The LWA (Local Water Authority) were contacted and a CCTV survey was carried out by one of their contractors. A survey was carried out to completion and it was confirmed that there were NO defects within the drainage system, a advisory was noted that there was a capped of line where some drainage had been altered when the rear extension had been build. It was advised that the line entering the chamber was to be bunged off which was carried out promptly.

Yet the rats returned.. The property is in a good state of repair, there are no obvious defects, the drainage has been inspected and no defects were noted..

A problem I have encountered many times when a CCTV survey has been carried out by LWA’s or their contractors is that surveys are often carried out with a view to identify drainage defects that could or would obstruct flow. It is what is viewed on the screen which is noted, it is what the camera node see’s that is documented.

If there are no defects noted within the pipework then the report is given that the drainage system is not the cause of the rat infestation, the LWA have done their survey and the problem is not theirs. this is not always the case. (Remember the Clue). My customer told me that there was a lot of stone and rubble debris within the manhole, enough that it covered the channel benching and holding up the neighbouring foul waste water.

So if there were no actual pipework defects the rubble had to come from somewhere, in this case where the manhole raising sections meet the channel benching. The debris and rubble noted by my customer was actually the backfill material from around manhole chamber itself, after the rats had breached the chamber wall their burrowing spoilt had to go somewhere, in this case the foul drain itself.

I was contacted because Rat activity had been noted within the property. So the point of entry has now been confirmed we are left with the dilemma of do we just bait the inspection chamber and not block the entry point..?

The problem being that baiting the sewer will be a endless task and we run the higher risk of more rats finding the POE and the internal infestation increasing also increasing the risk of my customer checking herself into a mental health institution (She wasn’t handling this too well)

Or…..

Do we bait and block the point of entry, essentially entombing the rodent with the hope it will consume the baits and expire quickly just the other side thus not decomposing within the dwelling itself.. Yes, there is the animal welfare act to be observed in regards to causing unnecessary stress and harm to the animal, however we also have to apply common sense sometimes as well and in my opinion my ‘Human’ customers health was far more important than that of the Rat(s) so we blocked the hole. …!!

There is always the chance that we would have blocked it out anyway as it had not been heard for a day or so… Nope.. It was inside..

and it found another way out….

A few days after the initial blocking and now confirmed entombing of the Rat noises were once again heard, on returning and lifting of the manhole lid my repair was still solid. The rat appeared to have attempted to re-enter the drainage system, found it blocked, backtracked, carried out some further excavation works and exited under the concrete surround which encases the chamber lid above the top raising section.

While this was brittle enough for the Rat to take advantage of for easy excavation it was not obvious to the eye as the previous inspection had not highlighted concerns. Again, further baiting and some extra rapid mix to block this area.

The fact is that the inspection chamber is the responsibility of the local water authority as it is their asset under the ‘Transfer of Private Sewers Regulations 2011’ and the fact is that it is their inspection chamber to correct long term. All works carried out by myself have not compromised the structural integrity of the manhole construction. My blocking of the points of entry and exit are not deemed to be repair works.

I have used the legislation ‘Public Health Act 1936 as regards to the destruction and removal of Vermin’ the very same act which covers the transfer regulations. Once I am satisfied that there is no longer a vermin issue within the property and all necessary works have been carried out to completion then a further report will be submitted to the local water authority for their review as to a more secure and permanent repair to the problem inspection chamber.

After all, it is theirs to maintain, I have merely applied common sense and stopped the rats from taking up residence within the property. Maybe if a survey wasn’t just to look at a screen but to actually use eyes then they would have seen what i did. It’s obvious when you know what you are looking for.

Rattraxs Pest Control carry out both CCTV surveys and close inspections for rats, I may be a ‘Certified’ NADC (National Association of Drainage Contractors) Surveyor but I still always use my eye’s and common sense and do not just go on what the screen shows.. Sometimes the ‘Old School’ ways are still the best ways.

