Rat Control in Sheffield
Heard scratching in the walls or spotted droppings near the bins? Apex Pest Control Ltd clears rats from Sheffield homes and businesses — fast, safely and at a fixed price.
Apex is a family-run Sheffield business led by founder Tony Johnson. The local team finds how the rats are getting in, treats the problem and seals it at source — so they do not come back.
BPCA-Certified Member
Fully Insured
7 Days a Week
Apex Pest Control Ltd provides fast rat control across Sheffield and South Yorkshire as a BPCA-certified member, from its Sheffield head office. Apex treats domestic and commercial rat infestations for a fixed £160 +VAT — two visits, tamper-resistant bait stations and a written entry report, with no call-out fee. Founder Tony Johnson and the local Sheffield team attend 7 days a week and proof entry points at source.
What Apex Rat Control in Sheffield Includes
Apex provides a complete, fixed-price rat control service for Sheffield homes and businesses — survey, treatment, proofing advice and follow-up in one programme.
Every job starts with a thorough inspection: the technician identifies the species, locates the entry points and explains exactly what's needed before any treatment.
Treatment uses CRRU-compliant rodenticide baiting in tamper-resistant bait stations, placed safely away from children and pets, with break-back trapping where appropriate.
You receive a written entry report listing every access point found, so the rats are sealed out at source — not just baited. The fixed £160 +VAT price covers two visits, the bait stations and the entry report. No call-out fee, ever.
For the full biology and treatment detail, see the Apex guide to rat control and the brown rat.
Every Rat Control Visit Includes
- Thorough inspection and species identification
- CRRU-compliant baiting in tamper-resistant bait stations
- Break-back trapping where appropriate
- Written entry report listing every access point
- Two visits included in the fixed price
- No call-out fee, ever
How We Treat It
How Apex Pest Control Clears Rats in Sheffield
Apex follows a clear four-step process on every Sheffield rat job, so you always know what happens next.
-
Survey and quote
The technician inspects the property, confirms it's the brown rat, finds the entry points and gives a fixed price before starting.
-
Treat
The team installs tamper-resistant bait stations and sets traps where needed, under the CRRU Code and COSHH 2002.
-
Follow-up visit
Apex returns to check progress, top up bait and confirm activity has stopped — the second visit is included.
-
Proof at source
The written entry report shows where rats got in, and Apex checks the drains — with a CCTV drain survey where the problem persists — so the access points can be sealed.
Complete the full programme and any recommended remedial works, and Apex Pest Control Ltd backs the result with a 12-month proofing guarantee.
Why Sheffield Homeowners Choose Apex Pest Control
Apex Pest Control Ltd is a local, family-run pest control company with its head office in Sheffield, a BPCA-certified member, trusted across South and West Yorkshire.
"I founded Apex in Sheffield and I still write the advice on this site. When you call, you get our local team — we find how the rats are getting in and seal it at source, at a fixed price."
- Founded by Tony Johnson — 40 years across pest control, forestry & wildlife
- Local Sheffield team, including RSPH Level 2 technician Tom Johnson
- CRRU-approved certification for professional rodenticides
- COSHH 2002 trained — safe chemical handling
- BPCA member, CHAS registered and RSPH qualified
Founded on Experience
Founded by Tony Johnson, who brings 40 years across pest control, forestry and wildlife, and authors the Apex pest reference library.
Open 7 Days
Apex books rat surveys and follow-up bait checks across the week, and the Sheffield technician on your job is the one you speak to — not a call centre.
Legal & Resistance-Aware
Every technician holds the CRRU-approved certification now required by law to use professional rodenticides — current, legal and resistance-aware.
Member & Insured
BPCA member, CHAS registered and RSPH qualified, carrying £5M public liability insurance.
When the full pest programme and all recommended remedial works are completed, Apex Pest Control Ltd backs the job with a 12-month proofing guarantee and a 100% resolution rate for customers who complete the full plan. Speak to the local team that bait-treats and proofs Sheffield rats · 0114 349 1098.
Do We Cover Your Area in Sheffield?
Apex Pest Control Ltd provides professional rat control across Sheffield and the surrounding areas — covering all S postcodes from the city centre out to Hillsborough, Stocksbridge and Chapeltown. Click any area below to centre it on the map.
Not listed? Call us — we may still be able to help.
