We're seeing an increase in calls about heating issues. Please check our advice on how to get your boiler working, before you get in touch with us.
Sometimes pests might try to make their way into your home or a communal area that you use.
By pests, we mean things like:
- ants
- bedbugs
- rats
Our responsibilities
We will deal with pest infestations if they are affecting:
- areas you share with others, like communal rooms
- a communal garden or multiple homes in a block of flats
- one of our supported schemes
We will also deal with rats or mice entering your home if it's happening because of outstanding repairs to the building, or another structural issue that's our responsibility. If this happens, we will arrange for a colleague to visit and assess any repairs needed to stop the pests getting in.
Your responsibilities
You should promptly contact us to report any signs of pests.
If pests are in your home or your garden, then you are normally responsible for dealing with this issue. This is outlined in your tenancy agreement. We recommend you contact your council's environmental health team, who can offer assistance.
You are responsible for keeping your home clean in order to prevent pest infestations. If an infestation occurs because of how you've managed your home, we may not be responsible for remedying this infestation and may recharge you for any pest control service we carry out. We'll work with you to try and get support in place if you feel you can't manage your home well and it's leading to issues with pests, in line with our safeguarding policy.
Types of pests
We recommend you contact your council's environmental health team, who can offer assistance with wasps nests.
Alternatively, you may want to hire a qualified contractor to carry out the work.
You can do some things to help eliminate ants in your home. Your local hardware store will sell a range of ant killers. These are designed to attract the ants to a poison they take back to their nest.
If you're buying one of these products, ensure they are non-toxic and be careful when placing them where young children can access them.
Bees are protected and not considered pests.
Contact a qualified beekeeper for safe removal.
You can find a beekeeper for your area.