If you require any information, help or assistance please feel free to click here. If you’ve got this far it means you have read the above article.. thank you.

When we are called to the customers complaint regardless of the pest first and foremost is the site inspection. A full site inspection is so important.

Just to arrive on site, listen to where the customer says they have seen issues and to treat mindlessly is not the correct approach. We as Professional Pest Controllers should always carry out a full and thorough survey along side the information provided by the customer, After all we have been called in to solve the problem.

I have been in the industry for over 30 years and have accrued a little bit of knowledge over my time both in the Pest Control and Drainage aspects with the certification to confirm. As part of my initial survey when dealing with a rat issue where possible i always lift the inspection chamber lid or manhole cover within the property boundary and with authorisation I will also attempt to inspect neighbouring drainage if I suspect it will aid in my works going forward.

Rats being noted in the garden of a property repeatedly could originate from several possible locations, Under a shed, a composter, a disused garage or from a defective drain.

Recently I was called to a complaint of rats in the rear gardens of several properties. The properties were very well kept, gardens immaculate, no clutter…. but rats were seen every day in numbers.

The customers were not bird feeders, the bins were stored and closed correctly, there was no pet food left out externally yet the rats were noted to be strolling from garden to garden. Previous attempts had been carried out to control the issue but the rats just kept returning.

On my site inspection I noticed that there was a inspection chamber located between two extensions. What drew my attention was the fact that the surface water downpipe was incorrectly piped into the chamber from the surface. Closer inspection showed there was a small gap leading under the extension.

Upon lifting of the chamber lid it became obvious where the repeated rat issue was coming from. The rats had literally gnawed through the chamber base and exited into the gardens through the small gap under the extension. Once compromised they just made it back quick sharp to the drainage system.

As the drainage was ‘Shared’ it is a local water authority asset so in this instance all information was passed on through to their surveying department to carry out their own inspection and for them to correct, but the fact remains the source of the issue was identified and there was no need to place rodenticide baits externally above ground.

Sewer baiting was carried out, tied off and pushed into the areas where the rats had gnawed causing damage to the channel walls but that was as far is rodenticidal treatments were undertaken.

** On my revisit to inspect after the local water authority had carried out their CCTV inspection it came to light that there were several other defects noted and major repair works were required to correct all of the defects found. This would be at not charge to the home owners as the drainage is a shared issue and the responsibility to the LWA.

So.. It just goes to show the importance of a full and thorough site inspection.. Lift those lids.

From the instant you book a service with us through to completion of works it is important to us that you, the customer has complete confidence in Rattraxs.

As a professional trades person I understand that trust has to be earned, after all you’ve just found me off a internet search engine because there is some other species that has invaded your home and begrudgingly you are now going to employ someone to come and escort it from your property dead or alive..

Up until this point you may never have had to deal with a ‘Pest’ problem, Pests are great levellers, they really don’t care if you are rich or poor, your ethnicity or if you wear Crocs on the school run, like the latter they feel no shame. Pests simply take advantage of their surroundings and adapt our ways to suit them, be it a small hole in a wall, a open or defective drain, a loose tile or a old sofa ready for collection in the garden, pests will use it to their advantage.

It is important to us that we do it right, Legally, Morally and humanely. Rattraxs are members of several Pest Control Associations, yes, we pay for membership but for ongoing membership we as professional pest controllers have to adhere to many different criteria and codes of practices.

As a proud servicing member of the BPCA it is their codes of best practice that are the pinnacle within the industry, these codes are for all to download, the general public have access via the BPCA website

All of the above and many more are available for download for the general public.

All rodent control works carried out by Rattraxs from product placement and control to collection and disposal are in accordance with CRRU code and the Code of Best Practice under the Think Wildlife Banner of which i am a proud supporter.

Rattraxs are also members of the NPTA (National Pest Technicians Association) a professional trade association that represents all sectors within the public health and pest control industry. Different associations often feed out literature and training at different times through out the year. Being members of several associations ensures that we are kept informed of all industry information and requirements.

