You may be able to claim compensation
If a pest infestation has not been properly dealt with, you may be able to claim repairs and compensation from your council or housing association.
Pests and infestations: compensation claims for council and housing association tenants
If you rent from a council or housing association and you are living with rats, mice, cockroaches or another infestation that has not been properly dealt with, you may be able to make a compensation claim. Here is how to tell what's urgent, whose job it is to fix it, when it's actually a different kind of claim altogether, and what evidence helps.
Pests and infestations at a glance
Not every infestation is a disrepair claim
If there's no underlying disrepair causing it, you may have a different kind of claim instead. We explain the difference below.
Some pests matter more than others
Rats, mice and cockroaches are the pests most likely to support a claim. Others are treated differently.
Report it in writing
Keep a simple record of when you reported it and what your landlord did. It's the single most useful thing you can do.
Which pests are most likely to lead to a claim?
Not all infestations are treated the same way. This is a general guide, not a guarantee. Every case depends on the facts.
Most likely to support a claim
Rats and mice
The most common pests behind a successful claim. Gnaw damage, droppings and entry points often point straight back to a repair your landlord hadn't made.
Cockroaches
A serious hygiene and health risk. Often linked to damp, waste disposal problems, or gaps around pipework that let them spread between properties.
Considered, but case by case
Certain ant species, including Pharaoh ants
Most garden ants are a nuisance, not a claim. Pharaoh ants are different: they're a recognised indoor pest with health implications, and an infestation can sometimes point to an underlying heating or structural issue they're exploiting. Treated case by case.
Bed bugs
Bed bugs can be a genuine problem, but claims based on bed bugs alone are often harder to bring. Causality is frequently disputed. Bed bugs can be introduced by a tenant's own belongings, visitors, or spread from a neighbouring property, and it isn't always possible to show your landlord's disrepair caused the infestation. A bed bug claim is more likely to succeed where it's clearly linked to a structural issue (for example, an infestation spreading through a shared wall or floor due to poor sealing).
Rarely a disrepair matter
Wasps' and bees' nests
Usually a seasonal, external issue rather than a sign of disrepair.
Garden ants, occasional spiders
Normal for most homes and not usually something you can claim for.
Warning signs of an infestation
Infestations don't always look dramatic. These are the signs worth acting on.
Droppings or smear marks
Along skirting boards, in cupboards, or near food storage.
Gnaw marks or nesting material
On wiring, pipework, furniture, or stored belongings.
Unusual smells
A persistent, stale or ammonia-like smell in a room or void space.
Sightings, especially at night
Even a single sighting is worth reporting and logging.
Live or dead insects, or shed skins
Cockroach casings and shed skins are a reliable sign of an established problem.
Bites or marks on skin, especially overnight
Can point to bed bugs; worth photographing and reporting early.
Is it urgent right now?
A few signs mean a pest problem needs treating as an emergency, not a routine repair request.
Rats indoors, or signs near electrics or gas?
Rodents gnawing wiring or pipework is a fire and gas-safety risk, not just a pest problem. If you see signs of this, report it to your landlord's emergency repairs line straight away and follow up in writing.
Treat as urgent
Rodent activity near electrics, gas appliances, or in large numbers indoors.
Report urgently, but not a 999 emergency
A significant infestation affecting daily life, health, or a vulnerable household member.
Routine repair
A single sighting or minor signs with no immediate safety risk, reported through the normal process.
Is this a housing disrepair claim, or something else?
Whether a pest infestation is a disrepair claim or a different kind of claim depends on what's causing it.
Likely a housing disrepair claim
A hole, gap or crack in the structure is letting pests in
Damp, a leak, or a drainage problem is attracting pests
A door or window that won't seal properly is an entry point
Your landlord hasn't fixed the underlying problem causing or worsening the infestation
May be an EPA statutory nuisance claim instead
The property itself has no disrepair, but pests are present
The source is a neighbouring property or a wider area issue
There's no clear link between a repair failure and the infestation
Why this matters: a housing disrepair claim and an Environmental Protection Act (EPA) 1990 statutory nuisance claim are handled differently. A disrepair claim is about your landlord's failure to repair your home, run through the usual complaints and compensation route. An EPA claim is about a statutory nuisance (which can include some pest infestations) and is generally pursued through your local council's environmental health team, or directly through the magistrates' court, not as a standard housing disrepair claim.
Not every solicitor firm handles EPA matters. If your situation looks EPA-shaped rather than disrepair-shaped, we'll be upfront about that, and the referral path may be different from our usual process.
Who's responsible: landlord or tenant?
