Pest control questions and answers

We cover South London, South East London, Bromley and nearby parts of north-west Kent. See the areas page for the full list, or contact us with your postcode.

Rats, mice, squirrels, cockroaches, bed bugs, fleas, ants, wasps, flies, clothes moths, carpet beetles, silverfish, pigeons and foxes. We can also help you identify insects and refer you on for bees.

Use the booking form. Choose your pest and preferred date and time, and we will confirm. You can also call us on 020 8050 2022.

Yes. We treat private homes, rented properties, landlords' blocks, restaurants, shops and other commercial premises.

Sometimes, such as with a single wasp nest. Many problems, such as bed bugs, cockroaches and rats, need follow-up visits. We explain the plan before work continues.

Our booking page shows the price of a standard visit. For larger or more complicated jobs we explain the work and cost and agree it with you before continuing.

Professional treatments are applied carefully and we tell you what to do afterwards, such as keeping pets away until products have dried. Tell us about children, pets, pregnancy and health conditions when you book.

It depends on the pest and the treatment. We tell you in advance if you need to leave, and for how long.

If there is swelling of the face or throat, difficulty breathing, dizziness or collapse, call 999 immediately.

They can carry bacteria. Ventilate, wear gloves, dampen the droppings rather than sweeping them dry, and wash your hands afterwards.

Check the droppings and the damage. Mouse droppings are 3 to 8 mm and rat droppings 12 to 18 mm. Our droppings guide shows the difference.

Usually not. They leave only if food, water and shelter disappear, and by then they have often bred.

There is little reliable evidence that they clear an established infestation. Proofing and treatment are more dependable.

Look for live bugs, dark droppings and blood spots on mattress seams, and bites in lines or clusters. Bites alone are not proof.

Most fleas in a house are eggs, larvae and pupae in carpets and furniture. The home needs treating as well as the pet.

Nests near doors, in lofts or in places people use are best treated. A nest far from where people go may die off naturally in autumn.

Flying ants appear for a day or two in warm weather and are harmless. If ants are nesting in or near your home, we can treat them.

It depends on the tenancy, the cause and the pest. Landlords are generally responsible for infestations linked to the structure or communal areas. See our guide for details and report problems in writing.

Ask us at the time of booking, and we can talk through the paperwork you need.

Remove food sources, seal entry points, fix damp and keep waste secure. Our prevention checklist walks you through each room.

Cleanliness helps, but pests such as rats, bed bugs and cockroaches can still arrive. Prevention is about food, water and access.

Wasps and ants peak in summer, while rats and mice move indoors in autumn and winter. Many indoor pests are active all year. See the pest calendar.