Why does pest control matter?
London is going through the worst 'war on pests' since the last two decades and it's becoming clear the image won't change much in the years to come.
Pest control has almost overnight turned into a massive industry in the UK and is said to be expanding its profits by 6% each year.
And that's in a tough economy.
The result of such growth – and it is a growth in all of its meanings, both of the industry and the pest population – is an increase on household expenses and decrease of property value/quality.
A regular pest control treatment in London costs between 180-250 £ per visit. Technically, your home shouldn't require more than two treatments annually. Technically.
If you were unlucky enough to rent in an area suffering from reoccurring pest infestations, you might turn out to be on the short end of the stick.
A recent study shows exactly which London Boroughs are mostly likely to give the renters more than what they signed up for. Housing crisis or not, unlike us pests actually get to choose which area they'd rather live in.
And they have finally cast their vote:
Mice Infestations Spreading Throughout London Boroughs
The conclusion? Property in Inner London is now not only overpriced, but also suffering an unsustainable wave of pest infestations.
It's quite evident that selected London Boroughs have it worse than others. The interactive London map of pest infestations reveals carefully collected data about the distribution of common household pests throughout the boroughs. The crisis has reached its culmination in one side of Inner London - Wandsworth, Southwark, Lambeth and Tower Hamlets. A national study, conducted in 2015, rates these areas some of the worst in the entire United Kingdom!
How does this affect my property in London?
As mentioned before, pest control is turning into a major home maintenance cost for Londoners. On one side, there is council pest control - here you have at play a large amount of public tax funds spent on domestic and urban pest control. These services are often inefficient, inconvenient or not comprehensive enough to fully handle a full on pest infestation.
Then, people turn to commercial pest control companies. You'd be surprised to find out that the pest control industry is an incredibly fast growing business in the UK. There's competition, there's demand - so there are constant dynamic changes in prices and quality.
The money aspect aside, pest infestations are a major threat to property structural integrity and quality. This applies especially to historical buildings or those built over a few decades ago. Almost all pests - from termites and carpenter ants to rats and pigeons - leave their mark once they've already infested a property.
What needs to be done?
The pest control issue at hand is an increasing one. London needs a holistic approach and an innovative strategy - one that involves rethinking the city's sewerage, sanitation, infrastructure and most importantly, waste removal.
Related articles:
Landlordzone: Which London Boroughs Have The Worst Pest Problems?
