Where the Borough's Rats Come From
Drain faults under Fulham's terraces
Fulham's Victorian terraces sit on drains that are as old as the houses themselves, and a cracked pipe or a displaced joint gives rats a way from the sewer into the ground beneath a house. From there they move into floor voids and wall cavities without ever surfacing outside, which is why scratching under a downstairs room with no visible hole so often points to the drains rather than anywhere above ground.
Gardens backing onto the river and railway lines
Further towards the river and along the railway corridors that cross the borough, gardens give rats a different route in — open ground, compost heaps and bin stores that go unchecked for weeks at a time. Burrows here are more likely to sit against a fence or under a shed base than anywhere near a drain.
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
Stopping Hammersmith and Fulham's Rats Coming Back
Once they're gone, the route they used — a broken drain or a gap by a shed — is usually the next thing worth dealing with.
