Pest Control for Landlords & Housing Providers

Landlords have clear legal responsibilities regarding pest control. Under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, you are responsible for maintaining the structure and exterior of the property, including keeping it free from structural defects that allow pests to enter. If rodents are entering through gaps around pipes, broken airbricks, or defective drains, resolving the pest problem and the structural cause is your responsibility.

The Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) includes pest infestation as a Category 1 hazard in severe cases, giving the local authority powers to serve improvement notices, prohibition orders, and emergency remedial action notices.

Acting quickly when tenants report pest issues protects you from legal action and maintains your relationship with your tenants. Related sectors: rental properties, housing associations.

For landlords with multiple properties, we provide a single point of contact, consistent service standards, and consolidated reporting. Our portfolio service includes:

• Priority response: Fast turnaround for tenant-reported pest issues across your entire portfolio.
• Proactive inspections: Regular inspections of high-risk properties to catch problems early.
• Void property treatment: Inspection and treatment during void periods to ensure clean handovers.
• Proofing programmes: Targeted proofing for properties with recurring pest issues.

Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) face specific pest management challenges. Shared kitchens, communal areas, and high tenant turnover increase the risk of pest problems. Bed bugs and cockroaches can spread between rooms, and poor housekeeping in shared areas attracts rodents.

HMO licensing conditions often include requirements for pest management. We provide regular monitoring and treatment for HMO common areas alongside reactive treatment for individual rooms when needed.

Recurring pest problems in rental properties are almost always caused by structural issues: gaps around pipes, broken airbricks, defective drains, or poor pointing. Simply treating the pest each time it appears is not cost-effective and does not meet your legal obligations.

Our approach combines immediate treatment with root cause identification. We provide clear proofing recommendations and can carry out rodent proofing and drain surveys to resolve the underlying issues permanently.

We provide pest control for landlords across the North East, including Darlington, Stockton, Middlesbrough, Hartlepool, Durham, Sunderland, and Newcastle.

Landlords and housing providers are part of our wider property and housing pest control programme, which also covers housing associations, facilities management, and multi-site operators.

Empty properties between tenancies are vulnerable to pest activity. Without regular occupancy, rodent and insect infestations can become established quickly, leading to property damage and costly remediation before the next tenant moves in.

We provide void property inspection and treatment services to protect your portfolio between lets. This includes initial inspection, any necessary treatment, and a clean bill of health before the property is re-let. For housing associations and larger rental portfolios, we offer scheduled void property programmes.