BASIS Prompt An independent industry and government recognised register for professional pest controllers with up to date knowledge through Continual professional development to establish a better definition of a professional pest controller.

CPD is a important and essential tool within the pest control industry, to maintain the various memberships and professional pest controller status a technician must accrue points throughout the calendar year. These points are gained through training, courses, forums, information ingestion and general networking, this is a secure method of ensuring that we as pest controllers are armed with the most up to date information ensuring we stay on the right side of the industry.

Rattraxs is a company that attempts not only to control your rodent infestation but to attempt to find the point of entry. On many occasions within the domestic property Rat infestations originate from a defective, damaged or incorrect section of drainage. Rattraxs are members of the NADC and I Darron Pearce am a NADC Certified CCTV Surveyor, Certified Contractor in the CCTV sector only.

In the event a defect was identified by myself within the drainage allowing rat access into the property and being confirmed as the point of entry then Rattraxs would provide all reports to NADC standards for a third party drainage company to provide correction information.

**Rattraxs will not recommend a drainage contractor and has no association with any drainage company however we would always advise that in the event repair works were deemed necessary that a NADC approved contractor is contacted**

If you have any questions, concerns or simply require some advice please feel free to contact me direct on 07969 883858 .. email darron.pearce@rattraxspestcontrol.uk or please click here to be directed to the Contact Us Page.

It is estimated that between 70% to 90% of urban rat infestations within the dwelling of the property originate from defective drainage. This could be old age, wear and tear.. External pressure causing a drain to break, tree root ingress cracking the pipework or in this case a builder who gives builders a bad name.

I’ve seen some ‘dodgy’ repairs over my three decades in the industry but this one is up there with the best of them.

I was called to a customer complaint of common rats which had been noted within the actual main dwelling, seen in the ground floor bathroom which leads of the kitchen at the rear of a 1930’s middle terrace. The entire ground floor is concrete, there are no cavities in this property, the toilet is downstairs and there are no first floor utilities.

At the rear of the property my attention was drawn to a new bathroom extension, the reason why i took such notice was because of how bad this thing was, it was beyond bad. If this is the quality of work that can be seen whats the work like that is not visible…?? Given they layout of the property and the fact that there was a new bathroom extension of such poor build it was thought obvious that the infestation has come from some altered drainage.

If i was in any doubt everything was confirmed upon lifting the inspection chamber taking the grey water… I honestly have never seen anything like it drainage work wise.

What i find really difficult to understand is that it must have been harder to do it this way than the correct way. Not only has these works allowed vermin entry into the property, but water loss to ground as a result. The structural integrity of the chamber has not only been compromised, it’s non existent, this could never be repaired, it would have to be removed and replace. A massive job given the depth, the raised surface steps and the limited area to place the excavation materials.

As a pest controller I am limited in what can be done, it would be incorrect as per the code of best practice to start placing rodenticide baits in the chamber or within the dwelling as no matter how much bait or what active ingredient you used you could never wipe out all of the rats in the sewer.

As good as I like to think i am this is not a simple repair as previously explained, it’s a rip it out and start again job which would require machinery, trench management, materials and a drain company (Not a Builder) to complete such works.

For now the use of a NRV was used (None Return Valve) Rat Wall to prevent rats getting to this chamber from the main sewer. NRV’s are great however I they should never be used as a permanent fix, greases from food stuffs and scale from water and urine can cause the swing door to jam on occasions so it is advised that while the none return valves are in situ that there is a maintenance clean agreed at times.

For now rats entering the property have been stopped but going forward there is a big bill to be had, the customer has had a bad experience with the builder and does not want them to return. Me myself, i’d be seeking legal advice to get the works corrected.

One thing I pride myself on.. at the end of the day I can sleep soundly knowing i’ve done my job correctly, provided a service and not left my customers with the quality of work this dodgy builder left his customer in.

