Rats and Old Drains in Kensal Green
Rats live in the sewers under every London street. In a well-maintained system they stay there. In a Victorian terrace, a single defect in the private drain between the house and the sewer gives them a way into the ground under the house.
How it happens
Tree roots break into clay pipes. Joints move as the ground settles. An old gully or a pipe from a demolished outside toilet is left open underground. A rat pushing along the drain finds the gap, burrows into the soil and reaches the floor void or wall cavity.
Signs it is the drains
- Scratching under the floor or inside walls with no holes visible outside
- Activity near the kitchen, bathroom or wherever the waste pipes run
- Rats returning after a treatment that seemed to work
- A damp or sunken area in the garden above the drain run
Finding and fixing the fault
A CCTV drain survey by a drainage contractor shows exactly where the defect is. The fix may be a repair, a relining of the pipe or a one-way rat blocker that lets water out but stops rats coming back in. That work is for a drainage specialist; our part is treating the rats already in the house.
Closing the gaps above ground
Where rats or mice have also been using gaps around pipes, air bricks or door thresholds, our rodent proofing service seals small holes for £180 for up to one hour.
