Pest control experts made nearly 4,000 visits
Rats can find ways into your car and cause major damage(Image: Getty Images)
Pest control experts treated almost 1,000 infestations of rats in homes across Bristol over the last year.
The Bristol City Council team carried out work at 1,340 residential premises over a total of 3,800 visits and got rid of 300 instances of mice, 60 wasps, 30 other insects, and 950 rats, according to the authority’s environment health annual report.
The report said: “The pest control service provides a highly specialist service to BCC housing residents, through service level agreements with BCC housing and landlord services and parks. “They treat infestations of insects, rats, mice, wasps and other pests to the most vulnerable residents of Bristol.
“They provide services in some of the most complex areas that many commercial pest control agencies will not undertake. The service also has a small number of external clients such Avon Fire and Rescue.
“It provides a service to the most vulnerable non-BCC tenants and works closely with Adults and Social Care to help with high-risk cases.”
The report said pest control also submitted referrals to safeguarding or housing officers where there were concerns about vulnerable residents, such as issues with hoarding, which can attract pests.
The department forms part of the council’s public protection environmental health service which also has specialists in pollution control, food safety, health and safety, infectious disease control, and port health.