From Persistent Rat Activity to Proactive Control

The Story

In August 2024, a flower wholesaler asked iX5 Pest Control to assess persistent rat activity across a busy storage and wholesale site. Another provider had already tried, unsuccessfully, to get on top of the problem. Staff were reporting sightings inside the buildings, with damage being caused to stock.

On our first walk-through, two things were immediately clear:

1. the building had been adapted and extended over time, creating concealed routes and dead spaces; and
2. there was likely a structural cause behind the internal ingress.

We mapped the site, reviewed hygiene, and traced rodent activity back to a plant room. There, we confirmed the root cause: a defective drain that rats had burrowed out of, providing a direct route into the building fabric and operational areas.

The Challenge

A complex building fabric meant rats could move between voids and along altered service routes. The task was not only to reduce current activity quickly, but to pinpoint and remove ingress while preventing damage to stock, and the clients reputation.

What We Did

1) Rapid knockdown (weeks 0–1)

• Deployed a targeted trapping and baiting programme inside, at critical points throughout.
• Implemented enhanced monitoring at movement pinch points identified during survey.

2) Cut off the source (weeks 1–2)

• Confirmed the defective drain as the primary ingress.
• Advised the client on remedial works to stop re-entry at source (with interim measures to keep areas secure while works were scheduled).

3) Stabilise and verify (weeks 2–4)

• Adjusted trap/bait placements based on uptake trends.
• Continued internal inspections to confirm activity levels (droppings, smear marks, sightings and product damage).
• Logged all findings and compiled visit reports.

Outcome: Within 3–4 weeks, all internal activity was resolved.

From Reactive Pest Control to Proactive Pest Prevention

Having seen how quickly a root-cause approach worked, the client asked iX5 Pest Control to propose a proactive commercial pest control contract so the same issue wouldn’t recur.

The Contract (since October 2024)

• Frequency: Every 4 weeks (monthly)
• Scope: Internal and external inspections; bait points and non-toxic monitors maintained on a documented plan; structural checks at known risk areas (including the plant room and drain line); and ongoing recommendations on housekeeping and proofing.
• People: We always speak with staff during visits, front-line insight is often the first early-warning sign.
• Compliance: Thorough and complete reporting provided after every visit.

Since contract start: No reoccurrence of activity. Bait uptake monitoring confirms any new activity for action, no internal sightings, and housekeeping and structural standards are being maintained.

Results at a Glance

• Root cause identified: Defective drain in plant room → repaired/proofed
• Time to control: 3–4 weeks to resolve all internal activity
• Continuity: Monthly visits with trend reports and staff briefings
• Performance: No internal activity recorded since contract began

Why This Worked

Success came from treating the root cause and symptoms at the same time. We moved quickly to remove the existing population with a focused programme, while also ensuring remedial works were carried out to the defective drain which would have allowed rats back in. Because the building had evolved over years, there were plenty of voids and service routes to use, so our plan stayed flexible, bait placements were adjusted as the data changed, and we validated progress with regular internal checks.

Equally important was the partnership with site staff. Brief updates meant sightings were logged accurately, which helped us refine trap placement and confirm when activity truly stopped. Once control was achieved, the monthly contract visits provide ongoing reassurance. In short, fast action, root-cause identification, remedial works, and proofing turned a business risk into a customer-safe environment and ensured reputational harm was avoided.

Could your site benefit from the same approach?

If you operate any type of business, proactive pest control will help protect your business, your assets and your reputation.

To explore how we can keep your operation pest free call us on 01604 328545, email us at [email protected] or complete our short contact form below.