Pest control
We offer pest control services for both residential and commercial properties.
Request a pest control service
Complete the online form to request a pest control service for a residential property.
If you are a council tenant, you should inform your Housing area team about any pest issues you are experiencing. For some pests, Housing will arrange treatment.
Payment
After you submit your enquiry, we will contact you to arrange your appointment and payment. Payment must be made upfront by debit or credit card at the time of booking.
Treatments requested must be completed within four months.
Treatments
We offer treatments for:
- Rats and mice (and drainage surveys to check if rats enter via the drainage system)
- Squirrels in loft areas
- Cockroaches
- Ants (tropical and garden)
- Wasps
- Bedbugs
- Other insects
Prices
We charge for all types of treatment, including communal areas of residential properties such as:
- Staircases
- Lifts
- Bin areas
- Communal gardens
| Pest | Charge | Charge for benefit recipients | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rats | £152 | £80 | 2 visits plus bait box collection |
| Mice | £171 | £90 | 2 visits plus bait box collection |
| Cockroaches | £306 | £161 | 3 treatments |
| Bedbugs - 1 or 2 bedrooms | £306 | £161 | 2 treatments |
| Bedbugs - 3 or 4 bedrooms | £614 | £322 | 2 treatments |
| Bedbugs - 5 bedrooms | £918 | £486 | 2 treatments |
| Fleas | £169 | £89 | 1 treatment |
| Squirrels | £152 | £80 | Loft area only - 1 visit trap placement, 1 visit collection* |
| Wasps (private) | £90 | £47 | 1 treatment* |
| Clothes moths - 1 or 2 bedrooms | £370 | £195 | 2 treatments |
| Clothes moths - 3 or more bedrooms | £738 | £388 | 2 treatments |
| Stored product insects | £140 | £74 | 1 treatment, kitchens only |
| Tropical ants | £410 | £216 | 3 treatments |
| Garden ants | £169 | £89 | 1 treatment |
| Identification of unknown pest | £50 | £26 |
*We only provide treatments to control squirrels in loft areas. We will give advice on proofing but we cannot undertake any proofing work.
** Wasp nests: Cost is for nests at low level (first floor eves level) or is safely accessible from a boarded attic. Nests above first floor level require a survey - a service charge will still apply. We will give you a quote if access equipment is required. We do not remove the nests or treat nests that do not cause a problem.
Charges for those on means-tested benefits
The charges for benefit recipients are available to residents who receive means-tested benefits.
You must provide proof of the benefit. The benefits statement must be the same address as the treatment address.
Proof of benefits include:
- Housing Benefit
- Working Tax Credit
- Universal Credit
- Jobseekers Allowance (or its equivalent)
- Pensions Credit
- Council Tax Reduction
You are also eligible if your Council Tax is paid for you by benefits.
Please email a copy of the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) letter stating what payments are being made to you to pestcontrol@merton.gov.uk.
Identifying pests
View a list of common household pests from Wikipedia.
Other pests include:
Oak processionary caterpillars
Oak processionary caterpillars are covered in tiny hairs that can cause itchy and painful rashes if they come into contact with skin. They can also cause irritation to eyes and throats. They emerge in spring from nests in oak trees and they are spreading. You are advised to steer clear of touching the caterpillars or their nests.
If you spot a nest or you think an oak tree is infested with these caterpillars:
- If the tree is on private land, visit the The Arboricultural Association website to find your nearest contractor
- If the tree is not on private property, email trees@enablelc.org
More about Oak processionary caterpillars is available on the Forestry Commission website.
Bees
We do not offer a service for the control of honey bees or bumble bees.
Visit the British Bee Keepers Association website if you have a swarm or require further information.
Foxes
We do not deal with foxes. Our policy is not to undertake treatment in normal circumstances.
Foxes are wild animals that have adapted to live and scavenge in the urban environment.
We advise you not to feed foxes because it:
- Encourages them into gardens. They lose their fear of people and are more likely to enter homes when there is an opportunity.
- Will lead to an increase in the number of foxes. The number of foxes depend on available food - an abundance of food will lead to an increase in the number of foxes.
You can deter foxes by removing access to food supplies and places of shelter. Find out more about how to deter foxes from the RSPCA website.
Private tenants
If the infestation has occurred recently and you have lived in the property for some time, it would generally be your responsibility to arrange pest control treatment.
However if there are clear defects to the structure of the property that has caused the infestation, we would expect your landlord to arrange the pest control treatment and necessary proofing works.
Commercial services
We provide pest control services to commercial and business premises as well as schools in the borough.
These are subject to a free valuation and quote, which you can book either by email at pestcontrol@merton.gov.uk or by calling 020 8871 6127.