Pest Control FAQs

Skip to navigation

Basics

What pests do you treat?

We will deal with most types of pests found within the home. The most common are rats, mice, ants, wasps, etc.

How do I contact you?

by telephone on 0500 545 540 (Freephone)
in person at our offices at Kilncraigs, Alloa FK10 1EB
by contacting any Community Access Point.

It is hoped to be able to accept requests electronically in the future via the website

Costs

Is the service free?: For householders rats and mice are treated free We make a charge for the others. Please see the Pest Control Charges page for more details.
How much is the charge?: Please see the Pest Control Charges page for full details of charges. For Clackmannanshire Council tenants, and some tenants of Ochilview/Hanover Housing Associations, the charge is paid by the landlord from the rent income.
How do I pay?: If telephoning you can pay by debit or credit card (Switch, Delta, Visa, or Mastercard). You can pay by debit/credit card, cash or cheque if visiting in person.

Visits

How quickly will you come?

We aim to deal with all requests by the end of the next working day after the day you contact us. In other words a request made on Monday should be dealt with by the end of Tuesday. We are sometimes a bit slower during peak times. This is mostly Summer.

Do I have to be there?

If the problem is outside, for instance a wasps nest in the back garden, you do not have to be there. For security and insurance reasons we will not go into a house without the householder, or their representative, being present.

Can I make an Appointment?

In most cases, yes. We can usually arrange an appointment Mondays-Fridays between 9am and 5pm given a few days notice. However we only have 1 or 2 staff working on Pest Control at any time and so we cannot always agree to appointments, particularly over the lunchtime period.

How long does treatment take?

It depends. One treatment is usually enough for most insects. Insect treatments, including wasps, can be as quick as a few minutes.

For rats and mice it often take a while to find where they might be coming from and to lay poison trays. A second visit will sometimes be made to check whether the poison has been eaten. We will also visit again, after reasonable time has passed, to remove the poison.

Self Help

Can I treat them myself?: In most cases, yes. Poisons can be purchased at most DIY and hardware stores. They contain full instructions on use.

About Pests

Are all insects pests?

No. Many insects play an important role in our ecosystem. We try not to treat insects, birds or mammals unless they are posing a threat or nuisance.

We have information leaflets on a range of common pests which can be viewed online, or obtained from most Council offices and libraries.

What pests is there an information leaflet about?

What about bees?

Bees are generally beneficial in the garden. We try not to treat bees unless they pose a risk to householders (e.g. - a swarm in a house or chimney).

For honey bees we try to keep lists of local beekeepers who might take them away. There are not many local beekeepers now and we always welcome any new names to add to the list.

What about bats?

Bats are a protected species. If you discover a bat, or suspect you have a bat roost, you must not harm them.

You should contact :

Scottish Natural Heritage - http://www.snh.org.uk
Tayside and Clackmannanshire Area
Battleby
Perth
PH1 3EW
Direct Dial: 01738 444177
Fax: 01738 442060

More information is also available online from the Bat Conservation Trust

Emergencies

What about emergencies?

Very few problems with pests can be classed as an emergency. We do have an out of hours service which will deal with the following:

A swarm of bees or wasps within the house
A rats or mouse trapped within the house

Contact:

Daytime 0500 545 540 (Freephone)
Out of Hours, Weekends, Holidays 01259 452000 (Council Emergency Number)

Businesses

I run a business will you come to me?

In most cases, and provided you are located in Clackmannanshire, yes. We also offer monthly preventative treatment contracts.

How much do you charge businesses?

Please see the Pest Control Charges page for more details. We charge an hourly rate plus the cost of the poisons and other materials. These costs do not include VAT which is charged at 17.5%.

Contracts are subject to a quotation following an initial survey.

Safety

Are your poisons safe?

All the poisons we use are approved by the Health & Safety ExecutiveWherever possible we try to use powder, sprays or pellets.

Insects have a different body system than humans and their poisons should generally pose little risk to us. Rats and mice are animals and therefore what kills them might also kill pets, and us, if eaten in large enough quantities. Rats and mice are much smaller than us and so we don't leave enough poison about to pose much of a risk to us. We will check if you have pets and try to leave any poison where your pets can't get at it. We also come back after a reasonable period to remove rat/mice poison.