Your Local Rat Control Professionals

The rate at which rats are capable of breeding means an infestation can get out of hand fast, resulting in extensive damage to your property and placing your loved ones at risk of serious disease.

Rat infestations can happen to anyone, but as soon as you first notice the signs of their presence on your property, you must contact your local pest control providers. 

Here at Countrywide, we offer expert rat removals and fast and effective rat control services in Newbury and the surrounding areas of Berkshire, Hampshire, and Oxfordshire. So, if you’ve found rats on your property, contact us today at 0800 078 7255 or book your rat control visit now.

  • Rat Control Services in Berkshire

    Your local Berkshire-based Countrywide technicians are on hand to help protect you from the threat of rats. We cover all areas of Berkshire, including Ascot, Windsor, Bracknell, Wokingham, Henley on Thames, Reading, West Reading, Pangbourne, Tilehurst, and Purley on Thames, Burghfield, Mortimer, Tadley, Thatcham, Newbury, Hungerford and Lambourn.

  • Rat Control Services in Hampshire

    Our highly experienced pest controllers are also on hand across the county of Hampshire, helping homes and businesses in areas like Andover, Basingstoke, Hook, Fleet, and Farnborough to stay rat-free.

     

    Countrywide technicians also deliver expert rat removal and control treatments across the South East of England, including areas like Winchester, Southampton, and Portsmouth.

  • Rat Control Services in Oxfordshire

    As well as Hampshire and Berkshire, Countrywide technicians also service the county of Oxfordshire, offering highly effective rat control services to homes and businesses in areas including Oxford, Abingdon, Wantage, Farringdon, Didcot, and Wallingford.

Signs of a Rat Infestation

In order to correctly identify the pest causing you trouble, it’s important to know the signs to look out for. Rats are clever creatures who will do their best to avoid being caught, so it’s unlikely that you will see them with your own eyes. 

Instead, you can look out for the following telltale signs of a rat infestation listed below:

  • Droppings – The most common sign of a rat infestation is their droppings. Fortunately, wherever they go, rats will leave indicators of their presence; unfortunately for you, this is often in the form of faeces. Rat droppings are dark in colour and have the shape of a grain of rice, typically measuring around 1-2cm in length. If the droppings are old, they will turn grey and have a dusty appearance.
  • Smear Marks – Rats spend most of their time in dirty, unhygienic areas, which unfortunately means they end up carrying this dirt into your home. As they roam around your property, rats rub against hard surfaces and in doing so, they spread the dirt and oil from their skin onto your walls. Look out for these smear marks around your skirting boards and cupboards.
  • Noise – Rats tend to be most active during the early hours of the night, running around your home looking for food or making their nests etc. As this tends to be the quietest time of day, you may be startled by the sound of scratching in your loft or your wall space. 
  • Smell  – An unexplainable foul smell is a very typical sign of a rat infestation on your property. Rats leave droppings behind wherever they go, and unfortunately, they urinate too. The distinctive smell of ammonia will be noticeable, especially as time goes on. 
  • Gnaw Marks – Rats have a constant need to gnaw on objects in order to grind down their front incisors. Unfortunately for you, this means they will happily chew their way through anything they can find, including floorboards, skirting boards, wooden beams, cardboard boxes, and even electrical wires! You may also find little teeth marks on food packaging in your cupboards as the rats search for food sources. 

If you’ve noticed one or more of these signs or identified rat entry points around your property, then it’s highly likely that you have a rat infestation. So, don’t delay – contact your local rat control expert on 0800 078 7255 today to book your free survey.

Commercial Rat Control Solutions

We know it’s not only domestic properties that fall victim to rat infestations. Commercial properties are also at risk of the threats caused by rats; unfortunately, their presence on your premises can have a damaging effect on your business. 

Rats on your commercial property place you, your staff and your customers at risk of contracting a serious disease that could lead to severe health complications if left untreated. Plus, the extensive damage they will cause to your building’s structure will leave you with costly repair bills to pay, thereby reducing your profits.

Failure to swiftly remove a rat infestation from your business premises could also result in costly legal fees and damages if you’re liable, so it’s vital to act fast and avoid these costs. 

As a whole, we know that pests and businesses simply do not mix. While it can happen to anyone at any time, having a pest infestation can severely impact the reputation of your business and ruin the brand you’ve worked so hard to build. Because of the negative connotations associated with pests, particularly rats, news of an infestation will send existing and potential customers elsewhere.

