How common are rats in houses in London?

How common are rats in houses in London? This question can send chills through many of London’s residents. Surely the days are gone when rats swarmed the streets of London; we’ve all heard the Pied Piper story. However, you have to come to terms with the fact rats still live in London.

The most common rat that resides all over London is the brown rat, or the Norway rat. They will attempt to make their nests anywhere, whether in sewers, drains, buildings or burrows. Rats are very agile creatures that can run fast, climb, dig and swim. With a keen sense of smell the Norway rat is constantly looking out for food. If they believe dinner is lurking around the corner they will attempt any means of getting at the food.

Ultimately, this does still cause big problems in London. The population is vast and with people sometimes having no choice but to put their rubbish outside on the ground for collection, the streets of London lure in the brown rat.

If or indeed when the rat enters your home there’s chance that they can considerably damage your property. They will also be infested with plenty of diseases. Even the wealthier parts of London suffer with rat problems, it doesn’t matter what sort of house you live in. They are able to get in through gaps in the brickwork, broken piping, between floors and cracks in the walls. This is where the rat can move out of sight; making it a playground for them to run in.

There’s no way of truly securing your house from the vermin. You just have to take extra care when maintaining the cleanliness and structure of your home.