Pest control for businesses
A pest sighting can cost you stock, customers and your food hygiene rating. Enko offers fast one-off treatments and regular inspections to keep problems from starting.
Your legal duties, in plain English
- Food businesses must have adequate procedures in place to control pests. This is part of food hygiene law, and inspectors will check for it.
- The Food Safety Act 1990 makes it an offence to sell food that is unfit or contaminated, which includes contamination by pests.
- The Prevention of Damage by Pests Act 1949 requires occupiers to tell the council in writing about substantial numbers of rats or mice on their land.
This is a summary, not legal advice. Your local environmental health team can tell you what applies to your premises.
Regular inspections
Scheduled visits catch activity early, before customers or inspectors spot it. Steve checks the premises, maintains bait stations and monitors where needed, and advises on proofing and housekeeping.
Who Enko works with
Pests that hit businesses hardest
Rodents and cockroaches in food premises, wasps around outdoor seating, bed bugs in hotels and HMOs.
Business pest control questions
Covering Kent, Surrey, East Sussex, West Sussex and Greater London.
Does my food business need a pest control contract?
The law does not say you must have a contract, but food businesses must have adequate procedures in place to control pests, and environmental health officers will look for evidence of them. Regular professional inspections are the usual way to show this.
Do I have to tell the council about rats?
Under the Prevention of Damage by Pests Act 1949, the occupier of land must notify the local authority in writing if they know rats or mice are living on or visiting the land in substantial numbers. Agricultural land is treated differently.
Can you work around our opening hours?
Talk to Steve about timings. Visits can be arranged to keep disruption to your business as low as possible.
Do you provide reports after each visit?
Ask Steve what records you need, for example for an environmental health inspection or an audit, when you arrange your visits.
Talk to Steve about your premises
Call for a one-off treatment, or to talk through regular inspections for your business.