This is a general guide. The facts of your situation always matter most.
| What | What it covers | Who's responsible |
|---|---|---|
| Structural gaps, holes or cracks letting pests in | Covered by your landlord's repair obligations | Your landlord |
| Damp, leaks or drainage problems attracting pests | Covered if it's the underlying cause | Your landlord |
| Communal areas, refuse stores and shared bin areas | Pest control for shared spaces | Your landlord or managing agent |
| Day-to-day cleanliness and food storage | Normal good housekeeping | You, the tenant |
| Proofing entry points once identified | Making good after a pest control visit | Your landlord |
| Infestations introduced by your own belongings | For example, furniture brought into the property | You, the tenant (case by case) |
Living with a pest infestation?
Find out in minutes if you could claim compensation for a pest infestation. It costs you nothing to check.
We are a claims management company, not a law firm. You don't have to use us: you can complain to your landlord, then the relevant ombudsman*.
*England: Housing Ombudsman. Wales: Public Services Ombudsman
When a neighbour is part of the problem
Sometimes an infestation is being fed, at least partly, by conditions in a neighbouring property.
Report it to your landlord first
Your landlord's own repair and pest-control obligations apply regardless of the source. Don't wait to find out whose fault it is before reporting the problem.
Your local council's environmental health team can act on a neighbouring property
If food waste, hoarding, or an untreated infestation next door is partly or wholly feeding the problem, the council has separate powers to investigate and require action at the source, including against another tenant, an owner-occupier, or a different landlord.
The two routes can run side by side
Reporting a neighbour to the council doesn't replace your own disrepair complaint. They're complementary: one deals with your home, the other with the source.
What to do, and what to leave to your landlord
A few things help straight away.
Do
Report it to your landlord in writing, with photos or video
Keep a simple log of sightings, droppings and any bites or marks
Store food in sealed containers while the problem is being dealt with
Ask for a copy of any pest control report or treatment plan
Report a neighbouring property to your council's environmental health team if it's contributing
Don't
Don't rely on your own pest control as a long-term fix for a structural cause
Don't ignore droppings or gnaw marks near electrics. Report promptly
Don't assume a single treatment visit has solved an ongoing structural problem
Don't let embarrassment stop you reporting it. Infestations are a repair issue, not a reflection on you
Don't attempt to seal up entry points yourself without reporting first. This can trap pests inside
The impact of pest infestations
These problems are not just unpleasant. They affect health, belongings and peace of mind.
Health risks
Contamination of food and surfaces, allergens, bites, and the spread of disease associated with rodents and cockroaches.
Damage to belongings
Gnawed furniture, wiring, clothing and stored items.
Stress and anxiety
Living with an infestation takes a toll, especially where there are children or vulnerable household members.
Disruption
Treatment visits, having to move food and belongings, and noise or smell while the problem is ongoing.
Embarrassment and isolation
Many tenants feel reluctant to report an infestation, or to have visitors, even though it isn't their fault.
Cost
Having to buy your own traps, repellents or cleaning products you shouldn't have had to pay for.
What your landlord must do
These duties apply to your tenancy automatically, and your landlord can't contract out of them.
Landlord and Tenant Act 1985
Section 11 requires your landlord to keep the structure and exterior of your home in repair, including the gaps, cracks and defects that let pests in.
Read the guideHomes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018
Your home must be fit to live in. A home with an uncontrolled infestation can fail this test.
Read the guideHousing Health and Safety Rating System
Pests and refuse are a recognised hazard category under HHSRS. Councils and housing associations can assess and act on this.
Read the guideEnvironmental Protection Act 1990
Covers statutory nuisance, including some infestations, usually enforced through your council's environmental health team rather than through a disrepair claim.
Read the guideWhat a proper fix looks like
- Identifies and closes the entry point or underlying cause, not just one treatment visit
- Follows up to confirm the infestation has actually cleared
- Gives you written confirmation of what was done
- Makes good any damage caused by the infestation or its treatment
Pests and infestations in a council house or housing association home: claiming compensation
Council and housing association landlords owe the same core repair duties. The complaints route differs slightly depending on who the landlord is.
Pest infestations in a council home: claiming from your council
If you rent from a council, or from an organisation it has set up to manage its homes, the council owes the same core repair duties. Follow its complaints process first, and escalate to the relevant ombudsman if it isn't resolved. Shared entrance doors and communal refuse areas are usually the landlord's responsibility, even if a managing agent runs the building.
Pest infestations in a housing association home: claiming from your housing association
Housing association tenants have the same core rights, whether the landlord is a large national association or a small local one. Complain to your housing association first, then take it further to the relevant ombudsman.
