Where Islington's Rats Come From
Canal banks near Canonbury
The stretch of the Regent's Canal running past Canonbury gives rats a sheltered route between gardens, moorings and the older brickwork of nearby buildings. A burrow close to a towpath fence here often connects straight back to the canal bank rather than to anything inside the property.
Old drain runs under Barnsbury's terraces
Barnsbury's tall Georgian and Victorian terraces sit on drainage laid long before the houses were split into flats. A cracked pipe or displaced joint under a basement conversion can let rats up into a floor void with no visible hole outside, which is why activity indoors with nothing obvious in the garden usually points back to the drains.
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 Rats Out of a Islington Property for Good
Whether the route is a canal bank or an old drain, closing it matters as much as treating what's there — we'll talk you through the next step.