We at Rattraxs Pest Control are certified and qualified to carry out all aspects of pest control and drainage surveying works to identify possible points of entry from the sewer system into the property. In the event that a defect is noted we at Rattraxs do not carry out pipework corrections be it excavation of lining. All reports can be supplied to either the customer, a third party drain company or both parties.

Minor repair or correction works within the inspection chamber can be carried out by Rattraxs Pest Control provided the area of works falls within the private concern, not obstructing / restricting flow, has not structural load and not a public ownership asset such as the local water authority.

Rattraxs Pest Control Services does not recommend any specific company for repair works but may assist the customer in finding a suitable contractor if requested. Rattraxs Pest Control Services would advise that any drainage contractor appointed to carry out works is a member of the N.A.D.C. (National Association of Drainage Contractors) for the quality of workmanship and required insurances to undertake such works required.

As previously stated, Rodent pest control is not about mindless poison use, just throwing poison baits at a problem very rarely works and if it does eradicate the problem i’ll bet you it’s short lived. Finding the origin of the infestation is what is required.

Site inspections, full site surveys are what every professional pest controller should carry out before even thinking about the method of control, the inspection dictates your approach going forward. you’ll be amazed how many pest controllers will not look inside a inspection chamber. We apply risk assessments to all aspects of the survey, so why not risk assess whats going off under foot…?

Create a safe working environment. sign off the area, lift chamber lid (Without straining yourself) set aside and allow to vent for a short period of time, again, risk assess beforehand to insure you are operating safely. It is thought that around 90 percent of rat infestations within the domestic property originate from drainage, so why not add a chamber inspection into your survey ..?? (If its safe to do so)

On a recent call to a domestic property in Nuneaton, Warwickshire the customer has had a repeated rat infestation over the last three years and has had two pest control companies out to investigate. neither of them lifted he chamber, both of them baited the loft space and left, returning only to collect the residual baits and trays once the noises had stopped. At no point was there investigations into the point of entry.

Asking questions to the customer is also so important, you know your home better than i ever will, granted i’ll get to seem places of it you never will but you know how your house works, noises, smells and all.

“So Mr Smith, how old is your extension..?”

“It’s three years old, why..?”

“And how long have you been having issues with rats Mr Smith..?”

“Oh, i’d say about three years…!!”

When building works are carried out drainage is sometimes moved and altered, sometimes previous active lines are not capped off correctly creating ‘Dry’ lines where rats can nest and gnaw in time allowing access into cavities then access to the entire property. Other times it just poor workmanship or lack of attention to detail which can be the start of something very sinister..

Mr ‘Smiths” property was the usual very well kept, clean and tidy property, it was in a good stare of repair in a normal cul-de-sac where houses faced each other. There was nothing obvious that would attract repeated rat infestations to the home. no bird feeders, no rubbish build up, no sofa on the lawn etc.. If the problem was surface related then you would have thought neighbours would have seen activity, but no… rats were never seen on the street.

So this is where we as the professionals should look away from the obvious to the inconspicuous.. look at what can not be seen..

Upon safely lifting the inspection chamber I took a closer look and found a well used hole in the chamber brickwork, this would be a good place to start.

It can be clearly seen where the greasy rats sit and feed of waste that is flowing through the drainage system. This area was the only area where the drainage had been altered by the builders of the extension, however so as not to put all eggs in a single basket a full CCTV survey was carried out to inspect all drainage serving the property and no other defects were noted.

The suspect point of entry was filled with extra rapid cement and some good old fashioned rat traps to the loft space. returned after a week, took two dead rats away from the loft and the customer has heard no noises.

As previously stated, rats live in drains, so to sewer bait would just be a waste of my product as it would achieve very little in the grand scheme of things, no rodenticide use in the loft. Rodent bodies incinerated and one very happy customer.

And all for taking the time to carry out what the customer is paying for…. A full site survey and inspection.

