Rats rife in East Dulwich

[rbrtdngl]

We live on a road off Lordship Lane. We had a rat problem a while ago under our house caused by a hole in a main sewage pipe. We spent lots of money on pest control and builders to sort this out. The other night we saw a rat running round the patio outside our back door and last night the same thing happened again.

We called a pest control company who sent someone round. He has been involved in rat control on Lordship Lane over the last few weeks. He said there is a huge infestation in shops and restaurants on Lordship Lane. He has been employed by a supermarket to get rid of rats there but he said that the problem is that the rats are living in many restaurant premises so he cannot eradicate them unless he is employed by them.

He also said that the rats are trying to find a way into houses which is why they were looking through our patio doors. The rats that we saw left our patio when we scared them off and went next door. This is surely an urgent issue for Southwark Environmental Health. I have a young baby and am now scared of leaving the patio doors open which is a problem in this hot weather.

Has anyone else had any rat problems?

[uncleglen]

It has been said for years that in London you are never more than 6ft from a rat. People still leave rubbish out in bags that are ripped open during the night. Rats will eat paper and card as well. Let's hope one of them does not get fleas and transmit bubonic plague like the squirrel in L.A.

[Giacomelli]

Eek get a cat perhaps?

[rbrtdngl]

We have been considering getting a cat although I am allergic to them.

The reason that I posted this on here was to let people know that there seems to be a huge problem (infestation) in the area which is worse than other parts of London according to a reputable pest control company. Also I want to try to get the council to do something about the problem as they surely have a duty to.

[StraferJack]

You mean to tell us, a man, whose very livelihood depends on eradicating vermin, is vocal in saying there is a local problem? It's barely credible!

Joking aside, yeah rats are horrible and exist in london. Their population waxes and wanes depending on conditions. But bringing your baby into it... Many of us have babies. What does that have to do with it?

[Anstergirl]

We found one in our garden last week, had been dead for some time and was full of seething maggots! Neighbour had seen one too. Yuck!

[KalamityKel]

Giacomelli Wrote:

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> Eek get a cat perhaps?

A dog (a big one) would be more effective given the size of a rat and then a cat. They're just as enthusiastic and skilled at the task.

Rats are often disturbed by building works shifting them from one place to another and where there is a good source of easily accessible food (restaurant bins/waste) there will be furry visitors. Just thought I'd point out the obvious...

[pinecone]

do foxes go for rats? there's quite a few of the former in SE22

[Nigello]

Foxes - and rats - can rip apart those flimsy refuse bags that street cleaners sometimes leave next to rubbish bins for later collection. If you see one of these bags not on top of the bin but next to it, just pick it up and put it on top. It'll help reduce unpleasant spillages and might stop a rodent or two from having a free dinner.

[Big D]

We had a rat problem a few weeks back just across the Rye in Nunhead. It got in under the floorboards and chewed through wires and water pipes. I can sympathize with you Rbrtdngl I saw it moving under the kitchen cabinet and it made my flesh crawl. I am always listening out for any sound now and am cautious when opening the kitchen door. The rat was caught and the hole cemented up but the thought doesn't go away quickly.

[fl0wer]

Sympathies to all with rat problems, the building sites as someone mentioned above, do create fresh outbreaks as the rats' old territories and passageways get usurped....

But following Nigello's remark about rubbish sacks:

ED's general rubbish has been getting really smelly in the heatwave. This must attract vermin of all kinds?

Bins evidently need more than just the Council emptying them, they need a clean with disinfectant.

Some problems arise where houses are in multiple occupation, the responsibility for hygiene unclear and people not wanting to complain to neighbours or landlords.

Others arise where shops sell foods that decompose very fast, & the collection service is several days away. The large bins outside the row of shops at the bottom of FHR, near where the bollards are being painted, receive waste from restaurants, chippies, grocery stores and they clearly aren't emptied often enough, they always reek.

[Countrlass22]

Hi apologies who i pm this was meant post here so pasted it.

