Keep your home free from pests
Simple steps to protect your home, your health and your family.
If you find pests
Pests can be unpleasant, cause damage to your home and affect your health and wellbeing.
There are simple things we can all do to help prevent them.
Common pests and signs to look for
The pests most commonly found in homes include:
- Rats and mice can get in through gaps in walls, floors, doors, and pipes. They may leave droppings, gnaw marks or scratching noises
- Cockroaches look for food, water, and warm places. You may see them in kitchens, bathrooms or around cupboards and appliances
- Bedbugs are small insects that hide in mattresses, bed frames, and furniture. They can spread through infested furniture, bedding, and luggage
- Fleas can enter your home on pets or through contact with infested animals or environments
- Flies and other insects are attracted to uncovered food, overflowing bins, food waste and other unclean areas
Tell us early
Tell us as soon as possible if you see pests or signs of pests in or around your home. An infestation is when a large number of pests are present.
Keeping your home clean makes it harder for pests to find food and water.
Please:
- Clean kitchen worktops, tables and food preparation areas regularly
- Sweep or vacuum floors to remove crumbs and food debris
- Clean up food and drink spills straight away
- Keep cupboards, floors and other areas reasonably clean
- Clean up pet food and avoid leaving uneaten food out overnight
Keep kitchens and bathrooms clean. Report leaks or damaged pipes as soon as possible.
Remember
Even small amounts of food or water can attract pests.
Store food safely
Covering food helps to keep pests away. Please:
- Store food in sealed containers where possible
- Keep opened packets securely closed
- Avoid leaving uncovered food on worktops overnight
- Clear away food waste straight away
- Check food cupboards regularly for signs of pests
Manage rubbish and bins
Rubbish and food waste can attract rats, mice, flies and other pests.
Please:
- Put household rubbish in the correct bin
- Keep bin lids closed
- Use food waste bins where provided
- Tie rubbish bags securely before putting them in the bin
- Take rubbish out regularly. Do not let it build up inside your home
- Put bins out on the correct collection day. Return them to the storage area afterwards
- Do not leave rubbish bags next to bins unless your local arrangements specifically allow this
- Report overflowing communal bins, damaged bin lids or missed collections to your local council
Bulky items
Arrange a bulky waste collection for large items. Do not leave them in shared area’s
Help us keep shared areas clean, safe and free from pests
Check items before bringing them home
- Some pests can be brought into the home accidentally
- Check second-hand furniture and mattresses carefully before bringing them inside
- Check your luggage for bedbugs when returning from trips
- Check pet bedding and sleeping areas regularly for signs of fleas
- Ask for advice if you suspect that furniture, bedding or other items may be infested
Pests can enter through very small gaps or damaged parts of a building.
If you spot a gap or defect that could let pests in, report it to us.
Do not carry out repairs to the structure of your home yourself unless we have agreed this with you.
We have a responsibility to maintain your home and dealing with repair problems that could allow pests to enter or make a pest problem worse.
We will look at each report individually, including the type and how serious the pest problem is, the condition of your home and any effect on your health or wellbeing.
You can help prevent pests in your home by:
- Follow the cleaning, food storage and rubbish advice in this guide Avoiding a build-up of rubbish or food waste inside your home
- Taking reasonable steps to avoid attracting pests
- Reporting pests, damage and repair problems promptly
- Let us into your home for agreed inspections, repairs or pest control appointments, in line with the arrangements made with you
- Following the advice we give you about preparing your home for pest treatment
Please report the problem as soon as possible.
Do not wait for it to get worse.
When you contact us, please tell us:
- Which pests you have seen, if you know
- Where you have seen them
- When you first noticed the problem
- Whether you have seen droppings, damage or other signs
- Whether anyone in your household has been affected
Whether there are holes, gaps, leaks, damaged pipes or other problems that could be letting pests in Photos
Photographs can be helpful if you can take them safely.
We will look at the information you give us and decide what action is needed.
We may inspect your home, arrange pest control, carry out repairs or investigate a problem in a shared area.What we do will depend on the problem and the risk to your health and safety.
Please do not touch rats, use hazardous chemicals or disturb areas where pests may be nesting. Seek appropriate advice about safe treatment.
Working together
Keeping your home clean, managing rubbish safely, reporting repairs and telling us about pests early can stop problems getting worse.
Reporting repairs
When you need to report a repair you can do this in the following ways:
- My Bernicia – You can access the MyBernicia portal by visiting my.bernicia.com
- By phoning us on 0344 800 3800 Monday to Thursday 8.30am – 5.00pm (9am on Tuesday) and Friday 8.30am – 4.30pm
- By emailing repairs@bernicia.com
- By writing to us by post at Bernicia, Oakwood Way, Ashwood Business Park, Ashington, NE63 0XF
- By calling at our offices during opening times Monday to Friday 9am – 5pm
For details of how to contact your local council to report a pest control issue in your home please visit: https://www.gov.uk/report-pest-problem
Urgent health or safety risks
Tell us straight away about any urgent risk to health or safety.
Our priority is to help keep you safe in your home.
