Land

If a piece of land is in a condition that will provide ideal living conditions for rats or mice we will contact the owner or occupier of the area and request that these conditions are corrected. This could include:

• Removing food waste;
• Removing other waste which would provide shelter, such as mattresses or wood piles;
• Cutting back undergrowth.

If the person responsible does not comply, we will then use our powers under the Prevention of Damage By Pests Act 1949 to require that the work is done.

Properties

Sometimes people's living circumstances are so filthy or unwholesome that they pose a threat to their own health or the health of others living nearby.

In these situations, we can use the Public Health Act 1936 to arrange for the premises to be cleaned up.

This is often a difficult and sensitive task, and we aim to minimise the emotional impact on the people living in these conditions. We also try to arrange for the appropriate bodies to provide any necessary back up to prevent the person's circumstances from deteriorating after we have carried out this work.

For further information or to report any concerns, please contact us using the details provided on this page.