Pest control
We offer a free treatment to deal with rat activity, provided by a contractor, to those in receipt of the following means tested benefits:
- Universal Credit
- Income Support
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (not contribution-based ESA alone)
- Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance (not contribution-based JSA alone)
- Guarantee Pension Credit (not Savings Pension Credit alone)
- Working Tax Credit and/or Child Tax Credit (where annual income for the purposes of the tax credits assessment was below £15,050)
- and/or Housing Benefit
If you do not qualify for our free service, you will need to contact a private pest control company to arrange treatment.
Please note we do not provide a pest control/treatment services for any other pests:
- Information on local pest controllers can be found in the Yellow Pages.
- The Buy with Confidence service lets you access Trading Standards Approved Traders
- Affiliation to the British Pest Control Association (BPCA) should also provide some assurance on the competence of the person offering pest control services
The common rat
The common Norway or brown rat typically has brownish fur on its back and grey underneath but its colour can vary from white through to black. Adult body length is 200 to 270mm plus a tail length of 150 to 200mm. For further information please view our Controlling rats and mice leaflet available to download below.
If you require a rat control service or would like further information, please email customer.service@basingstoke.gov.uk or telephone our Customer Service Centre on 01256 844844.
Controlling rats and mice leaflet(PDF) [252 kb]
House mouse
If you find a mouse in your house it will more than likely be a field mouse.
If you have mice in your home you normally have signs such as droppings or food packets being gnawed. Like rats, mice are controlled with poisons, but can also be controlled with traps. Many types of traps can be purchased from DIY stores.
Mice can survive in widely different temperatures, from the heat in a bakery to the cold of a refrigerator and, as long as the food they are eating is moist, they can survive without the need to drink.
Pharaoh's ant
This is not the ant you find in your garden, which is the Black Ant. The Pharaoh's ant requires artificial heat to survive and reproduce. We are now finding these in domestic properties, but in the past you would mainly have found them in hospitals, bakeries, laundries and institutions such as prisons.
The control of the Pharaoh's ant is best left to the professionals, as the treatment can take many weeks to complete.
Bed bugs
The bed bug is an oval, flattened insect which measures 4 to 5mm in length. When unfed it is pale brown in colour, but much darker when full of blood.
Should you find this insect you should call a private pest control company for advice and treatment.
Bees
The council does not provide a service for removal of bees.
There are three main types of bee; honeybees, bumblebees and solitary bees. The British Beekeepers Association (BBKA) website can help you identify what type of insect you have and what to do about it.
Alternatively, contact Basingstoke and District Beekeepers Association by visiting the Basingstoke and District Beekeepers Association website or email info.bdbka@gmail.com
Cockroaches
The treatment of the cockroach needs professional control as the treatments vary from species to species.
If you operate a retail business and find anything that looks like a cockroach you are strongly advised to contact a pest control company immediately.
Fleas
Fleas are parasites of warm-blooded animals. There are a number of species, the most common being the cat flea and the dog flea. An adult flea is approximately 3mm long and brownish in colour. The eggs are 0.5mm in length, oval in shape, pearly white in colour and are sticky.
Fleas can be effectively controlled by treating pets regularly with one of a range of products available from your vet.
Wasps
The number of wasp nests can vary from year to year, possibly connected to the climate in the early part of the year. If we have a particularly cold start to the year then we don't usually have the same volume of nests in the summer months.
The treatment of a wasp nest is dangerous and should only be attempted by professionals who have the proper protective clothing and equipment, even then it can still be dangerous. You are strongly advised to consult a private pest control company if you have a wasp nest near your property.
Foxes
Occasionally we receive requests for help and advice in dealing with problems associated with foxes. There are no particular powers available to the local authority to control foxes as there are for other forms of pests. Further advice can be found by visiting the following websites: