Pest control in Manchester: costs, council services and local pests

Manchester City Council pest control service

Manchester City Council runs a broad domestic service. It treats rats, mice inside the home, squirrels, wasps, ants, cockroaches, fleas, bed bugs and beetles, for homes in the area covered by Manchester City Council. You pay one fixed price for the whole treatment, not per visit, and the price includes VAT.

Published charges for homes

At £58, Manchester’s rat course was the lowest rat fee we found among the councils in this series that currently charge, well below the £150 to £214 charged by most of the London boroughs we checked.

Rules worth knowing before you book

• Book the right pest. The council says that if you pay for the wrong treatment, for example rats when you have mice, the session will not go ahead. You will need to call 0161 234 4928 to rebook, and a refund is arranged, but it delays things. The council’s website has a pest identification section.
• HMOs are commercial. The residential service is not for houses in multiple occupation. For bed bugs in an HMO, every room must be treated at the same time, and the landlord can arrange a free survey on 0161 234 4928. HMO treatment plans are priced by the commercial team.
• Rat treatments take several visits. The council places small trays or boxes of rodenticide and says you must be available for every booked appointment and must not move the baits. It asks residents to clear food waste, stop feeding garden birds during treatment and keep bins covered.

Who carries out the work

The council says its staff hold the Royal Society for Public Health Level 2 certificate in pest control or equivalent, and are members of the British Pest Control Association (BPCA) and BASIS. Its vans carry only the council logo, with no pest control branding, which some residents prefer for discretion.

Local pest issues in Manchester

The council’s own rat guidance says rats usually live in drains and sewers, and may only become visible when the drainage system is damaged. That is why the council stresses repairing the fault as well as treating the rats. If you suspect a broken drain, see rats in drains and sewers: who is responsible.

Shared housing is the other local wrinkle: because HMOs are treated as commercial properties, tenants in shared houses should expect the landlord to arrange and pay for treatment through the commercial team, rather than booking the residential service themselves. For bed bugs in particular, read what professional bed bug treatment involves.

Private pest control costs in Manchester

We have not found a reliable Manchester-only price survey. Nationally, Checkatrade reports £120–£240 for a two-visit rat or mouse treatment and £75–£200 for a wasp nest; the full table is in our UK pest control costs guide. For rats and mice, the council’s fixed prices are well below those ranges, so a private quote makes most sense when you need a faster appointment, a commercial or HMO property, or a pest the council does not treat.

Renting in Manchester: who deals with pests?

In England, Shelter says your landlord must deal with an infestation that is caused by a repair they are responsible for, such as a broken air brick, a gap around a pipe or a rotten window frame, and must keep the home fit to live in throughout the tenancy. If pests were already there when you moved in, the landlord should sort it out. You could be responsible only if you did something to encourage them, for example leaving rubbish out.

Report the problem to your landlord in writing as soon as you notice it. If nothing happens, GOV.UK says you can contact the environmental health team at your council, which can carry out a Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) assessment and must act if it finds serious hazards.

If you rent a room in an HMO, the council’s own rules send bed bug and other treatments through the landlord, since every room must be treated together. More detail: pests in a rented home and how HHSRS enforcement works in England.

How to choose a pest controller

Unlike many US states, the UK has no public licence register for domestic pest controllers, so ask about training and memberships instead:

• Trade bodies. The British Pest Control Association (BPCA) and the National Pest Technicians Association (NPTA) both have member directories. Ask which one, if any, the firm belongs to, and check the directory yourself.
• Qualifications. Ask what pest management qualification the technician holds (for example the RSPH Level 2 award) and whether they are on the BASIS PROMPT register of trained professionals.
• What the price covers. How many visits, how many rooms, whether bait boxes are collected at the end, and what happens if the pest comes back.
• Proofing. Is blocking entry points included, quoted separately, or not offered?
• Paperwork. Ask for a written report of what was used and where, which helps if you later need to show a landlord or agent.

The council’s description of its own team, with RSPH Level 2 qualifications and BPCA and BASIS membership, is a fair benchmark to hold a private firm to.

Our longer guide covers inspections, qualifications and treatment plans.

Pest control businesses in Manchester

These firms appear in public business listings for Manchester. We have not checked their work, prices or insurance, and they have not paid to appear.

You can also browse our UK pest control options or request quotes.

Sources

• Our treatment charges: get rid of pests at your home (manchester.gov.uk)
• Get rid of pests at your home (manchester.gov.uk)
• Pest control: why choose us (manchester.gov.uk)
• Rats: identify the pest (manchester.gov.uk)
• Pest Control Costs in the UK (2026 Price Guide) (checkatrade.com)
• Pests and vermin in rented homes (england.shelter.org.uk)
• Private renting: repairs (gov.uk)

Last checked: September 2026. Council fees change, usually each April, so confirm the current price when you book.

Best Pest Control Quotes is a comparison and referral service, not a pest control company. We do not carry out treatments, and a listing here is not a recommendation.