If your home has a rat infestation, it can cause the value of your property to drop dramatically.
A property expert has warned homeowners about rat infestations and how much money they can knock off your property.
Rats can be attracted to your property if you leave food waste in an easy spot for rats to get to; it is likely that they will return to your home.
Tabitha Cumming, a property expert and CEO and Founder of The Lease Extensive Company, said: “The problem is that once rats discover a reliable food source, they may continue returning to the area.
“From a property perspective, a serious rat infestation could potentially knock as much as 20% off a home’s value in a worst-case scenario.
“Based on the latest average UK house price of £273,000 from the ONS, that could mean a loss of £54,600.
“It’s important to stress that this would be an extreme case, rather than the typical impact of an infestation.
“However, even a relatively minor pest problem could become an issue if you’re planning to sell your property.”
Tabitha explained that rats can cause a lot of damage to a property if they get inside your home.
She added: “They can chew through electrical wiring, damage insulation, contaminate stored materials and create problems in areas that are difficult to inspect, such as lofts, cavity walls and beneath floors.
“This means the cost isn’t necessarily limited to paying a pest control company to remove them.
“Homeowners may also need to repair damaged wiring, replace insulation or carry out work to prevent rodents from getting back inside.”
Any evidence of rats in a property is a “major red flag” for possible buyers.
Tabitha explains that if an infestation has been treated, buyers might still be worried about any hidden damage in the property, whether the rats could return, and if the property has been well maintained by the previous owners.
How to keep rats away from your home
If you are worried about a rat infestation in your home, there are a few steps you can take to prevent it.
You should make sure your bin lids are closed and kept out of direct sunlight to decrease the rate of decomposition.
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You should also make sure any entry points around your home, such as gaps around pipes and under sheds, are properly sealed.
If you feed birds and other wildlife in your garden, make sure you use a feeder basket that rats cannot get to and do not put too much food out at once.
Did you know how much money a rat infestation can take off your property? Let us know in the comments.
