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.