Pest control: why landlords and property managers need to take the risk seriously
By Clive Bury, spokesperson for Cleankill Pest Control
The £ 2 million fine handed to retailer B & M following serious mouse infestations may have been aimed at a major business, but the message should resonate just as strongly with landlords,
Clive Bury housing providers and property managers: ignoring pest problems can have serious consequences.
Environmental Health Officers found evidence of widespread rodent activity at three B & M stores, including contaminated food and mouse droppings. The case is a stark reminder that pest management is not simply about dealing with an inconvenience when rats or mice are spotted. It is about protecting the health, safety and wellbeing of people using a property.
For those responsible for residential property, the regulatory environment is becoming increasingly demanding.
The Housing Health and Safety Rating System( HHSRS) is used to identify and assess risks to the health and wellbeing of people in their homes. Updated guidance came into force in June 2026 and reinforces the responsibility of landlords and property professionals to identify and address hazards. Local authorities must take action where they identify the most serious Category 1 hazards.
There are also now stronger financial penalties. Since June, councils in England have been able to issue fines of up to £ 7,000 where landlords fail to address serious hazards in rented properties.
While the new penalties cover a range of housing hazards, the wider principle is important: landlords and property managers cannot afford to take a reactive approach to conditions that could affect tenants’ health and safety.
For property professionals, this raises an important question: how confident are you that your pest management arrangements would stand up to scrutiny?
In my experience, the most effective approach is not to wait for a tenant to report seeing a rat or finding mouse droppings. By then, the underlying problem may have been developing for weeks or months. A professional pest management programme should begin with identifying the factors that make a property vulnerable. That could mean gaps in the building fabric, defective drainage, inadequate waste storage, communal areas that are difficult to keep clean or access points around pipes and services.
For landlords and property managers with multiple properties, record keeping is equally important. Being able to demonstrate that inspections have taken place, problems have been reported and appropriate action has been taken provides valuable evidence of proactive risk management.
Integrated Pest Management( IPM) is particularly relevant to residential property. It combines prevention, monitoring, proofing and targeted treatment rather than relying simply on pesticides or putting down bait after an infestation has occurred.
Choosing the right contractor is extremely important. Landlords and managing agents should look beyond price and consider the qualifications and experience of technicians, professional accreditation, reporting procedures, insurance and the contractor’ s approach to prevention.
Pest control may seem like a relatively small line in a property management budget, but the cost of prevention is tiny compared with the potential consequences of an uncontrolled infestation: tenant complaints; damage to the property; reputational harm; enforcement action; compensation and potentially substantial fines.
The B & M case may have involved retail premises, but its lesson applies across the property sector. Good property management means identifying risks before they become serious problems.
For landlords and property managers, effective pest control should therefore be regarded not as an emergency service to call when something goes wrong, but as an integral part of maintaining safe, well-managed homes.
Prevention is not only better than cure, it is also the more responsible and potentially far less expensive approach.
About the author: Clive Bury is spokesperson for Cleankill Pest Control, one of the South East’ s leading providers of commercial pest management services and a member of the British Pest Control Association. Cleankill works with organisations across London and the South East, helping protect people, property and reputation through proactive, environmentally responsible pest management. Visit www. cleankill. co. uk for more information or call 020 8668 5477 to arrange a free survey or cost comparison.
Call 020 8668 5477 today for a free quote or cost comparison www. cleankill. co. uk