Rats in loft

[keepcalm11]

I have rats in my loft, I am so down about it, very tearful today.

Ive put some rat posion out, curretly looking at local pest control services

It's an old property there are holes and gaps and cavities everywhere, it seems like an impossible task.
Has anyone been in this position and sucsessfully got rid of them.

Rats got into our loft following building work on an extension. They climbed up the cavity walls from the void under the house.

Had a problem for years. All the pest control do is bait and then the rat dies in the cavity wall or somewhere else where you can't find the body and you then know what a dead rat smells like, a smell you will never forget.

My husband sorted the problem over lockdown with cameras in loft and under house to identify how they were getting in and block it off. Long and hard work process but we finally got rid.

I get them every year in winter. So do the rest of the houses on my row. Had pest control out. Basically old houses, can't do anything other than keep putting poison down to control them. No idea how they get in. They come in from the cold at this time of year. I've got used to my bi-weekly trip to the loft to put poison down.

Yes - we spent a fortune on removing all the loft insulation ( six nests in it!) and boarding and reinsulating (plus baiting inside and out) but fingers mega crossed it eliminated the problem.

Yep - went straight for pest control. 3 visits but they were gone by the 2nd. He also fitted a drain blocker so don't have to worry again. It cost around £400 all in.

Thank you so much for replying, Ive heard noises under the floor boards in extension and I'm sure theyve gone up the cavity fromthere into loft like Disco

How horrible for you - really sympathise. If you have power in the loft, perhaps try plug-in ultrasonic pest repellant devices. We got a couple for the garden as foxes or moles were digging up newly-laid lawn on a nightly basis and it solved the problem overnight.

This worked for us.

Yes - mice not rats. I got mesh to put over all air bricks and any gaps around pipes etc. exterminator put poison down and came back twice - very reasonable £85.
I had rats in the garden separately - exterminator again. No issues after he came.

Get a proper ratman. Lot cheaper than the online big companies like rentokil.

We had them, the used poison that makes them thirsty so they exit the property to die. We then sealed every hole around the house. Happy days. Rat urine stinks!!!

Yes they got in through a tiny hole at ground level and then up through the cavity walls. Fortunately there was only one nest and poison dealt with them. My cat has since presented me with a couple of chunky ones in the back garden so they are still around, but we haven't had any more inside.

How do you know when they're in your loft do you hear them running about? And what do they live on up there?
I had one living in my front room, I don't know how long it was there but I had two pet rats I can only imagine they attracted it in and it got in through a window.

There is urine on the insulation and it does stink and droppings are all around

Yes I can hear them on a night. It's so horrible . I go to bed and lie there waiting for the sounds to start , Its usually around midnight.

Get some sticky catch pads....
Put them down everywhere.
Check once a day and you'll catch them all

Yes, with a giant mouse trap.

Are you sure they are rats though? Mice can be very noisy.

I've just looked at these, I was unsure about whether I would be able to kill one once it was caught on the pad

There is electricity supply up there , I am looking at the ultrasonic device repellants.

Honestly thank you to everyone who has replied and sympathised.

You should contact your council - they have pest control and a lot cheaper than the private companies and they return to finish the job.

Mice running around under the loft insulation are very noisy, it it is definitely rats get rid quickly, if they start chewing wiring it can start a fire, in future keep bait boxes or traps outside to stop them before they get in.
Dont put food out for birds or other animals.

Oh gosh OP, I'm so sorry you are going through this. I was in exactly this position last year, woken by the little buggers scurrying around in the loft above our bedroom. They would wake our little boy up too. DH tried to fob me off that they were mice and put some mouse traps out in the loft which did nothing. He then went abroad to work and I got the rat man out. Thankfully we were about to have a conservatory ripped down and extension built. We found the access point in the dodgy drains under the old conservatory. Touch wood all sorted now but it was nearly 6 months of hell. I can't recommend enough the value of getting a reputable pest control company out, they will have the knowledge to understand access points, best places to lay traps etc. Rat man said 9 times out of 10 it is to do with a drain issue, so possibly an idea to get a drain survey. Good luck. I felt like we were never going to be rid of them but I assure you it will get better!

I chucked some onions skins up in the attic every single week
they fuck off and then come back about a week later so i threw more onions up
and off they go

I can’t figure out where they are getting in so onions it is 😂😂

We had the same problem for 3 years!!! It was so bad we needed to move our son to other room. Rats were sooo loud during the night that he used to wake up. Me and my husband too.
We paid over £1100 for pest control companies. It didn't help. I don't know how many times I complained to council, etc.

What did you do in the end Meklk did you have to move out or are you still living with it?

It scares me that they can get from the loft down to any other room. What if they find the kitchen. I live with teenage DS and my Dog

Not sure why I felt the need to mention DS and the dog 😂