Pest Control for Your Home

The council provides a pest control service to treat a variety of common pests in your home including mice, rats and a range of insects.

We do not treat things likes slugs, spiders and woodlice as these creatures are normally a sign of another problem such as damp. We also do not treat feral cats, rabbits, foxes, badgers or moles, maggots or moths.

On this page you will find:

• what you can expect if we visit you
• what you need to do before a visit
• what happens when pest control arrives
• what types of pest we treat
• how much it costs
• safety information

What can you expect if we visit you?

• We will make sure we visit on the agreed appointment date
• We will assess your problem and take the necessary course of action
• We will give you advice on protecting your home against future infestations
• We do not carry out building work or joinery work.  Please do not expect our teams to carry out things like filling in holes in brickwork or removing kitchen units.

What do you need to do before we arrive?

What you will need to do depends on the kind of pest problem you have.

If you have a pest that needs a spray or powder treatment, you will need to make sure that the treatment area is vacuumed and cleared of any belongings and soft furnishings. You might not be able to re-enter a treatment area for up to 4 hours depending on the pest.

If you have rodent treatment, please make sure that pest controller can access the possible access points. So if you think mice or rats are coming in through a kitchen cupboard, make sure the cupboards are empty.

If treatment is being carried out outdoors, please make sure you are in to show the pest controller where you think the problem is.

Remember if we cannot access the area requiring treatment you might need to rebook another slot. This can delay treatment and you might need to pay again.

The appointments are all day slots which means we can attend any time between 7.45am to 4.30pm on weekdays.

What happens when we arrive

We operate a discreet service.  Our vans and uniforms are not identified as belonging to a pest control service. We do have Newcastle City Council logos on our vans and uniforms, and all our staff have photo ID.  Our pest control staff are fully trained and qualified to carry out treatments in a professional and friendly manner.

In many cases treatment may only take a few minutes and involve the application of an industrial insecticide or pesticide. These can take effect gradually over a period of days.  Some treatments take up to 7 days to take full effect.

The pest control operative will tell you what has been done. You may also be asked to sign some forms to confirm when a treatment has been carried out.

What types of pest are treated?

We treat a wide variety of pests. Some pests may require a few treatments. Some creatures are only classed as a pest when they are inside your home, so there are some pests that we only treat indoors.

We don't treat the following pests outside as they are considered to be in their natural habitat:

• Mice
• Ants
• Mites and Beetles
• Silverfish
• Flies
• Cockroaches
• Fleas and Bedbugs

Bees are not treated as there has been a rapid decline in the bee population. Read more information on why bees are important or visit the Beekeepers Association website www.bbka.org.uk. Remember we do not treat foxes, badgers, moles, feral cats or rabbits.

Find out more about the pests we treat below.

How much does it cost?

Different pests have different prices. Some pests have a typical amount of treatments but this can vary depending on the infestation.

Please note that for YHN tenants, pest control is included in rent payments.

There are no discounts for pensioners or benefit claimants. The council charges a flat fee to keep costs down and to make the service available and affordable to residents. Our prices are already very competitive.

Please make sure you are booking and paying for the correct pest, as some pest treatments have a non-refundable call out charge.

Pest control charges

Safety

All the materials we use are the safest available.

Please remember though that the insecticides and pesticides we use can be dangerous. We will leave instructions with you about the treatments used. If taken internally, follow the guidance note given and seek medical advice immediately.  If you suspect an accidental poisoning please go to the nearest hospital or vets (if you think a pet has been affected.) Please keep the 'poison notice' that the pest controller will leave you.