Prepare by mapping signs and creating safe access to relevant cupboards and wall edges. Do not set new bait, handle droppings or seal gaps before the inspector sees the pattern. Include shared services and neighbouring access questions because the route may extend beyond one room.
Make a room-level evidence map
Record noises, sightings, gnawing and droppings separately, with date and exact surface. Keep away from suspect material. Photograph from a safe distance and note cleaning or repairs that changed the scene.
Start with kitchens and utility routes: beneath accessible sinks, pipe boxing, appliance edges, cupboards and doors. Add hall cupboards, balcony doors and service risers where relevant. BPCA guidance identifies pipes, windows, basements and low-level gaps as inspection areas and says professional monitoring can help confirm entry points and movement.
Do not pull out a connected appliance, open electrical panels or climb. Photograph the access constraint and identify the person who can safely move or open it.
Add flat-specific coordination
Tell the agent or manager if the signs align with a communal riser, corridor or neighbouring wall. Confirm who can provide keys and notice for shared areas. The inspection should record inaccessible flats or voids as unknown, not clear.
In a rented furnished flat, separate belongings from building fabric. The resident can identify where signs appeared and what they moved; the agent can coordinate fitted units, communal cupboards and repairs. The inspection record should state which party can authorise each area without deciding legal liability.
Store food in closed containers and clean ordinary spills, but preserve the location record. List every trap, spray or bait already used. HSE says biocides must be suitable for the intended use, label instructions followed and professional-only products kept to professional users.
Wait before proofing. A visible pipe gap may need a competent building repair, and closing one route without understanding activity can complicate assessment. Ask the inspector which repairs are urgent and how completion will be verified.
Prepare a short call summary: “noise behind the kitchen sink on three evenings; one dropping-like item photographed but not handled; cupboard accessible; washing machine fixed in place; no products used”. That is more useful than presenting a certain species or demanding a treatment before the route is assessed.
Call The City Pest Company on 0203 393 2338 with the map, access constraints and previous products. See the mouse service page for context.
FAQs
Should I clean away droppings first?
Keep away from suspect material and ask for situation-specific safe guidance; record the location without handling it.
Should I buy bait before the visit?
No. Preserve the evidence and report products already used.
Must neighbouring flats be inspected?
Not automatically. Shared routes and evidence should determine the requested access.
Sources and further reading
External references may contain pest or skin photographs.
