Several insects, animals and birds can invade our homes, causing a range of problems. Some are merely an inconvenience while others present a real health hazard. Pests can spread illnesses, cause damage to structures and contaminate food supplies. Controlling them adequately is essential to maintaining a safe and pleasant environment for people to live in.

Pests commonly found in this country include insects such as fleas, cockroaches, ants and wasps, as well as mice, rats, pigeons, foxes, and even squirrels.

As a landlord, you would be expected, as far as possible, to keep your property free from pests and in a manner that neither attracts them nor provides easy harborage. The Prevention of Damage by Pests Act 1949 is still in force and you could be served with a statutory notice to eradicate the pests if an infestation at your property is causing a problem for tenants or neighbours.

If your property is infested and deemed to be in a 'verminous condition' you could also be obliged to have it 'cleansed' under the Public Health Acts 1936 or 1961.

These notices could be served on the tenants if it is deemed to be their responsibility, being caused by their lifestyle or actions. If the tenant who caused the problem has moved out, you would be obliged to eradicate the pests before the next tenant moved in. If the problem only became apparent after new tenants moved in, but it was obvious that it wasn't their fault, you would again be expected to sort it out.

In addition to this, the Housing Act 2004 introduced the HHSRS as a means of assessing the standard of accommodation. See the HHSRS section for more details. One of the hazards to be assessed is termed 'Domestic Hygiene, Pests and Refuge'. This deals with:

• Poor design, layout and construction meaning that a dwelling cannot be readily kept clean and hygienic
• Access into, and harborage within the dwelling, for pests
• Inadequate and unhygienic provision for storing and disposal of household waste.

If inspectors considered there was sufficient evidence of a problem, they may ask you to rectify it under this legislation.

Legislation

• Housing Act 2004
• Prevention of Damage by Pests Act 1949 - can be found at www.statutelaw.gov.uk
• Public Health Acts 1936, 1961- can be found at www.statutelaw.gov.uk

How do Pests affect us?

The main problems caused by pests are:

• Food Spoilage - insects may use certain foods to lay eggs and breed their larval stages. Other pests may nibble at it, rendering in undesirable, or even contaminated.
• Damage to property - rats, mice and squirrels can gnaw through grilles to gain entry, and commonly bite through cables and pipes causing problems with services and installations. Rats have been known to cause major structural damage to residential and commercial properties and to services such as power supplies. They will gnaw through wood and even enlarge masonry openings to gain entry into buildings. In the construction of their nests, they destroy all types of materials and can cause fires by chewing through insulation on electrical wires.
• Illness - most pests create a risk of cross-contamination and infection when they come into contact with food and preparation surfaces or in direct contact with people.

Insects are mechanical vectors of illness, picking up disease-causing organisms on their bodies from one source and transferring them somewhere else. They often feed on rotting food, rubbish or animal faeces then move on to food for human consumption.

Rats and mice can be infected with pathogenic organisms that cause diseases in humans such as listeria, cryptosporidiosis, toxoplasmosis, weil's disease and whipworm infection.

Birds, particularly pigeons, carry diseases such as salmonella. They can also harbour biting insects.

Many of these pests also carry allergens causing asthma and other allergic reactions in susceptible people.

Emotional distress is another problem. Depression and anxiety are often associated with pest infestations and accumulations of refuse.

How can I prevent an infestation?

Factors to consider include:

• Structural defects, such as broken vents to suspended timber floors can enable entry to the dwelling.
• Rodents inhabit sewers from where they can readily gain access to drains.
• Damaged or ill fitting doors and windows can provide means of access for rats and mice. Mice only need gaps of approx 6 mm to squeeze through.
• Poorly stored food waste will attract pests.
• Some insects may use waste for harborage, as a site for egg laying and development of laval stages.
• Service ducts, holes around pipes such as central heating pipes can provide harborage for insects such as cockroaches and tropical ants. They may also provide routes for access between dwellings in blocks.

Practical steps you can take include:

• The design construction and subsequent maintenance of the dwelling should enable it to be kept clean, preventing the build up of dirt and dust that could enable organisms to multiply.
• Areas intended for the personal washing sanitation or for food storage preparation and cooking should be capable of being maintained in a hygienic condition.
• The exterior of the dwelling should be free of cracks and unprotected holes. Grilles or other methods should be employed to protect breaches of the walls etc where these are necessary such as for ventilation.
• Spaces such a under floors, roof spaces, service ducting should be effectively sealed off from the living area, although there should be access in case an infestation does occur.
• Openings to drains should be sealed with an effective water seal - openings into the wc, basins and drainage inlets to waste and surface water.
• Service entry points should be effectively sealed as should any points in walls penetrated by waste, drain or other pipes or cables.
• There should be suitable and sufficient provision for the storage of refuse, both inside and when awaiting collection or disposal outside the dwelling.

What should I do if an infestation occurs?

Some infestations you can treat yourself, others need professional treatment. More details on specific pests can be found in the subsequent sections.

You should always follow the instructions when attempting treatment with pesticides yourself and if necessary seek advice from a reputable pest control company.

Sources of Pest Control Advice

• Local Authorities may have a pest control section, who should be able to give advice even if they don't offer a treatment service.
• British Pest Control Association represents commercial pest control companies and includes a directory of members.
  Local pest control companies are likely to advertise in the yellow pages or phone directories.
• Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) offers advice on a range of wildlife control issues, including licenses to control normally protected birds and animals. Fact sheets and contact numbers are on their website.
• English Nature offer advice, particularly on protected species including bats and badgers
• National societies such as the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA), the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), and the Bat Conservation Trust
• Various local societies exits and details may be found in the yellow pages or libraries etc.