Yes is case for Southwark council and environmental health.needs address eateries lordship lane..i personally scrubbed disinfected shared garden food waste bin got my own due.neighbours share house with refusing put food waste in green bags..in heat wave ends up maggots in.bin.also disinfects green bin..as .noticed the area smemt..no rats got cats..i do that pick.up bin.bags put top.bins...hate rats..u could put rat poison down outside patio doors in meantime hope council comes up solution.

sorry see flower your baby at risk not nice in hot weather have shut patio doors......yes I noticed reeking shop bins and see not emptied as often.i suspected as they pay as commercial waste.....the extra hot summer has indeed added to issue.

we do all need clean disinfect our our bins or use vip bins if dont fancy task.

countrlass

[worldwiser]

We also live on a road off LL and discovered a family of rats in our garden shed this week. Concrete and steel wool has proved the best solution. Plug all holes and burrows with it. It'll have an immediate effect. Make sure you have no redundant pipes/old soil stacks still connected in your garden and secure all your manhole covers and leaky outside taps. Rats need plenty of water so cut off their access to it.

[lane lover]

rbrtdngl Wrote:

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> The reason that I posted this on here was to let

> people know that there seems to be a huge problem

> (infestation) in the area which is worse than

> other parts of London according to a reputable

> pest control company. Also I want to try to get

> the council to do something about the problem as

> they surely have a duty to.

Isnt this the same as "crime is rife in East Dulwich ... worse than other parts of London". We live in London, we have crime, we have rats: its a fact of life. Personally, I have never seen a single rat in ED since I have lived in the area - but saw them a few times a week when I lived in North London. Foxes are a far bigger problem in SE22.

Rats are attracted to restaurants and food, so I am not surprised there are rats around Lordship Lane.

[ednewmy]

I also live just off Lordship Lane and one of the many Indian restaurants has its "back end" (so to speak) opening onto my road, and there always seems to be a lot of rubbish around. It's certainly a worry that this will attract rats but (touch wood) fortunately the only encounter I've had with them was catching a train in the early evening a few weeks ago - the overgrown area around the path to ED station seemed to be absolutely crawling with them, and when a massive one ran across the path in front of me I nearly jumped out of my skin. They seemed quite keen on the area around the back of dominos pizza...

[AcedOut]

I've seen a few rats on this forum, but none on LL. Surely it's a London-wide issue. Why do you think there are more rats in East Dulwich than in any other part of our city (bar perhaps Kebab & Wine in the early hours)?

[StraferJack]

Those scars from your first forum drinks still running deep acedout huh? ;-)

[Zombiemonkey]

Cat, living outside as you are allergic (cats don't mind...), or a Jack Russell, rats will never come near your home again- garanteed. And it's eco- friendly!

[SkyofFire]

Zombiemonkey Wrote:

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> Cat, living outside as you are allergic (cats

> don't mind...), or a Jack Russell, rats will never

> come near your home again- garanteed. And it's

> eco- friendly!

Unfortunately not true. I have two cats, live near the Rye, and am dealing with a rat problem in my house. The cats are petrified (may say something about the cats). Really don't know what to do - Renokil are hopeless.

[BB100]

If you have rats in Lewisham the council will deal with them for free:

http://www.lewisham.gov.uk/myservices/environment/pestcontrol/Pages/rats.aspx

[Voyageur]

SkyofFire Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Zombiemonkey Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > Cat, living outside as you are allergic (cats

> > don't mind...), or a Jack Russell, rats will

> never

> > come near your home again- garanteed. And it's

> > eco- friendly!

>

> Unfortunately not true. I have two cats, live near

> the Rye, and am dealing with a rat problem in my

> house. The cats are petrified (may say something

> about the cats). Really don't know what to do -

> Renokil are hopeless.

Depends on the cat TBH. When we had a rat problem a few years ago one of my cats pitched into rat slayer mode, the other two weren't seen for dust!

[HonaloochieB]

Wait a minute, Rats rife in East Dulwich? Rearrange the first two words and it's I, Strafer in East Dulwich?

Who it seems is keeping the thread subtly prominent.

StraferJ'accuse!

Can one of the gimlet-eyed eyed captains of industry who frequent the EDF check out StraferJ's portfolio and check how heavily invested he is in Rentokil?

Also look for companies with names like 'Mice - Them Hoors' and 'Baiting For Godot'.

I think I see a scandal on a par with the false police of Crystal Palace Road emerging here.

[The Minkey]

Foxes do eat rats.

[NickT]

I understand that the main cause of death for London rats is actually drowning when we have heavy rainfall and the sewers really fill up with water and destroy their nests and young, the warm summer with little rain has probably not helped the rat situation across London as a whole. I had a problem with rats years ago in North London and it was the end of a long dry summer.

I'm not keen for rain but a damn good storm could really sort things out perhaps.

[StraferJack]

I'm still getting over the work Honna put into that post from the 18th