To help you remove the infestation fully and get back to doing what you do best, we offer discreet commercial pest control services to all local businesses. Our wonderful technicians have helped countless companies, both large and small, across all industries to stay safe from the threat of rats – so you can be confident in our abilities. 

If you’ve noticed any signs of rats on your commercial property located in Berkshire, Hampshire or Oxfordshire, then don’t delay! Call your local technician on 0800 078 7255 now and book your free site survey. 

Rat Control Video Library

Rat control jobs are one of our most popular services; we’ve carried out hundreds of effective rat control treatments for homes and businesses across the South East of England. Check out our case study video library below for more information:

Rodent Control for Farms

Rodent Control for the Agricultural Industry

Rat Control Job carried out in a garden in Reading.

Rat proofing for Chicken Coup

What Our Customers Say

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  • Your local pest control service in Newbury, Reading, Bracknell, Basingstoke, Farnborough and Southampton
  • Fair pricing with fast, guaranteed results.
  • Full British Pest Control Association Member
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  • Which? Trusted Trader
  • Fully trained (BPCA) and insured with safe working practices
  • We offer a 100% Guarantee on our pest control treatments
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Areas we cover

Berkshire, Oxfordshire, Wiltshire

Contact the regional office:

0800 078 7255

Hampshire, Surrey

Contact the regional office:

0800 078 7280

Your local pest control team in Berkshire

More About Rats

Let's take a closer look at the pests nesting inside your home...

Rats in the UK

While there are many types of rats, the two most common species you’re likely to find in your home are the Brown Rat and the Black Rat. The Black Rat, scientifically referred to as Rattus rattus, has been largely replaced over time by the smaller Brown Rat (Rattus norvegicus).

The Brown Rat, also referred to as the Norway Rat or the Common Rat, spread rapidly across Britain during the 18th Century and is now considered to be one of the most widespread terrestrial mammals on the planet. 

Life Span

On average, a Brown Rat will live up to 18 months in the wild. However, rats living in human properties have a much higher survival rate. They can live up to three years old, thanks to increased food availability and a lower risk of predator attacks.

Appearance

On average, a Brown Rat will measure roughly 18cm when fully grown and can weigh anywhere between 200g to 400g depending on a number of factors. They have coarse brown fur, a distinctively paler underside, and a long, sparsely-haired tail.

Habitat

Originating from East Asia and Japan, Brown rats are incredibly adaptable creatures. They have been found across various environments; however, they prefer to live around densely populated areas as the higher the number of people, the higher the chances of finding food sources. 

Diet

Brown rats are omnivorous but prefer starch and protein-rich foods like cereals. Their diet includes meat, fish, vegetables, weeds, earthworms, crustaceans, nuts and fruit. They sometimes cache food to return to later in case their supply runs dry. 

Reproduction

On average, Brown rats can produce five litters per year, with females capable of giving birth to eight rats each time. The rate at which they reproduce is fast, with a gestation period of just 22-24 days, which is why infestations can get out of hand so fast. 

Rats & Disease

Alongside the extensive damage they cause to your property, rats also place you and your loved ones at serious risk due to the diseases they carry. Rats have long been known as disease carriers – often receiving the blame for the Plague and other epidemics throughout history.

Thanks to the dirty locations they like to frequent, rats often end up carrying various bacteria and viruses, including:

  • E Coli
  • Salmonella
  • Weil’s disease (Leptospirosis)
  • Cryptosporidiosis
  • Tuberculosis

These diseases can be spread via direct contact with rats themselves or by inhaling or consuming infected dust, air and food particles. Some of the bacteria carried by rats can lead to severe health conditions that require medical attention; if left untreated, certain diseases could lead to life-long health complications and even death!

To avoid catching a deadly disease, we highly recommend steering clear of DIY rat control methods – it simply isn’t worth the risk. Instead, please leave it to your local pest control professionals. Here at Countrywide, we have the necessary knowledge and experience alongside professional PPE to keep us safe from such threats. 

Professional Rat Control Services

Our BPCA qualified technicians have access to professional-grade rodenticides, traps and baits that successfully remove active rat infestations with ease. We have carried out hundreds of effective rat removals and rat control services across Newbury and the surrounding areas of Berkshire, Hampshire and Oxfordshire – all with a 100% guarantee!

So, if you’ve noticed rats on your domestic or commercial property, it’s time to contact us ASAP. Call 0800 078 7255 today to speak to your local pest control technician, or complete our simple form and book your free survey now.

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