Not sure who your landlord is? We can help check.
*England: Housing Ombudsman. Wales: Public Services Ombudsman
Evidence you need for a pests and infestations claim
- Photos or video of droppings, damage, nests or the pests themselves
- Dated written reports to your landlord, and their replies
- Any pest control reports or treatment plans you've been given
- A simple log: when you first noticed it, and every sighting since
- Receipts for anything you've had to buy yourself, such as traps or cleaning products
- Photos showing the suspected entry point or underlying cause
- Any council environmental health correspondence, if a neighbour route was used
- GP or health details if anyone in the household has been affected
A simple log, set out clearly
| Date | What happened | Reported and reply |
|---|---|---|
| [date] | Droppings found under kitchen sink | Reported by phone, ref [number] |
| [date] | Pest control visit, treatment applied | Treatment plan emailed |
| [date] | Signs persist after treatment | Follow-up requested |
An example layout. Keep it up to date every time something changes.
Pests and infestations compensation: what could a claim include?
There are no fixed amounts. They depend on the factors below, and there are no guarantees.
Severity and duration
How bad the infestation was, and how long it went on for.
Health impact
Any bites, illness, allergic reaction, or risk to a vulnerable household member.
Costs you've paid yourself
Treatments, repellents, cleaning products, or replaced belongings.
Which kind of claim applies
Whether it's a disrepair claim or an EPA matter can affect both the route and the value.
How much compensation could I receive?
There is no set figure. What a claim could be worth depends on the facts. These are the things that usually matter:
- How long the problem went on for
- The species involved, and how serious the risk was
- Whether your landlord responded, and how quickly
- Whether it affected your health, safety or quality of life
- Who lives in the home, including children and anyone vulnerable
- Your evidence, and any costs you incurred
Your solicitor can explain what your circumstances may support once your case has been assessed.
How to make a pests and infestations compensation claim
- 1
Report it, and ask what kind of claim applies
Report to your landlord straight away. If there's no clear disrepair cause, ask whether an EPA route via your council may fit better.
- 2
Keep a simple log
Note when you first noticed it, every sighting, and every call, visit and reply.
- 3
Make a formal complaint
If it is not fixed in a reasonable time, use your landlord's complaints process.
- 4
Go to the relevant ombudsman*
It is free. If your landlord has not resolved the complaint, you can take it further.
- 5
Find out whether you could make a claim
You are not required to use us, but a free check takes a few minutes.
*England: Housing Ombudsman. Wales: Public Services Ombudsman
Living with a pest infestation?
Find out in minutes if you could claim compensation for a pest infestation. It costs you nothing to check.
We are a claims management company, not a law firm. You don't have to use us: you can complain to your landlord, then the relevant ombudsman*.
*England: Housing Ombudsman. Wales: Public Services Ombudsman
Who can make a claim?
You may be able to claim if:
- You rent your home from a council or housing association
- You've reported the problem and they've had a fair chance to fix it
- It has affected your health, safety or quality of life
- The problems are ongoing, or repairs came too late
You may not be able to claim if:
- You own your home, even part of it (such as shared ownership)
- You rent from a private landlord as your repair rights may be different
- You haven't reported the problem to your landlord yet
- You have moved out of the affected property
Not sure who your landlord is? We can help check.
How it works
Tell us what's wrong
Answer a few quick questions about your home and what you've already reported.
What evidence helps your claimWe review your details
We review what you tell us to see if a solicitor may be able to help.
A solicitor takes over
If it looks suitable, we refer you to a specialist solicitor, who explains what happens next.
If your case is referred to a solicitor, we receive a referral fee from them. This is not charged to you.
Pests and infestations: common questions
Related
Other types of disrepair
Damp and mouldLeaking roofHeating and hot waterLeaks and water damageFaulty electricsStructural problemsPests and infestationsBroken windows, doors or locks
Guides
Statutory nuisance and the EPA 1990, explainedAwaab's Law (England)Housing disrepair in WalesLandlord responsibilitiesWhat evidence do you need?Step-by-step claims checklist
About this guide
Last reviewed: 15 October 2026
Sources: UK Parliament written statement on Awaab's Law, 13 July 2026Housing Health and Safety Rating System operating guidanceEnvironmental Protection Act 1990, Part III, statutory nuisance guidance
This is general information, not legal advice.
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Remember
You don't have to use a claims management company. There is no guarantee that using a claims management company will make your claim quicker or get you a better outcome. You can complain to your landlord, then the relevant ombudsman*, for free.
*England: Housing Ombudsman. Wales: Public Services Ombudsman