Pest control
To contact Pest Control please call the Customer Contact
Centre on 020 7364 5007 (weekdays 8am to 8pm, Saturday 8am to
4pm).
We offer advice to residents and businesses about how to get rid
of insects, rodents or other potential health hazards. We have
effective treatments for certain types of pests and can help with
identifying pests and information about what to do. We will come to
your home and treat any infestations of rats, mice, cockroaches,
bed bugs and pharaoh ants.
We can investigate complaints about fouling from pigeons and
arrange through landlords to carry out proofing measures if deemed
to be necessary. We also deal with fleas and wasps.
Information about each type of pest:
Charges
Our services are still free for most customers.
However, it has been necessary to introduce charges for some
customers. Charges depend on the pest and treatment – see the
relevant section for each pest.
All services are still free for all state
pensioners (you will need to show proof when we
visit).
The service to deal with any rat infestation is
free to all Tower Hamlets residents, whether the rat is in
a dwelling, garden or other outdoor area.
Services to both tenants and leaseholders of Tower
Hamlets Homes remain free of charge.
Services are also free for tenants and
leaseholders of these Registered Social Landlords:
- Circle
33 Housing Trust
- East End Homes
- Island Homes Housing Association
- Lien Viet Housing Association
- Old Ford Housing Association
- Poplar HARCA (Services are
free for tenants of Poplar HARCA.
Leaseholders will be charged for our
services)
- Providence Row Housing Association
- Spitalfields Housing Association
- Swan Housing Association
Services People who live in property owned or managed by any
other Registered Social Landlords can now use our services, but
will have to pay unless a state pensioner lives at
the address or the pest to be treated is a rat.
Alternatively, people in these properties can contact their
landlord directly in the event of a pest infestation. If your
landlord refuses to provide treatment you can contact Environmental
Health on 020 7364 5008.
People who live in property which is privately owned or
privately rented will have to pay for our
services, unless a state pensioner lives at the address or the pest
to be treated is a rat.
See our
charges
Landlords of Houses in Multiple Occupation with bed bug
infestations
The Council will only treat
Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO) for bed bugs if the service is
requested and paid for by the landlord.
One of our Pest Control team will discuss your needs and provide
a price for this service.
The definition of HMO is complex, but
includes amongst others:
- A house which is occupied by three or more
unrelated persons, who do not form a single household
We also provide pest control services for schools,
nurseries, community centres, places of worship and registered
charities. One of our Pest Control team will discuss your
needs and provide a price for this service.
We are sorry, but we currently do not provide
services for commercial premises.
Our service to
you:
We will:
- Make sure that someone is available to take calls between 8am
and 8pm on weekdays and from 8am to 4pm on Saturdays
- Respond to your request by providing a morning or afternoon
appointment
- Investigate the cause of the pest infestation you are
suffering
- Put in place a quality controlled treatment system aimed at
eradicating the pest from your premises, and continue treatment
until the pest is eliminated
- Provide safety information about the pest treatment used in
your premises when necessary
- Offer advice on any actions possible and timescales involved
where practical
In return, we ask that you:
- Contact us as soon as you can if you know you can't keep an
appointment. We may be able to give it to someone on our waiting
list, whilst offering you another appointment
- Report the pest problem to us as soon as you can, as it may
reduce the time it takes us to rid you of the pest
If the pest problem comes back after the treatment is finished, let
us know as soon as you can
- Tell the pest control officer who visits you as much about the
problem as you can recall
- Follow the advice or instructions given to you by the pest
control officer investigating or treating the pest problem
- Contact us in response to the pest control officer leaving a
letter at your home when you were unable to keep an appointment (
if you have paid for treatment but are not in on the day and time
of your appointment we regret that no refund can be made)
- Accept that investigating and treating can take time
Contact us:
Your first point of contact for the Environmental Health and
Protection Department is through our Customer Contact Centre, where
we have trained and experienced operators ready to listen to your
concerns, make an appointment and give you the information you
need.
We are available to take your calls from 8am to 8pm from
Monday to Friday and from 8am to 4pm on
Saturdays on:
Phone: 020 7364 5007 (weekdays 8am to 8pm, Saturday 8am
to 4pm)
If you have any questions about pests or our service, please
email us at environmentalhealth@towerhamlets.gov.uk
(please do not use this to arrange an appointment – use the phone
number 020 7364 5007).