– SERVICES –
Scratching in the loft at night, droppings behind the kitchen units, a rat running along the garden fence. Once rats have found a way in, they rarely leave on their own, and the longer they stay, the harder they are to shift. Wiltshire Pest Services Ltd provides professional rat control for homes, farms and businesses across Wiltshire and into the borders of Somerset, Dorset and Hampshire. Call us on 07711 259749 or use the form on this page and we’ll help you get rid of them for good.
– LOVED BY HOMEOWNERS & BUSINESSES –
Rats are mostly active after dark, so you’ll usually notice what they leave behind before the rats themselves.
Rat droppings are dark, about 12mm long and shaped like a large grain of rice. Fresh droppings are soft and shiny; older ones are dry and crumbly. Look along walls, in lofts and behind appliances.
Scratching or scurrying in the loft, walls or under floorboards, especially late in the evening, is often the first sign. Rats are heavier than mice, so the sounds are louder.
A rat’s teeth never stop growing, so it gnaws constantly. Look for chewed skirting boards, food packaging, cables and plastic pipes. Fresh marks look pale and rough.
Rats use the same routes every day. Over time they leave dark, greasy smear marks along walls and pipes, flattened paths through grass, and burrows near sheds, decking, compost heaps and foundations.
A larger infestation leaves a stale, ammonia-like smell, strongest in lofts, cupboards and under floors.
Almost every rat problem in the UK involves the brown rat. Adults grow to around 25cm long, plus a thick tail slightly shorter than the body, with coarse brown-grey fur, a blunt nose and small ears. They swim and dig well, which is why they’re so often linked to drains and gardens.
Mice are much smaller, with large ears, a pointed nose and droppings only a few millimetres long. Not sure which you have? Send us a photo. For mice, see our mouse control service.
Rats can spread diseases including leptospirosis (Weil’s disease) and salmonella through their urine and droppings, contaminating food, worktops and water.
Constant gnawing damages timber, plastic pipes and electrical cables, and chewed wiring can become a fire risk. In lofts, rats tear up and soil insulation, which often has to be removed once they have gone.
A female rat can have several litters a year, and her young can start breeding within a few months. A handful of rats in spring can become a serious infestation by autumn.
Rats are wary of anything new, so shop-bought traps and baits often catch only a few. Without sealing the entry points, new rats simply replace them.
Call us or use the form on this page. Tell us what you’ve seen or heard and where: droppings in the loft, scratching in the walls, a rat in the garden. If you call, we’ll take the details and send you a follow-up form through our booking system, then talk you through your options and what happens next.
Rats rarely stay where you first spot them. We survey the property to find how they’re getting in, where they’re nesting and how far the activity has spread, including lofts, wall cavities, under floors and outbuildings. Many rat problems start in damaged drains, so where the signs point there we carry out a drain survey, and use a drone to check roofs and hard-to-reach areas if needed. Commercial sites get a full professional survey before any treatment plan is agreed.
Every rat problem is different, so we plan the treatment around what the survey finds: the size of the infestation, the layout of the property, and who uses it, including children and pets. We explain what we’re doing and why, so you always know what’s happening and what to expect.
Clearing the rats is only half the job. Our proofing service seals the gaps and entry points they’re using so new rats can’t follow, and where rats have soiled lofts or insulation, our sanitation service removes the contaminated material and makes the area safe.
After treatment, domestic customers get a follow-up to check everything has been resolved. For businesses, we offer service agreements with regular monitoring, so rats don’t get a foothold and your site stays compliant.
We price each job once we understand it. The main factors are the size of the infestation, the type of property and how easy it is to access, how many visits are needed, and whether proofing, drain work or clean-up is required. Get in touch for a clear quote.
Our team has over 30 years of combined experience, including BPCA-certified professionals and a Fellow of the RSPH. Every technician is qualified to at least Level 2, so rat treatments are only ever carried out by trained hands.
High-end food manufacturers rely on us to keep rodents out and meet BRC and AIB audit standards.
If a simple treatment and sealing one gap will solve your rat problem, that’s what we’ll recommend.
We arrive in unmarked vehicles, so the neighbours don’t need to know.
We find out why the rats came in the first place and deal with the cause, so they don’t come straight back.
Check where pipes and cables enter the house, broken airbricks, gaps under doors and damaged drain covers. Seal gaps with materials rats can’t chew, such as wire mesh or mortar.
Keep bins closed, store pet food and animal feed in sealed containers, and clear up spilled seed under bird feeders.
Clear rubbish and overgrown areas near the house and check sheds and decking for burrows. If rats have reached the roof space, our guide to rats in the loft explains what to look for.
Look for droppings about 12mm long, scratching noises at night, gnaw marks, greasy smear marks along walls and a strong ammonia smell. If you’ve seen one rat, there are almost certainly more nearby.
Yes. Rats can spread diseases such as leptospirosis and salmonella, contaminate food and surfaces, and chew through cables, which can create a fire risk.
Yes. Rats swim well and often use damaged or disused drains to get under floors and into walls. Coming up through a toilet is rare but possible.
Rarely. If they have food, water and shelter, they will stay and breed. Even if they move on for a while, they usually return unless the entry points are sealed.
It depends on the size of the infestation, the property and how many visits are needed. We give you a clear quote once we understand the problem.
It usually depends on the cause and your tenancy agreement. Landlords are generally responsible for problems caused by the building, such as gaps or faulty drains, while tenants are expected to keep the property clean. Tell your landlord as soon as you notice signs.
They can if the reason they came in isn’t fixed. That’s why proofing entry points and checking drains are part of our process, not an afterthought.
We deal with rats in homes, farms and businesses across Wiltshire and the borders of Somerset, Dorset and Hampshire, including:
Swindon, Bath, Salisbury, Chippenham, Andover, Trowbridge, Devizes, Frome, Warminster, Melksham, Shaftesbury, Calne, Marlborough, Corsham, Westbury, Amesbury.
– WHAT WE TREAT –
Eliminates mice with targeted treatments, preventing future infestations permanently.
We remove Grey Squirrels humanely and seal entry points to stop them coming back.
Bed bugs hide in cracks and crevices, making DIY removal nearly impossible.
Ants invade properties in search of food. We eliminate ant colonies at the source….
Cockroaches spread disease and are notoriously resilient. Our specialist treatments…
Large ladybird infestations can become a nuisance, particularly in autumn.
From carpet beetles to grain beetles, we identify and treat beetle infestations…
Silverfish thrive in damp conditions and damage books, wallpaper, and fabrics.
Moles can destroy gardens, sports fields, and landscapes. Our expert mole removal…
Humanely eliminates large-scale rodent and bird infestations efficiently.
Decontaminates properties after infestations, ensuring hygiene and safety.
