Expert reveals true cost of rat infestations in homes

An expert has revealed the true cost of having a in your home. Saddat Abid, CEO of PropertySaviour.co.uk, is urging homeowners to take the pest threat seriously before it becomes a money pit.

He told that infestations can reduce a property's value by up to 20%, which is £53,663 on the average UK home value (£268,319). Abid explained that this mainly comes from the fear infestations create among . Homeowners must declare previous infestations when selling, which can lead to buyers demanding discounts.

Abid added that homeowners can often be left with bills of tens of thousands as many insurers refuse to cover rat damage to electrics, plumbing, insulation and even structural timber.

"Rats aren't just revolting - they're absolute home wreckers," says Abid. "I recently bought a property where rats had chewed through electrical wiring. The previous owner had already spent thousands on electricians before realising what was causing the problem."

The pest often gnaws through electrical wires, causing a fire risk, and shreds loft insulation, driving up heating bills and putting pipes at risk.

To keep rats out of the house, Abid advises people to plug holes and gaps as small as a 10p coin, declutter garages and sheds, keep a clean bin, and trim back overgrown bushes.

You can tell if you have an infestation if there is evidence of rat droppings, musty or ammonia smells, gnaw marks, scratching at night, grease on skirting boards, and pets fixating on walls.

As for selling, Abid said: "Sometimes the smartest move is cutting your losses and selling to someone who can take on these projects, rather than throwing good money after bad."