At Rattraxs Pest Control we can carry out full CCTV surveys, I am qualified NADC Certified Surveyor with over 30 years industry knowledge and experience in Pest Control and Drainage. If you require our services or just wish to discuss a issue of your concern please feel free to contact us direct.

Now, obviously I’m going to say this… I’m in the business, However there are several genuine reasons why using professional pest control is recommended. Hey, some DIY pest management for ants in the porch, fill your boots but when it comes to rodent control its the professionals I would always recommend.

It simply is not a case of putting poison down and forgetting about it, some of the things I have seen some customers do before calling me are not only incorrect but in many cases absolutely horrendous. And in many cases costing the customer twice. Traps for mice in the shed, of course, you go for it but when you have a internal rodent infestation within the property there are so many things to take into consideration. Target pest, level of infestation, origin of infestation, resistance, environmental impact to name a few, and if you do manage to gain safe control how do you stop it from happening again…?

Method selection in pest management is based on the results of several assessments carried out on site by Pest Controllers and in many cases the use of anticoagulant rodenticides are not always required, after all there have been many recent studies carried out confirming the fact that traces of anticoagulant baits have been found in birds of prey and other none target predators. This can be devastating to the wider environment not just whats in your garden.

None Bioaccumulation baits can now be used in areas where previously they could not be, these products require extra certification to use so are not available to the general public. Then we have traps, if placed and baited correctly will almost certainly assist in the control of a rodent infestation, very effective for external use, like rats in a garden where there are many secondary risks to be considered, not so effective if there is internal rat problem that is originating from a drainage issue. Ultimately identifying the points of entry and correcting them in many cases removes the requirement for repeated rodenticide use and trapping.

These methods in nearly all cases are used to assist in identifying the points of entry if you know how to apply them and not just to bait indiscriminately. Saturating your home in brightly coloured rat poison is not the way forward.

Any pest controller worth his certificates should put animal welfare front and foremost when assessing the situation and providing treatment plans going forward. While we obviously take into consideration the customers dog or tiddles the cat we also have to think of the kindest and most controlled way of dispatching the very pests we have been called to eradicate.

Glue Boards…

Imagine walking into your home and stepping onto thick glue, as you take a further step forward you fall and land on your hands…. feet and hand stuck fast, over time you become tired to the point of exhaustion, you pass out and hit the glue face first, in shock you come too, through fear and shock you attempt to lift your head resulting in your eyes being pulled out of your skull and you skin ripped from your face.

As you are stuck face down in excruciating agony your lips seal shut through the glue and the mucus blocks your nasal passage, If you are lucky your heart will burst through the stress your body is going through, not so lucky you will slowly suffocate.

Young rat left alive on a glue board for two days because the customer didn’t know what to do with it..!!

Glue boards even when used as instructed are in my opinion simply the worst methods of control, they are inhumane and indiscriminate, I have seen garden birds and domestic animals stuck to these things when customers have used them incorrectly. Putting them down around the home where their pets reside, in gardens where they feed the birds which have contributed to the very rat issue they are trying to control. Putting glue boards at the base of a bird feeder is not the brightest thing to do.

Its one thing gluing a animal to the floor… but to then let it suffer is not only inhumane but vile. luckily glue boards could soon be a banned product and no longer available to the professional industry or the domestic customer.

Rats or Mice in the home, call the experts, field mice in the shed, tidy the shed or catch and release (A drive out will be required) a few miles should do it, tidy excess bird food at the end of the day, rats under the decking, set a few covered traps. You don’t always need poison baits and you certainly do not need industrial glue.

Non return valves are fantastic bits of kit if you know what you are doing with them, how they work, what they are for, where you can and should fit them, how to fit them and are you fitting the right type. Me, I will only use ‘Ratwalls’ they really are the best in my opinion.

Recently i was involved in a rat infestation in Solihull, West Midlands, which had been on going since the customer had had his extension built, not by builders may I add, lets just say it was a family project.. (Everyone in the family had a trade) so they pooled together and got on with the job. As soon as the last brick was laid noises were heard in the loft space. The customer was in complete denial and would not except that something must have not been capped off or blocked off correctly allowing rats to get in.

