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Rat control in Tower Hamlets

Treat brown rats in and around buildings, and find the drain defects or gaps that let them in. We cover homes, rented properties and businesses across Tower Hamlets, including Whitechapel, Spitalfields, Aldgate and Stepney.

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Brown rat beside a brick garden wall and a wheelie bin

Where rats turn up in Tower Hamlets

  • Georgian and Victorian terraced houses in Spitalfields, Stepney Green and Bow

    Old clay drains, broken air bricks and suspended timber floors give rats routes from the sewer and back yard into older terraced homes.

  • Large blocks of flats and estates in Poplar, Stepney and Bethnal Green

    Bin stores, bin chutes and ground-floor service voids attract rats to blocks of flats, where overflowing waste gives them a steady food supply.

  • Restaurants, cafés and food businesses in Brick Lane, Whitechapel and Spitalfields

    Food waste, deliveries and back-of-house bin areas draw rats to restaurants, takeaways and markets, where a single sighting can threaten a hygiene rating.

  • Offices, shops and hotels in Canary Wharf, Aldgate and Whitechapel

    Service yards, loading bays and basement stores give rats cover and access behind shops, offices and warehouses, often out of daily view.

  • Canalside and riverside apartments in Limehouse, Wapping and the Isle of Dogs

    Riverbanks, canal edges and sewers are natural rat habitat, and brown rats swim well enough to follow drains into nearby buildings.

  • Homes near parks and canal paths in Bow, Old Ford and Mile End

    Dense vegetation, banks that are easy to burrow into and food left by visitors support rats at the edges of parks and open spaces.

Signs to look for

  • Large droppings

    Dark, spindle-shaped droppings around 10–14 mm long, often in groups along walls, near bins or in lofts.

  • Burrows and runs

    Holes in soil banks, under decking, sheds or paving, with worn paths through grass and greasy smears along walls where rats travel.

  • Gnawing damage

    Chewed doors, skirting, pipes, cables or bin lids, often with rough edges and coarse tooth marks.

  • Noises and footprints

    Heavy scratching or gnawing in walls, floors and ceilings at night, and footprints or tail marks in dust or mud.

More about rat control

How it works

  1. Tell us what you’ve seen

    Call or email with the pest, the type of property and your postcode. A technician can explain the process before anyone visits.

  2. Find the source

    The visit starts with the signs: identifying the pest, where it is nesting and how it is getting in.

  3. Treat the problem

    Treatment uses professional-use products and methods chosen for the pest and the property, with clear safety advice.

  4. Keep it from coming back

    You get advice on proofing and hygiene. Businesses can choose one-off visits or a regular service programme.

Local pages in Tower Hamlets

Further reading

Let’s talk about the problem.

Tell us what you’ve seen, the property type and your postcode.