Pest Control
Pest Control
Tunbridge Wells Borough Council has
now withdrawn its In-House Pest Control Service.
From the 2 August 2010 the only
service provision that is provided is the treatment of rats and
mice for Borough residents who receive certain means tested
benefits. These benefits are:
- Job Seekers Allowance
- Income Support
- Pensions Credit
- Housing Benefit
- Council Tax Benefit
Residents in these categories are entitled to
treatment free of charge and this will be provided by external
contractor, Monitor Pest Control. Should it become clear that
problems with rats or mice are being caused by residents themselves
then they will be advised on how to prevent this occurring.
If this advice is not followed the free service will be withdrawn
and charges for treatment passed on to those residents.
Residents not receiving these benefits will
need to make alternative arrangements.
Tunbridge Wells Borough Council is not legally
allowed to recommend any pest control company and suggests that
residents use one of the service directories or local advertising
papers and seek quotations from two to three different
companies. As a precaution, residents should ensure that the
chosen company is registered with the National Pest Control
Technicians Association or the British Pest Control
Association. This does not guarantee quality of service but
does give confidence of a minimum level of qualification and
provides a means of seeking redress if the service received is not
considered satisfactory.
The Environmental Protection Team will
continue to investigate complaints regarding untreated pest
infestations, taking formal action where necessary. The enforcement
side of the service provided by the Council will remain
unchanged.
Officers will also give advice, where
possible, to members of the public about different types of pest
and how treatment and prevention can be undertaken by householders.
In addition they will try to identify pests brought or sent
in. It must be recognised that officers in the Environmental
Protection Team do not have the same level of expertise and
experience in pest identification or control as specialist officers
so they may not be able to assist you directly. They may direct you
to other sources of information on the Team’s web pages and
Frequently Asked Questions and we would encourage you to try to
find your answers here first of all. You may also be directed to
relevant external websites.