Selling A House with Rat Infestation: Complete UK Guide

Surveys find all the rat evidence.

Surveyors document droppings, gnaw marks, and damage in reports. This proves rats were there and gives buyers reasons to pull out.

Many buyers walk away immediately. Seeing “rat infestation” in writing is too much for them.

Deals fall through even after offers are made. The survey frightens buyers badly.

Rats make people feel sick.

Buyers worry about diseases and contamination. Families with children refuse to consider homes where rats lived.

This disgust can’t be fixed with words. Logic doesn’t help when people feel revolted.

Only investors might buy. Regular families simply won’t live somewhere rats were.

Banks won’t lend money for rat-infested homes.

Most lenders refuse mortgages or demand pest control proof and repairs first. Active infestations mean no loans available.

This leaves only cash buyers. You lose 80% or more of possible buyers immediately.

Most people need mortgages to buy. Without them, your home can’t sell.

Rats destroy things you can’t see.

They chew electrical wires, creating fire risks. Faulty wiring from rat damage subsequently requires expensive repairs. They ruin plumbing, insulation, and wood structures.

Repairs cost £2,000-£10,000 or more. Buyers want all this money off your price, plus extra.

Even after fixes, buyers struggle with the idea of living where rats were.

Smells stay long after rats are gone.

Urine, droppings, and dead rats in the walls create awful smells. Buyers notice during viewings and leave quickly.

Your home gets known as “the rat house” locally. Neighbours and estate agents talk about it.

This reputation is why your house isn’t selling. Word spreads, and people avoid your property.

Investing in pest control usually pays off.

Professional treatment costs £200-£800 but typically recovers 3-5 times that in your sale price. Untreated infestations can reduce offers by £5,000-£15,000 or more.

A pest control certificate transforms everything. You move from “active problem” to “resolved issue” in buyers’ minds.

This certificate is powerful during negotiations. Buyers feel reassured seeing official proof that rats are gone.

Complete rat removal takes time.

Full eradication needs 2-4 weeks minimum, often 6-8 weeks with follow-up visits. Then you need extra time for repairs and smell removal.

If facing repossession or urgent relocation, treatment delays might be impossible. Selling as-is to cash investors may be more practical.

Consider your financial pressure. Sometimes speed matters more than getting the highest price possible.

Fix the most visible damage first.

Repair gnaw marks on woodwork, replace dirty insulation, and fix damaged wiring for safety. Spending £1,000-£3,000 on targeted repairs gives good returns.

Don’t do a full renovation because you won’t recover those costs. But ignoring all damage is also a mistake.

Strategic repairs show buyers the worst is handled. They can see you’ve taken the problem seriously.

Official documentation is incredibly valuable.

Paperwork from qualified pest controllers proving successful removal reassures buyers enormously. It satisfies mortgage lenders who need proof.

This certification is often the difference between completed sales and collapsed deals. Buyers trust official documents over your promises.

Keep all receipts and reports. Show them to every serious buyer immediately.

Selling without treatment requires big price cuts.

Reduce by full eradication costs (£500-£1,500) plus repair estimates (£2,000-£10,000+) plus 20-30% extra for buyer hassle.

Get a professional house valuation without selling to understand realistic pricing with rat problems. Target cash investors who routinely handle pest issues.

Don’t waste time with regular residential buyers. They expect move-in condition and won’t accept rat history regardless of price.

Damaged drains are the main rat highway.

Rats swim through sewers and enter through broken drain pipes, cracked connections, or faulty drain covers. They can come up through toilet waste pipes, too.

CCTV drain surveys cost £150-£300 and show exactly where problems are. Professional repairs cost £500-£2,000 or more, depending on damage.

Selling a house with plumbing problems, including damaged drains, requires fixing these issues or pricing accordingly.

Holes where pipes enter walls let rats in.

Gas pipes, water mains, and electrical cables often have gaps around them. Rats only need 20mm to squeeze through.

Seal these with wire wool and cement or special expanding foam. DIY costs £50-£100, or professional sealing costs £200-£400.

Check every single pipe and cable entry point. Missing just one gap means rats can still get in.

Broken air bricks below floor level provide direct access.

Ventilation bricks with missing grilles or cracks let rats into sub-floor spaces where they nest. These areas are warm and protected.

Replace damaged air bricks with metal mesh-protected versions costing £10-£25 each. Secure existing ones with rust-proof steel mesh.

This maintains essential ventilation while keeping rats out. Both protection and airflow are important.

Cracks in walls create entry opportunities.

Settlement cracks, gaps between ground and walls, and deteriorated pointing all let rats in. They exploit every weakness in your building.

Pointing repairs and crack filling cost £500-£1,500 depending on the extent. Pay special attention to where walls meet the ground level.

These repairs also improve your building generally. They’re not just for rats but for overall structural integrity.

Professional rat-proofing addresses all vulnerabilities.

Complete rat-proofing typically costs £200-£1,000+, depending on the condition of your property. This covers all entry points systematically.

While expensive, it prevents reinfestation after treatment. Buyers gain confidence that the problem is permanently resolved, not just temporarily controlled.

This work may require building regulations compliance for structural modifications, ensuring everything meets proper standards and gives buyers full assurance.

Most house sales take months, but we can buy your property in as little as 7 days.

This quick process is perfect if you need to move soon or want to avoid being stuck in a long chain of buyers and sellers. We have the cash on hand so don’t need to wait for mortgages or a chain to collapse. 

Did you know 1 in 3 sales fall through on the open market?

We know how frustrating it is to get 6 months into a process and have a buyer pull out.

When we give you the final price for your house, that’s the amount you’ll get. Guaranteed!

You won’t face any costs with us.

We handle all the expenses involved in buying your property, including legal fees and surveys. You get cash in your bank when the sale is complete, and there are no surprise estate agent commissions to worry about.

Our team supports you through the whole selling process.

We keep you updated about what’s happening and answer any questions quickly. You’ll always understand what’s going on with your sale and what happens next.

Our property experts will value your house at no cost to you.

They look carefully at your property and check local market prices to give you an accurate figure. This professional service comes with no obligations.

Forget about cleaning and tidying for viewings.

We don’t need multiple visits or open houses to make our offer. This means no strangers walking through your home, and no disruption to your daily life.

Whether your house needs work or is in perfect condition, we’ll buy it.

We have experience with all types of properties and conditions. This means you can sell your house to us no matter what state it’s in.

Our expert team manages all the legal requirements for you.

We work with experienced property lawyers who make sure everything runs smoothly, and put your property at the top of their list. This gives you peace of mind that your sale is being handled properly from start to finish.