About the service we offer

What geographical area do you cover?

We are based in Penryn, and usually cover the area from St Austell and Bodmin down to Hayle and Penzance. We are happy to accept customers outside this area, but will have a slightly elevated charge, to cover the additional fuel.

How much does it cost?

Dealing with your pests depends on size of the area to be treated, and the pests in question, as well as how long it will take to get rid of them, and the distance from our base.
We sometimes hear that it seems expensive, but our pricing is based on a number of factors: the cost of the chemicals and protective gear that we use, our time, fuel to get to your premises, our insurance, the cost of obtaining the qualifications we need to hold in order to use the chemicals, which is often ongoing as we need to keep our knowledge up to date. We hope you understand that it is more expensive than buying a can of insect spray, or a couple of mouse traps from a DIY shop, but this is a professional service, carried out by a professional & qualified person.

Do you offer a 24/7 service?

No. We are not on call 24/7. Most of the pest problems we encounter are not going to be any worse for waiting overnight.

Are you insured?

Yes. Perish-a-Pest has insurance up to £5 million for public liability.

Can we trust you?

Yes. Chris, and anyone else who works with Perish-A-Pest, has been checked by the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). This means that you can be sure that we do not have any criminal convictions or anything that would make it unsafe for you to work with us. We don’t need this, as pest controllers, but we have chosen to get this check done, for your peace of mind. It means that we can safely work on a site where you have children, vulnerable people or elderly people, although there should be no reason why we would need to interact with your clients.
Perish-A-Pest is also regulated by the National Pest Technician’s Association (NPTA). This ensures that we meet the strict standards and requirements you would expect from a professional pest controller. We are also a member of other organisations, which help ensure that our business is well run. You can find out more here.

Can you offer a guarantee?

We don’t offer a guarantee of effectiveness, because there are too many variable elements in our work. We can’t force rats to get into traps, for instance. Also, there is a requirement on the customer sometimes too – for instance with flea treatment, the customer can’t mop or vacuum for two weeks, and need to get their pets treated for fleas. If those elements are not followed, then the treatment will fail, through no fault of Perish-A-Pest.
We do guarantee to give good value for money and provide an honest service to all our customers.

Do you work with other professionals?

We work with Trading Standards-approved drain specialists, who use CCTV to check drains, for instance for rat problems.
We also refer to local handy-people, carpenters and builders, for issues which require more substantial work, for instance, to block access, or more significant building or grounds work.

About the pests, and the poisons we use

What type of poison do you use for mice and rats? Does the animal suffer, once it’s eaten
the poison?

We use second generation anticoagulant poisons, not warfarin, so animals don’t suffer. Our aim is to get rid of the pests as humanely as possible, and we will do everything possible to achieve this.
We use a different type of poison in areas where wildlife is present, such as foxes, owls, buzzards, etc, so that there is a very low risk of secondary poisoning. We operate to the ‘Think Wildlife’ guidelines for safe use of rodenticides.

What happens if another animal eats a poisoned rat or mouse?

The poison we use is low impact on the LD50 scale, which means that a rat will need a very small amount of poison to kill it, and the poison will be weaker in the rat’s system once it has taken effect. If another animal were then to eat that rat, the effect would be even weaker, and they would need to eat a large number of rats in one go to feel any impact.
In areas where wildlife is present, such as foxes, owls, buzzards, etc, then we use a different type of poison that has a very much lower risk of secondary poisoning. We operate to the ‘Think Wildlife’ guidelines for safe use of rodenticides.

Why do you need to kill moles?

Moles cause massive damage to property and can be hazardous to humans and livestock as well. They create holes and tunnels on farm land, which can cause broken legs for cows and horses. On land that is used for caravan sites, there is a risk of damage to the caravans, caused by subsidence. For land that has public access, or is a private garden, people can fall, or injure themselves in hidden holes. Unfortunately, you can’t just remove moles, as they like nice soft soil, and will keep coming back, so they need to be humanely killed.

What fogging treatment do you use? And what does it kill?

We use an insecticide, for insects, such as flies, fruit flies, textile moths, etc. This is particularly effective in loft spaces, thatched roofs, large spaces, and also things you can’t use a liquid spray on, or can’t reach with a liquid spray.
We use an antibacterial, virucidal treatment to help owners of public spaces ensure their customers’ safety, from COVID-19 and other bacteria and viruses, as well as food poisoning bacteria, mould, fungus and mildew. The spray we use is bleach-free, non-hazardous, and non-toxic. It works on soft surfaces such as carpets and upholstery, and hard surfaces such as walls, floors, and bathrooms.

How long will it take to get rid of the pests?

We recommend a minimum of three visits to eradicate pests such as rats or mice, and cockroaches. We use the first visit to scope the problem, and set up bait. The second visit is to check progress, and see if any creatures remain, setting further bait if needed. Sometimes a third visit is not necessary, depending on the effectiveness of the initial treatment, and the scale of the infestation, but this is not guaranteed.
For most insects, such as wasps, or fleas, a single treatment is all that is needed.
For bed bugs, we use a dry steam treatment, followed by an insecticidal treatment. Sometimes a second visit is needed for heavy infestation.

Can you deal with other pests:

Woodworm – Woodworm requires a specific type of management, and we leave that to woodworm specialists. We can recommend someone in your area, if you need this service.
Bats – All UK bats are endangered species, and we do not have a license to handle them. We can recommend a specialist service if you have bats causing a problem in your property.
Birds – there is a specialist bird operative in the area, to whom we refer all problems with birds.
If you live in an area we do not cover, or we cannot help you due to another reason (illness, holiday, workload) then we will refer you to a trusted pest control expert who can help you.

Will the pests come back?

It depends on the environment. We will advise you how to prevent pests returning – sometimes it’s simply a case of making it more attractive for them to go somewhere else!
If gaps are filled with expanding foam, this is not an effective blockage. Rats eat expanding foam for fun!

Are your flea or pesticide treatments safe around my pets, or my fish?

If there is a fish tank, pond, or other aquatic feature in the area that we need to treat, it is the owner’s responsibility to move it, or ensure that it is fully airtight. The pesticides that we use are lethal to fish.
Any pets need to be kept away from the treatment area, including cats, dogs, small animals, and exotic pets such as stick insects, snakes, etc.

Are your treatments harmful to people?

It is important to remember that we are working with poisons and strong chemicals. They are not designed to impact on people, but small children, or those with weaker metabolisms, may be affected.
Please ensure that anyone who often puts objects into their mouth, licks items, or has broken skin, is kept well away from treated areas.