A CCTV survey was carried out and there we have it.. they’d only gone a built over a inspection chamber, which was now covered in posh marble tiles. In moving the toilet around they had run a new 110mm external poly pipe along the side of the building to a newly installed pre-formed chamber in the garden, what they didn’t do was cap off the original line correctly, rats had found a weak point and breached.

At this point options were to take up the beautiful newly laid marble floor, excavate the concrete, expose the chamber and fit a £12.99 bung in the line.. it would cost hundreds if not a couple of grand to carry out these works. Or the installation of a NRV is undertaken (These should never be used as a permanent solution, but will give much needed relief until a more permanent fix is carried out)

I explained that I would only use a certain type and that is all I would recommend especially with the fact that it would need to be fitted in 110mm Poly and not 100mm Clay. I gave my quote (very competitive might I add) which was promptly dismissed as he said he would order one of a rain forest website and fit it himself. With a grand saving of £34.00 excluding my service charge.

Two weeks later…. my customer incensed with rage calls me, I was wrong, there was nothing wrong with his drains, I didn’t know what i was talking about..! I don’t know my job..!! he was still hearing noises, they were worse than ever, the rats had gnawed at the kicker boards in the kitchen and cause lots of damage. We all make mistakes, we all miss things, we all get things wrong. “I can not apologise enough Sir, i’ll get straight back”

I moved some calls around and promptly re-attended the property apologising as I entered the house. Again I was told that I was wrong, he had spent unnecessary money on buying the ‘ratwall’ and he wanted compensating for the damage done by the rats as I had incorrectly identified to source of the infestation.

Scratching my head whilst being shouted at as i walked around the detached property looking to see if I had missed the obvious my years of experience and gathered knowledge which I had collected from some very experienced PCT’s on my time (one of which could catch his dinner (RIP John L)) once again lead me back to the drains.. I referred back to my recording, was I wrong.. I was sure I wasn’t after reviewing the footage.

I asked the customer if he had fitted the NRV..? yes was the annoyed reply.. so I lifted the chamber lid and there it was in all of its glory.. A cheap, incorrect sized, incorrectly fitted NRV.

The only thing this was any good for was given the entering rat a nice back scratch as it passed under the central flap as the NRV had been fitted backwards and was designed for a 100mm diameter pipe not a 110mm poly pipe. He’d essentially blocked his drain to downstream flowing foul waste while leaving the flap free to open up once a rat pushed agains it. As it was a cheaper unit the central flap there was also a degree of backward swing on the flap so even a fair sized rodent could have pushed on through whilst getting a massage..!!

I then promptly fitted my Ratwall.. and proudly took another picture displaying the difference..

Now you can see why I only fit the best (in my opinion) unless vermin arrive with high octane cutting equipment they ain’t getting through these things. ** Please note that it is important that the information card supplied with the unit is clearly displayed confirming the installation of the NRV in the event that the drain blocks up. Rods or a jetting hose could get stuck on the ratwall when pulling back.**

However, sometimes you just can not help some people. Unless I supplied and fitted the NRV completely free of charge to compensate for the customer buying and incorrectly fitting his own incorrectly sized NRV then he would leave me a bad review. I promptly removed my new shiny Ratwall. Sorry sir, I don’t do threats.

We reached a agreement based on trust (I’m far to trusting for my own good) I fitted my NRV correctly, he paid me for my time and the Ratwall on the understanding that if he had any activity after 7 days I would return his money (7 days would allow for the rat(s) to pass through the NRV and not be able to return if there were any in residence at the time of fitting) This would either be disproven or proven by me providing a food source and Saturn Dust to a area known to be frequented by the rats..

Its been three weeks, no angry phone call, no noises, no activity, and no apology… lets hope he’s polite when I book the appointment to go clean the dust up, free of charge I might add.