The home owners were hearing noises in the loft and walls and on inspection rat droppings were discovered in the loft. These were droppings of Norway rat( Rattus Norvegicus).

Initially the loft and floor void were baited with brodifacoum poison, on the follow up visit two drainage chambers were also baited with poison. It was gathered on the third inspection that there was in fact rat activity in the drainage system and rats were coming from the foul drainage system into the floor void. From here they were making their way into the loft. It was decided at this point to fit two rat flaps into the drain chamber at the front of the house to prevent rats entering the floor void. This resolved the long term problem of rats returning periodically.

It is not uncommon for Norway rats to enter properties via the foul drainage system, and is recommended the drainage system investigated when rats are a problem.

The pictures show damage caused by rats to external pipe lagging and a rat hole in a drainage chamber.