Call Our Sheffield Team — 0114 349 1098Areas Covered
Rat Control Across Sheffield
Explore our local area pages — detailed coverage for every key Sheffield district.
Rat Control Done Legally and Responsibly
Every rat job at Apex Pest Control Ltd follows the UK rodenticide rules — CRRU-certified technicians, secured bait stations and methods that keep non-target wildlife safe.
Prevention of Damage by Pests Act 1949Owners and occupiers have a legal duty to keep property free of rats (legislation.gov.uk).
COSHH 2002Rodenticides are used under a hazardous-substances risk assessment and stored and handled safely.
Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981Treatment methods protect non-target species, with no harm to protected wildlife.
CRRU UK rodenticide stewardshipSecond-generation anticoagulants are building-associated only, and from 1 January 2026 every professional user must hold CRRU-approved certification such as the RSPH Level 2 Safe Use of Rodenticides (thinkwildlife.org).
Tamper-resistant bait stations, proofing and exclusion as standardBacked by a 12-month proofing guarantee when the full programme and recommended remedial works are completed.
Real Rat Control Jobs in Sheffield & Yorkshire
Apex Pest Control Ltd surveys, treats and documents rat problems across Sheffield and Yorkshire — here is a sample of recent rat control work and a short video from the field.
Transparent Pricing
How Much Does Rat Control Cost in Sheffield?
Apex Pest Control Ltd charges a fixed £160 +VAT for rat control in Sheffield, covering two visits, tamper-resistant bait stations and a written entry report.
Fixed price
£160
+ VAT · no call-out fee, ever
- Two visits, tamper-resistant bait stations and a written entry report
- Any extra visit is £60 +VAT, agreed with you upfront
- The £160 quoted for your rat treatment is the figure on the invoice — bait stations, both visits and the entry report included
- You deal with the local Sheffield team, not a call centre
Sheffield City Council charges most residents for rat removal and can take days to reach you. Apex slots rat jobs in across the week, traces and proofs the entry point at source and hands over a written report — all for one fixed figure, with no call-out fee. The only call-out charge is a £60 rat-identification visit, which is deducted if treatment proceeds. View our full domestic price list.
What Apex Customers Say
"Thorough — sorted it at the cause, attentive and never rushed."
"Tom was thorough; returned three times to clear the garden rats and kept me updated throughout."
"Tom assessed the property, gave a clear plan, and the garden rats were gone."
Reviews are genuine and labelled by their true location and platform. Apex does not yet hold Sheffield-specific rat reviews and does not present any review as a Sheffield review.
Identification
Signs of Rats in Your Sheffield Home
Apex recommends booking an inspection the moment you notice any of these — rats breed fast, so early action keeps the cost down.
Droppings
Dark, capsule-shaped pellets around 12 mm long, usually near food, pipework or bins.
Scratching or scurrying
Noises in walls, under floors or in the loft, most often at night.
Gnaw marks
On skirting, cables, pipes or food packaging; rats gnaw constantly.
Grease smears
Dark, greasy rub marks along skirting boards and rat runs.
Burrows
Holes 6–9 cm wide near drains, decking, sheds or compost.
A musky smell
A strong, ammonia-like odour in an enclosed space.
Spotted one or more? Call 0114 349 1098 — Apex will inspect, confirm the species and quote before any work begins.
Why Sheffield Gets Rats — and Where They Come From
Apex Pest Control Ltd treats rats across Sheffield every week, and most infestations start the same way — underground.
In founder Tony Johnson's 40 years of experience, around 70% of Sheffield rat problems trace back to a broken or faulty drain. A cracked drain or displaced pipe gives the brown rat a direct route from the shared Victorian sewer into the home.
Finding rats is not a reflection on your home. The brown rat gets into the cleanest, best-kept Sheffield houses through faulty drains and small gaps, so there is no need for embarrassment — Apex treats every job discreetly and without judgement.
Sheffield housing makes it worse. The city's dense Victorian terraces and back-to-backs — across Walkley, Heeley, Hillsborough and Burngreave — sit on shared drainage runs that offer easy access once a pipe fails, and the leafy, hilly suburbs back onto green corridors and watercourses.
