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

Birmingham City Council pest control: rats only

Birmingham has cut its domestic pest service back further than any other city in this series. The council’s booking page, updated in September 2026, says it can help with rats in your home or garden if you are a homeowner in Birmingham, or a Birmingham City Council housing tenant or leaseholder. It states that it cannot help with pests other than rats, and points residents to the British Pest Control Association (BPCA) for advice and to find a pest controller.

Local radio reported in June 2026 that the council had stopped taking bookings for mice, bed bugs, cockroaches, wasps and fleas under a new operating model, after a sharp rise in rat complaints during the bin strike. According to that report, requests for rat treatment rose from around 6,500 the previous year to more than 9,400 in 2025/26.

What it costs

The council’s own booking page does not show a price, so check the fee at the point of booking.

How to book and what happens

• Book online through the council’s “Request pest control for an issue with rats at home” page. You will be asked for your address, where the rats are, and whether you have pets, children or fish at the property.
• Appointments run between 8:30am and 4:30pm with no fixed time, so treat it as an all-day appointment.
• Someone aged 18 or over must be in to give access.
• An officer assesses the problem and, depending on the circumstances, may provide bait boxes only.

Local pest issues in Birmingham

Rats and the bin strike. The long-running waste collection dispute is the local story behind the rat figures above. Uncollected rubbish gives rats food and cover. The council’s pest page still carries a notice about disruption during the industrial action. Keep bags in lidded bins where you can, and do not leave food waste out overnight.

Sewers and drains. Severn Trent, which runs Birmingham’s sewers, advises residents who find a rat in the home or garden to contact the local council first and, if the council cannot help, a pest control company. It notes that sewers are ideal places for rats to nest and travel. A broken drain on your own property is usually your responsibility; see rats in drains and sewers: who is responsible.

For how to tell rats from mice before you book, see signs of rats and signs of mice.

Private pest control costs in Birmingham

With the council covering rats only, most Birmingham households with another pest will pay a private firm. We have not found a reliable Birmingham-specific price survey, so use the national ranges in our UK pest control costs guide. Checkatrade reports typical figures of £120–£240 for rats or mice (two visits), £75–£200 for a wasp nest, £100–£280 for insecticide bed bug treatment and £120–£260 for cockroaches.

Renting in Birmingham: who deals with pests?

The council’s rat service lists homeowners and council tenants and leaseholders. Private and housing association tenants are not on that list, so if you rent privately, report the problem to your landlord or letting agent first.

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.

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.

Birmingham City Council itself directs residents to the BPCA’s “find a pest controller” search, which is a sensible place to start a shortlist.

Our longer guide covers inspections, qualifications and treatment plans.

Pest control businesses in Birmingham

These firms appear in public business listings for Birmingham. 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

• Request pest control for an issue with rats at home (birmingham.gov.uk)
• Dealing with common pests (birmingham.gov.uk)
• Birmingham Council axes pest control services (hellorayo.co.uk)
• Birmingham’s divisive rat tax charge set to rise again (expressandstar.com)
• Dealing with rats at your property (stwater.co.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.