Squirrels
Squirrels and Colindale Flats
Grey squirrels live in the trees of Montrose Park, along the Silk Stream and in the courtyard planting between the blocks. They are agile climbers, and some will come up to balconies, especially where there is food. That does not usually mean they are living in the building.
Balconies and planters
On a balcony, squirrels dig in planters for bulbs and buried food, raid bird feeders and chew soft items left outside. The answer is to take away what draws them: bring bird food in, use planter covers or mesh over the soil, and do not leave food out. Trapping is not needed for a squirrel that visits a balcony and leaves again.
When a block is affected
Modern blocks seldom have roof spaces a squirrel can use. If you hear heavy scurrying above a top-floor ceiling at dawn and dusk, report it to the managing agent, who is usually responsible for the roof and can arrange access. What squirrels sound like in a roof helps you tell. Lighter scratching at night is more likely mice or rats.
A squirrel that has been fed on one balcony will check the others nearby, so it helps if neighbours on the same side of the block agree to take feeders in as well. Chewed balcony furniture cushions or a dug-up planter are signs of a regular visitor, not of a nest in the building.
Squirrels in a House Loft
If you live in a house with a loft in or around Colindale, the job is the same as anywhere in Barnet, and it runs in a set order. Late winter and spring, and again in summer, are when females look for somewhere to raise young, so it is worth booking as soon as you hear activity rather than waiting to see whether it stops.
Confirm it is squirrels
Tell us when you hear the noise and what you have found. Daytime activity, heavy thumping and chewed wood near the eaves point to squirrels. Squirrels or rats in the loft sets out the difference.
Trapping
The £280 service is for trapping the grey squirrels using your roof space. You will be told what it involves and what is needed from you, such as keeping the loft hatch shut and leaving what has been set up undisturbed.
Make sure the loft is empty, then close the gap
The entry point stays open until the squirrels have gone, because a squirrel shut in will chew its way out. Once the loft is quiet, a roofer or carpenter should repair the way in. How squirrels get into a roof and stopping them getting back in cover the repair. Branches reaching the roof are worth cutting back afterwards, and in a semi or terrace it is worth asking whether the house next door has the same problem.
Grey Squirrels and the Law
Grey squirrels are an invasive non-native species. Once one has been caught, it is an offence to release it or allow it to escape, so catching one and letting it go in Montrose Park is not allowed. The legal position on release explains more.
What to Tell Us
Say whether you live in a house or a flat, when you hear the noise, and whether you have seen squirrels on the roof. If you are in a flat and squirrels are only visiting the balcony, we will tell you honestly that you do not need to book. Houses near the woodland edge in Mill Hill face much more of this, and Squirrel Control Barnet covers squirrels across the borough.
