HOW TO HIRE · GARDEN & OUTDOOR

How to hire a pest controller in the UK
The checks, the questions and the paperwork.

No register covers pest controllers, but their products, traps and bird work are controlled. Ask what they will use and what lets them use it.

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THE 60-SECOND VERSION

Hiring a pest controller in five steps

  1. Say what you have seenDroppings, noises, nests, bites — a photo helps identify the pest before the visit.
  2. Ask for a treatment planWhat will be used, where, and how many visits — in writing.
  3. Check the product rulesProfessional rodenticides follow a stewardship regime; some biocides need certification.
  4. Ask about children and petsBait in tamper-resistant boxes, treated rooms kept clear for the time on the label.
  5. Ask about proofingTreatment without blocking the way in usually means a return visit.

BEFORE YOU BOOK

Check before you book

No register applies

No licence or register applies to pest controllers in England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland; the law controls the products and methods instead. A pest controller should be able to tell you exactly what they will use and why.

Ask for the treatment plan and the product names before the first visit.

Professional-only products and rodenticide stewardship

HSE says biocides meant only for professional users must never be used by the public, because professional users must have had the right information, instruction and training — and some professional products also need specific certification. A pest controller using fumigants or professional insecticides should be able to say which product and what training covers it. According to HSE, a professional using anticoagulant rodenticides anywhere in Great Britain or Northern Ireland has to work within a UK rodenticide stewardship regime, and those regimes include certified training.

Ask for the product name and the certificate or training that covers it. Ask for the rodenticide competence certificate before any bait goes down. hse.gov.uk →

Bird control licence (England)

Wild birds, their nests in use and their eggs are protected by the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. Natural England's GL41 for 2026 allows authorised people to act against species such as feral pigeons for public health or safety, on its conditions.

Ask which licence covers the bird work and whether it is the current year's. gov.uk →

Approved traps (England and Wales)

Section 8 of the Pests Act 1954 makes it an offence to use a spring trap of a type not approved by order.

Ask what traps the pest controller will set and whether they are an approved type. legislation.gov.uk →

VAT

Pest control is standard-rated, so VAT is 20%. A pest control business with turnover over £90,000 must be registered, charge the 20% on every visit and on proofing work, and print it as its own line.

Ask for the pest controller's VAT number and check the 20% is set out apart from the treatment and proofing. gov.uk →

“What pest do you think it is, and how do you know?”

A good answer: Evidence named — droppings, gnaw marks, flight lines — and a plan that matches it.

“What will you use, and is it a professional pest control product?”

A good answer: Product named; for a professional anticoagulant rodenticide, the stewardship certificate.

“Where will bait or treatment go, and how is it kept from children and pets?”

A good answer: Tamper-resistant boxes, placed where pets cannot reach, and a map of where they are.

“How many pest control visits are included?”

A good answer: A number, with follow-ups to check and remove bait.

“Will you find and block the way the pests get in?”

A good answer: A proofing quote, or advice on what to block, so the problem does not come back.

“What do I need to do before and after the pest treatment?”

A good answer: Clear instructions: rooms to empty, how long to stay out, what to clean.

“For birds: which licence covers your pest control work?”

A good answer: In England, the general licence named — such as GL41 — and why non-lethal measures will not do.

Getting the quote right

  • The pest, the method and the products named
  • Number of visits and what each includes
  • Proofing work, priced separately
  • Safety instructions for children, pets and food areas
  • What happens if the pest returns within a set period
  • Who actually attends each visit, and whether that technician is employed or subcontracted
  • The VAT number, and 20% VAT shown separately for the treatment and any proofing

Walk away if

  • Loose poison laid where pets can reach it
  • No product named, only "the strong stuff"
  • Shooting or trapping birds with no licence named
  • A single visit with no follow-up for rats
  • Payment for a long contract up front
LOW
£100
TYPICAL
£150
HIGH
£300

What a pest controller costs: £100–£300 per treatment

Pest control is priced per treatment, usually as a set of visits; the pest, the size of the problem and any proofing work set the price. Pest Control price guide →

Guide prices compiled by the Locufy team from published Irish and UK provider price lists and 2026/27 cost guides. Updated 2026.

KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR? NOW FIND ONE

Pest controllers near you, with the badges that matter shown

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Or post the job free and let them come to you.

  1. SurveyThe pest controller identifies the pest, the extent and the way in.
  2. PlanMethod chosen — traps, bait, insecticide or proofing — and explained with safety instructions.
  3. TreatTreatment applied or bait set in secured boxes, with a record kept.
  4. Follow upReturn visits to check activity, top up or remove bait.
  5. Proof and reportEntry points blocked or quoted for; a written report left.

Anticoagulant rodenticide
Poison bait that stops rodents' blood clotting; tightly controlled for professionals.
Bait station
A lockable box holding bait away from children and pets.
Proofing
Blocking the gaps pests use to get in.
Biocide
A product that kills or controls pests, regulated by HSE.
General licence
A licence anyone authorised can rely on to act against certain wild birds, on conditions.
Integrated pest management
Using hygiene, proofing and traps first, and poison only when needed.

AFTER

When the job is done

Keep the treatment reportProducts, quantities, where bait was placed and when it must be collected.
Check the bait boxesMake sure they are where the map says, and that none has moved.
Do the proofingHoles blocked and food sources removed, or the pest will return.
Tell others how it wentA short, specific review of the pest controller — what was done, on time or not, the clean-up — helps the next person. Problems go through make-it-right first.

STEP 1A written complaintEmail or message the pest controller with what is wrong with the treatment, photos and the remedy you want. The Consumer Rights Act 2015 gives you repeat performance first, then a reduction in price if that fails.
STEP 2Use the make-it-right step on LocufyRate the pest controller under four stars and you are asked whether to send it to them first; we follow it through. Then review.
STEP 3Unsafe use of a pest control productHSE regulates biocides in Great Britain; concerns about how a pest controller used one can be raised with it. Trading Standards is reached through the Citizens Advice consumer helpline (0808 223 1133) in England and Wales, Advice Direct Scotland (0808 800 9060) and Consumerline (0300 123 6262) in Northern Ireland.
STEP 4Going to courtClaims of up to £10,000 in England and Wales, £5,000 in Scotland and £5,000 in Northern Ireland against a pest controller go through the small-claims routes, built for people without a solicitor.

Hiring a pest controller: questions people ask

Working as a pest controller needs no licence or registration in any part of the UK. The products are controlled: professional anticoagulant rodenticides need stewardship training, and some biocides need certification.

Wild birds are protected. In England, Natural England's general licences allow action against some species, such as feral pigeons under GL41, for set purposes and on conditions.

Most pay around £150 out of a range of £100–£300 a treatment. For what moves the figure, see the pest control price guide; for local pest controllers, search above.

It should be, if bait is in tamper-resistant boxes and label instructions are followed. Ask before the visit.

Rodents usually need several visits; insects may need two treatments.

Not if the way in is blocked and food sources removed; ask for proofing.

MORE GUIDES

More hiring guides in garden & outdoor

How to hire: Rodent & Mouse ControlHow to hire: Wasp Nest RemovalHow to hire: Bed Bug TreatmentHow to hire: Garden ClearanceHow to hire: Garden MaintenanceHow to hire: Hedge TrimmingHow to hire: Tree SurgeryHow to hire: GardeningAll 701 hiring guides →

Pest controllers near you

Pest controllers in LondonPest controllers in ManchesterPest controllers in BirminghamPest controllers in GlasgowPest controllers in BelfastAll pest controllers on Locufy →

Sources — checked October 2026

  1. HSE — rodenticides: stewardship for professional users
  2. HSE — using biocides: overview
  3. gov.uk — GL41: general licence for wild birds, public health or safety (England, 2026)
  4. Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, section 1 — protection of wild birds, their nests and eggs
  5. Wildlife (Northern Ireland) Order 1985, article 4 — wild birds, their nests and eggs
  6. Pests Act 1954, section 8 — approved spring traps only (England and Wales)
  7. Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 54 — what you can ask for when a service falls short
  8. Civil Procedure Rules Part 26 — the small claims track (England and Wales)
  9. nidirect — the small claims process (Northern Ireland)
  10. VAT rates — VAT rates for goods and services: standard rate 20% on most goods and services
  11. GOV.UK — Register for VAT: when to register