The rivers Don, Sheaf and Rivelin and the ageing sewer network add to it — ageing sewer and drainage infrastructure is now the primary driver of urban rat infestations (Environment Journal, 2024). The large student and rental market around Crookesmoor, Broomhill and Ecclesall Road, with its shared HMO bin stores, draws rats in too.
Timing matters: the brown rat is active year-round, but South Yorkshire sees a clear peak from October to February as rats move indoors when temperatures fall.
Sheffield Rats at a Glance
Pest Intelligence
The Brown Rat — What You're Actually Dealing With
The rat in almost every Sheffield home is the brown rat, Rattus norvegicus — also called the common rat, Norway rat or sewer rat, the most abundant rodent in the UK.
- Weil's disease (leptospirosis) — Leptospira bacteria are shed in rat urine and can be fatal. England records an average of 57 confirmed cases a year (UKHSA, 2020–2023), with confirmed cases in Yorkshire and Humber.
- Salmonella — spread by faecal contamination of food; around 9,480 UK cases were confirmed in 2023 (UKHSA, 2024).
- Seoul hantavirus — carried by UK brown rats and spread via dried urine and droppings; antibodies have been found in Yorkshire farm workers (GOV.UK).
Rat Control in Sheffield — Your Questions Answered
Answers to the questions Sheffield residents ask most often about rat control. Each answer is self-contained and mirrored in the page schema.
How much does rat control cost in Sheffield?
Apex charges a fixed £160 +VAT — two visits, tamper-resistant bait stations and a written entry report. Any extra visit is £60 +VAT, agreed upfront. There is no call-out fee for treatment.
Does Sheffield City Council remove rats?
Sheffield City Council pest control is a paid service for most residents and can take several days to attend. Apex attends 7 days a week, proofs the entry point at source and includes a written report, for a clear fixed price with no call-out fee.
How long does it take to get rid of rats?
Most Sheffield rat infestations are controlled over the two included visits, with bait taking effect between them. Apex confirms activity has stopped before sealing the entry points so the rats don't return.
Why doesn't shop-bought rat poison work?
The brown rat is neophobic — it avoids unfamiliar bait — and anticoagulant resistance is widespread, with 67.4% of tested English rats carrying the VKORC1 resistance gene (PMC, 2015). Apex uses CRRU-approved, resistance-aware methods and seals entry points, which DIY products cannot.
Is rat baiting safe around children and pets?
Yes. The rodenticide used on rats is locked inside tamper-resistant bait stations, sited out of reach of children and pets and used under the CRRU Code and COSHH 2002. Your technician shows you where each rat bait station sits.
Who is responsible for rats — landlord or tenant?
Under the Prevention of Damage by Pests Act 1949, owners and occupiers must keep property free of rats, and infestation can be a category hazard under the HHSRS. Apex supplies a written entry report as documented evidence for compliance.
Will rats affect my food hygiene rating?
Yes — rat evidence is a food-safety failure under the Food Safety and Hygiene (England) Regulations 2013 and can lower a rating immediately. Apex provides integrated pest management with audit-ready records and a certificate of compliance.
Do you cover my Sheffield postcode?
Apex covers the whole Sheffield area and the S postcodes, including Hillsborough, Crookes, Walkley, Ecclesall, Broomhill, Nether Edge, Heeley, Handsworth, Chapeltown and Stocksbridge. Call 0114 349 1098 to confirm your street.
How did the rats get in?
In founder Tony Johnson's 40 years of experience, around 70% of Sheffield rat infestations come from a broken or faulty drain. Apex traces the entry point, lists it in your written report, checks the drains (CCTV where persistent) and recommends proofing so the access is sealed for good.
Still have questions about rat control in Sheffield? Call 0114 349 1098 — the team can talk through your rat problem any day of the week.
Related Sheffield Services
Other Pest Control Services
Get Rid of Rats · Sheffield
Get Rid of Rats in Sheffield — Call Apex Today
Living with rats is stressful, and it doesn't have to last. Apex Pest Control Ltd will find them, treat them and seal them out at source — for a fixed price, with no call-out fee. Ring the BPCA-certified Sheffield team to book a rat survey any day of the week.
- 0114 349 1098 — Sheffield local line
- info@apex-pest-control.co.uk
- Mon–Fri 8am–7pm · Sat–Sun 8am–1pm
- Serving Sheffield & South Yorkshire
- Head office: 54 Baxter Drive, Birley Carr, Sheffield, S6 1GH