Contact: Graham Sievers   Mobile: 07722282946  Graham.sievers@perfectlypicked.com

For immediate release

UK, 14 October 2016

Invasion of the super rats:

Pest Control expert's 5-point plan to prevent swarms of rats taking over your property

As one UK newspaper warns this week that "120 million rats could invade UK homes this winter"*, a leading property management expert lists 5 key actions to limit the risks of pests.

VPS, the property maintenance company best known for protecting and securing vacant properties, has a national network of specialist pest control teams and consultants who are gearing up for a challenging winter.

"When the weather turns colder, then rats, mice and cockroaches seek shelter inside buildings," says Carlos Rosa, a director of VPS. "Our pest control teams will experience over a 30% rise in emergency calls, but anyone who owns a property, whether occupied or vacant, can make it less attractive to these winter squatters with our five-point plan."

1. Removeclutter.Especially if there's an attic or the cellar, any wood, paper, left-over materials or rubbish that could be used to make a warm nest warmer still, should be cleared or stashed away neatly. Not only will that make it more difficult - and therefore less attractive - to rats, but it will make checking for infestation a lot easier. 

2. Talking of checking -regularly inspectfor signs of pests. The sooner you can prevent a family of rats from becoming a colony, the better, so the earlier you discover there may be a problem, the quicker you can show the invaders the door.  

3. Keep all foodstuffs robustly protected, including pet food, storing them in plastic containers and off the floor. It's bad enough to allow your property to become infested without feeding them too. And make sure bins have good fitting lids and are not overflowing - rats and mice are not fussy about ‘use by' dates.  

4. Check forleaking drainpipes or missing roof tiles- good maintenance tasks anyway for keeping a property dry and sound during winter, but also damp, wet, broken pipes are like magnets for cockroaches. Securely place wire mesh over air bricks and vents too.  

5. Finally, keep the number ofa registered pest control companyhandy, and check they areNPTA accredited- the National Pest Technicians Association. Accreditation means customers know they are using the services of an elite company, as the audit process that this membership category undertakes, guarantees the professionalism, conduct and assurance that work is carried out to the highest standards.

ENDS

*Sun Newspaper 10/10/2016
https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/1945875/massive-swarm-of-120million-rats-could-invade-uk-homes-this-winter-as-they-flee-harsh-winter-conditions/

For more information and enquiries about this press release to Graham Sievers tel. 07722282946graham.sievers@perfectlypicked.com

About the VPS Group:

VPSsecure more than 50,000 residential and commercial properties and employ over 1600 staff in locations across the UK, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland and mainland Europe. They specialise in securing, maintaining and managing vacant property across a wide range of customer and industry sectors.

Core building services cover the vacant, unoccupied and void property lifecycle from an initial risk assessment, to security, including guarding, monitoring, clearing, cleaning, maintenance and preparation.  These services protect properties against unauthorised access and a variety of hazards such as arson, theft, squatting and unauthorised occupation. 

www.vpsgroup.com

VPS Group.

Broadgate House, Broadway Business Park, Chadderton, Greater Manchester, Lancashire OL9 9XA

Tel: 0330 005 5300