Pest control

Pests such as insects or rodents represent a potential health hazard and our pest control team can offer advice to residents and businesses about how to get rid of them, where they do not undertake treatment.

What we do

• We offer advice to residents and businesses about how to get rid of insects, rodents or other potential health hazards
• We have effective treatments for certain types of pests and can help with identifying pests and information about what to do
• We will come to your home and treat, free of charge, any infestations of rats, mice, cockroaches, bed bugs and pharoah’s ants
• We also deal with fleas and wasps at a cost of £39 (no charge for the unwaged or residents on benefits or pensions - proof required)

What pest control officers do

We investigate the cause of any infestation and recommend a treatment. We will give you safety information, offer advice on what you can do and tell you roughly how long the treatment will last. If we cannot help we will give you advice on alternatives.

To book an appointment or to seek further information on animal pests in Tower Hamlets:

• Report the problem online
• contact the environmental health department between 9am and 5pm during the working day.

What you can except from the pest control service

We will:

• Make sure that someone is available to take calls between 9am and 5pm weekdays
• Respond to your request by providing a guaranteed morning or afternoon appointment
• Investigate the cause of the pest infestation you are suffering
• Put in place a quality controlled treatment system aimed at eradicating the pest from your premises
• Provide safety information about the pest treatment used in your premises when necessary
• Offer advice on any actions possible and timescales involved where practical
• Offer advice or alternative action if we were unable to help
• Keep your details confidential
• Ask customers what they think of the service
• Set, monitor and regularly review the standards of our service

What you can do:

• Contact us as soon as you can if you know you can't keep an appointment. We may be able to give it to someone on our waiting list, whilst offering you another appointment
• Report the pest problem to us as soon as you can, as it may reduce the time it takes us to rid you of the pest
• If the pest problem comes back after the treatment is finished, let us know as soon as you can
• Tell the pest Control Officer who visits you as much about the problem as you can recall
• Follow the advice or instructions given to you by the Pest Control Officer investigating or treating the pest problem
• Contact us in response to the Pest Control Officer leaving a letter at your home when you were unable to keep an appointment
• Accept that investigating and treating can take time
• Give us your name, address and telephone number
• Be prepared to accept a compromise
• Tell us what you think of the service, particularly if you are happy or unhappy

We will not:

• Investigate or treat as a priority problems that are outside the following list of Public Health Pests; Rats, Mice, Cockroaches, Pharaoh’s Ants, Fleas Bed Bugs, Wasps
• Become involved in wider issues beyond the Environmental Health, Environmental Protection remit
• Spend an excessive amount of time on a single problem

Bed bugs and houses in multiple occupation

To report bed bugs we are available to take your calls from 9am to 5pm Monday to Fridays on:

Tel: 020 7364 5007 for pest control and noise nuisance
E-mail: environmentalhealth@towerhamlets.gov.uk

Or you can write to us at:

Environmental Health
Environmental Protection
Mulberry Place (AH)
PO Box 55739
5 Clove Crescent
London E14 2BG

 

The pest control team will not treat houses in multiple occupation for bed bugs. The team will however offer advice on treatment . It is therefore expected that landlords should engage a private pest control contractor to clear the infestation. Failure to do so could result in legal action being taken against landlords that do not clear an infestation. Work may also be carried out in default and charged to the landlord.

The definition of houses in multiple occupation is complex but includes among others: 3 or more people living in a house or flat that are not of the same household, that is not related or living as man and wife or other recognised partnership. If in doubt please contact the pest control team leader on 020 7364 6904 or the HMO team on 020 7364 5008

Pest control treatment for bed bugs

Pior to the start of the treatment the following preparations must be made by the occupier:

1. Remove all bed clothes, including mattress covers, duvets and pillows from the beds to be treated. Bag up the bedding until after the treatment has been carried out and then wash or dry clean it prior to reuse or storage.
2. Empty all wardrobes and drawers in rooms to be treated including any drawers in the bed itself.
3. Clear the floors of the rooms to be treated as best as possible.
4. Vacuum clean the flooring of all the rooms to be treated ensuring that any bags are emptied outside the building and disposed of properly in the refuse bin.
5. Officers will have to move some items of furniture within the rooms to properly treat them. Please make sure that this is made as easy as possible.

Should the above preparations not be made the officer may not be able to continue with the treatment.

During the Treatment

All occupiers and any domestic animals including fish must remain out side the room until the treatment is completed as the pesticide is airborne for a, while.

After Treatment

1. Do not walk around the house in bare feet for at least 15 days after the treatment.
2. Do not enter the room for at least 2 hours after the treatment.
3. Do not vacuum flooring for at least 15 days, this will allow the pesticide to work to full effect.

After Treatment is as important as the preparations. For your own benefit it is important that you adhere to them. Pest Control Officers may sometimes need to cut a small hole in the underside of divan beds, so that the pesticide can reach all areas of the bed. If you do not want them to do this please tell them before they start the treatment.

Pid No: 431