Where Sutton's Rats Are Coming From
Fence lines near Carshalton Park
Properties backing onto Carshalton Park or onto each other's long back gardens give rats an easy route above ground, travelling fence line to fence line rather than through pipework. Compost bins, bird feeders and gaps under a shed base close to the boundary are usually what draws them in, and burrows tend to appear right along the fence rather than near the house itself.
Garages and decking around Worcester Park
In the interwar semis around Worcester Park, integral garages and later decking additions create gaps at ground level that rats will use if food is nearby. A garage connecting door left slightly off its frame, or decking built over an old air brick, are the kind of small oversights that turn into an indoor problem once winter sets in.
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
Making Sure the Rats Don't Return in Sutton
We'll look at the garden and boundary first in Sutton, since that's usually where the route in starts, before talking through next steps.
