Where Westminster's Rats Come From
Basements and drains in Belgravia and Pimlico
The stucco terraces around Belgravia and Pimlico sit on drainage laid well over a century ago, often extended and reconnected as basements were dug out and converted over the years. A cracked pipe or an old, abandoned connection gives rats a way into the void beneath a kitchen extension with no visible hole outside at all.
Mews courtyards and bin stores near Mayfair
The mews and service courtyards behind Mayfair's larger houses hold bin stores and old outbuildings that rats use as cover between the drains and a nearby building. A run of activity along a mews wall is often the first sign, well before anything is seen indoors.
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 Westminster's Rats Coming Back
In a period basement, finding the actual entry point matters more than anything else we do afterwards.
