Where the City's Rats Come From
Basement plant rooms around Bank
The office towers around Bank have deep basement plant rooms and old drainage that predates the current building by decades. A cracked pipe here gives rats a way into a void that's rarely inspected outside of planned maintenance, so activity can go unreported for a while before facilities staff notice anything.
Loading bays and bin stores near Smithfield
Around Smithfield's market buildings, loading bays and communal bin stores handling food waste give rats an above-ground food source close to cover, and a run along a service yard wall is often the first thing noticed.
Signs to Look For
- Dark, tapered droppings roughly 1–2cm long, often in small groups
- Greasy smear marks along skirting boards, pipes and the edges of holes
- Gnawing on wood, plastic, food packaging or cables
- Scratching in ceilings, walls or under the floor, mostly at night
- Burrows a few centimetres across in soil, under paving or beside a shed
- A stale, ammonia-like smell in cupboards or under the stairs
Keeping City of London's Rats From Coming Back
Call 0800 955 2347 with the building name and floor so we can plan access with the site's facilities team.
