- Postcode lottery for charges – 240 per cent price difference for exterminating the same type of pests in different regions
- Two thirds (69 per cent) of councils offer pest control services
- Bed Bugs, cockroaches and moths the most expensive pests to eradicate
Britons spent an estimated £21.4 million, the equivalent of £58,000 a day, on council pest control services last year reveals new research1 from Churchill Home Insurance. Over two thirds (69 per cent) of councils offer a level of pest control service, with the remaining authorities opting to outsource to local extermination outfits.
One in 10 (10 per cent) councils charge an initial call out charge before any extermination takes place, at an average cost of £34. When it comes to the actual extermination, the most expensive pests to eradicate are bed bugs at an average cost of £107 for a standard treatment, followed by cockroaches (£88), moths (£88), fleas (£79) and carpet beetles (£78). The cost charged to tackle rats (£57) and wasps (£58) are far lower.
Table one: Cost breakdown by pest type in UK
| Pest | Average cost | Most expensive region | Least expensive region | Price variance (premium on cheapest price) |
| Bed Bugs | £107 | South West (£171) | Wales (£57) | £114 (200 per cent) |
| Cockroaches | £88 | South West (£143) | Wales (£42) | £101 (240 per cent) |
| Moths | £88 | London (£165) | East Midlands (£51) | £114 (224 per cent) |
| Fleas | £79 | London (£122) | North East (£62) | £60 (97 per cent) |
| Carpet beetles | £78 | London (£117) | North East (£49) | £68 (139 per cent) |
| Flies | £75 | London (£148) | North East (£61) | £87 (143 per cent) |
| Ants | £71 | London (£107) | Scotland (£58) | £49 (84 per cent) |
| Mice | £66 | London (£116) | North West (£45) | £71 (158 per cent) |
| Wasps | £58 | London (£67) | North East (£51) | £16 (31 per cent) |
| Rats | £57 | London (£99) | North West (£40) | £59 (148 per cent) |
Source: Churchill Home Insurance 2020
Householders across the UK face a postcode lottery when it comes to council charges for tackling pests. The charges for exterminating cockroaches can vary by 240 per cent between regions, with councils charging an average of £42 in Wales compared to £143 in the South West. The average cost councils charge for eradicating moths varies by 200 per cent between regions, with London authorities charging on average £165 to tackle an infestation, while those in the East Midlands charge just £51.
Not only is there a difference between regions, local authorities within an area charge markedly different prices for their pest control services. One council in the North West charges £222 for a standard bed bug service, while another costs just £17 – a difference of £205 for the same treatment. In London one council charges a fee of £247 for cockroach extermination and another nearby offers the same service for free.
London accounts for 19 per cent of all pest control call outs and is the most expensive region to have a nuisance taken care of. The average cost in the capital to have extermination carried out by a local authority is £122. This is followed by the East of England (£93), South West (£88), Yorkshire and The Humber (£86) and the West Midlands (£78). At the other end of the scale the North East and East Midlands are the cheapest, costing half the amount of London (£61).
Table two: Pest control cost and expenditure breakdown by UK region, 2019
| Region | Average pest control cost | Estimated extermination expenditure | Share of total expenditure | Share of all pest control callouts2 |
| London | £122 | £6.98m | 33 per cent | 19 per cent |
| East of England | £93 | £1.01m | 5 per cent | 3 per cent |
| South West | £88 | £900,000 | 4 per cent | 3 per cent |
| Yorkshire and The Humber | £86 | £1.31m | 6 per cent | 6 per cent |
| West Midlands | £78 | £1.97m | 9 per cent | 8 per cent |
| South East | £75 | £1.32m | 6 per cent | 7 per cent |
| Scotland | £64 | £2.07m | 10 per cent | 12 per cent |
| North West | £63 | £2.85m | 13 per cent | 20 per cent |
| Wales | £62 | £1.28m | 6 per cent | 8 per cent |
| East Midlands | £61 | £786,000 | 4 per cent | 5 per cent |
| North East | £61 | £835,000 | 4 per cent | 5 per cent |
| Total | £77 | £21.36m | 100 per cent | 100 per cent |
Pritpal Powar, Head of Churchill home insurance, said: “Pests such as insects and rodents pose a real risk to the home, they take advantage of issues like broken pipes, slipped roof tiles or holes in skirting to gain access. They can damage the structural integrity of a building or ruin possessions, shredding materials for nests or in search of food. Eradicating unwanted pests can involve harmful products, so we recommend that anyone with an infestation contacts their local authority or extermination service to have it taken care of professionally.”
To help homeowners prevent pest invasions, Churchill Home Insurance has provided the following five helpful tips:
- Keep surfaces clean: Pests are drawn to food debris so wiping down surfaces regularly, clearing up food spillages and throwing away uneaten food will help to prevent unwanted visitors.
- Fill cracks and crevasses: Many pests are crafty at finding entry ways to the home. Prevent them for getting in by sealing gaps around doors and windows. It is also important to block holes above or under the sink as many pests will use this area to gain access to water.
- Check pets: Cats and dogs are a common source of fleas being brought into the home. Treat your pets regularly for fleas to minimise the risk, shake out animal bedding once a fortnight and vacuum areas where pets have been in the home on a regular basis to avoid unwanted visitors.
- Seal food: Store food in safe and enclosed containers to prevent pests being tempted to visit your home.
- Avoid clutter: Pests love hiding in dark areas so keep the home clutter free to remove opportunities for them to set up home in your house.
ENDS
Notes to Editor
1 Desk research completed looking at council extermination fees across the UK between March and April 2020. Total cost of pest control services overlaid with the results of an FOI carried out by Direct Line Group in January 2020 which revealed the number of service call-outs by region. A total of 261 (68%) out of 382 local councils provided usable data, with subsequent figures extrapolated to cover the whole of the UK. Total estimated cost of services carried out in 2019 was £30,956,454. (£30,956,454 / 365) = £84,812.20.
2 Freedom of information Act request issued to all UK councils on 27th January 2020. A total of 350 out of 382 local councils (91%) responded, of which 261 (68%) provided usable data. Northern Ireland accounted for 2% of callouts but has been excluded from the dataset due to no service pricing data being available.
For further information please contact:
Claire Jarrett
Home PR Manager
Tel: 01651 832 411
Email: Claire.jarrett@directlinegroup.co.uk
Alannah Sims
Citigate Dewe Rogerson
Tel: 0207 025 6563
Email: Alannah.sims@citigatedewerogerson.com
Churchill
Founded in 1989, Churchill is now one of the UK's leading providers of general insurance, offering car, home, travel and pet insurance cover over the phone or on-line.
Churchill general insurance policies are underwritten by U K Insurance Limited, Registered office: The Wharf, Neville Street, Leeds LS1 4AZ. Registered in England and Wales No 1179980. U K Insurance Limited is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority.
Churchill and U K Insurance Limited are both part of Direct Line Insurance Group plc.
Customers can find out more about Churchill products or get a quote by calling 0300 200 300 or visiting www.churchill.com
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