6 Best Rodent Control Companies for UK Businesses in 2026: Find, Monitor or Block?

Rats and mice are the UK’s most common commercial pest problem. In Rentokil’s 2025 activity data, published by the BPCA in January 2026, rats accounted for 25% of all pest activity recorded and mice a further 22%. For a business, that matters for more than hygiene. Under the Prevention of Damage by Pests Act 1949, occupiers must notify their local authority when rats or mice are present in substantial numbers, and food businesses are legally required to have adequate pest control procedures in place.

The rules on how rodents are controlled have also tightened. Under the CRRU UK Code of Best Practice, using the strongest rodenticides (second-generation anticoagulants, or SGARs) in open outdoor areas not connected to a building has been illegal since 1 January 2025, and permanent “just in case” baiting is prohibited. Businesses are being pushed towards smarter, lower-poison approaches.

That is why the best rodent control companies in 2026 are no longer defined by how much bait they lay. They differ in strategy. Some find the source of an infestation, some monitor for activity around the clock, and some block the routes rodents use to get in. This guide ranks six UK providers by how well their approach solves the underlying problem.

 

The Shortlist

rodent control companies

1. Merlin Environmental: Best for Finding the Source

Best for: Hotels, restaurants, care homes, airports, rail and port operators, and food storage sites where reducing chemical use is a priority.

Most rodent surveys rely on signs: droppings, smear marks, gnawing and damaged stock. The problem is that these signs can remain long after rodents have left, and they rarely reveal where an active colony is living. A business can end up baiting a whole site for a problem that sits behind one wall void.

Merlin Environmental solves this with trained rodent detection dogs. A BPCA-accredited handler and dog work systematically through internal and external areas, identifying live infestations and active harbourage points rather than historic evidence. The result is a precise map of where rodents are now, which means treatment can be targeted, proofing can focus on the real entry points, and rodenticide use can be kept to a minimum.

The service is run by five handlers and ten detection dogs based across the country, covering mainland UK, the islands and the Republic of Ireland. Merlin describes it as the UK’s largest and longest-established canine pest detection service, with more than 20 years of experience.

How a Merlin rodent survey works:

  • Survey booked: The team confirms suitability and arranges a visit at a time that suits your operation.
  • Detection carried out: Handler and dog search the site, inside and out.
  • Written report issued: Confirmed infestation locations, a recommended treatment plan and full costings.
  • Treatment delivered: Merlin coordinates treatment as part of wider pest management.

Every survey includes a site-specific Risk Assessment and Method Statement. One detail shows how seriously the service is run: sites that have had chemical rodent treatment in the previous 90 days are not suitable for canine detection, and Merlin advises on this at booking rather than sending a dog in regardless.

  • Use it as: A standalone survey or part of an ongoing maintenance contract.
  • Accreditations: BS EN 16636, ISO 9001, 14001 and 45001, BPCA member.
  • Our rating: 9.8/10
  • Price: Quote-based, with a written costing in every survey report.
  • Link: Merlin Environmental

2. Rentokil: Best for Continuous Monitoring Across Many Sites

Best for: Multi-site estates that want real-time data in one portal.

Rentokil’s PestConnect system links rodent devices to its myRentokil portal. The RADAR X Connect is a bait-free indoor mouse trap that catches and contains mice, while the Dual AutoGate Connect is an outdoor bait box that keeps rodenticide sealed until a rodent is detected. Rentokil also offers drain services, including CCTV surveys and one-way valves.

  • Worth knowing: Outdoor AutoGate units still use rodenticide; the fully non-toxic option is the indoor trap.
  • Our rating: 9.0/10
  • Price: Quote-based.
  • Link: rentokil.co.uk

3. Anticimex UK: Best for Non-Toxic Smart Trapping

Best for: Food manufacturers and retailers with strict audit requirements.

Swedish-owned Anticimex has expanded in the UK by bringing Pestokill, Crystalkil and Premier under the Anticimex UK name, with offices in Manchester, London, Glasgow and Bradford. Its SMART system uses automated, non-toxic traps with sensors that report continuously, and the data can be exported for auditors. A UK case study published by BRCGS reports six SMART boxes catching 26 rats in five weeks.

  • Worth knowing: The brand is mid-rebrand, so much of its UK review history sits under the former company names.
  • Our rating: 8.8/10
  • Price: Free estimate.
  • Link: anticimex.co.uk

4. Vergo Pest Management: Best for Camera-Based Detection

Best for: Warehouses and large open-plan sites where rodent movement is hard to observe.

Vergo’s Pest Alert Sight uses thermal imaging to detect rodents by body heat and movement, with AI analysing the footage and sending real-time alerts with video. Vergo, which has more than 45 years in pest control, also introduced canine rodent searches in 2025.

  • Worth knowing: Vergo does not publish performance figures for Pest Alert Sight.
  • Our rating: 8.7/10
  • Price: Quote-based.
  • Link: vergo.uk

5. Ecolab: Best for Food and Hospitality Programmes

Best for: Restaurants and food production sites already using Ecolab for hygiene.

Ecolab Connected Rodent comes in two versions: an Onsite version where technicians collect data from devices at each visit, and a Real-Time version that sends alerts through an on-site hub without using the client’s Wi-Fi. Results feed into a Pest Insights Map for trend analysis.

  • Worth knowing: Ecolab’s UK materials do not state whether its connected devices are toxic or non-toxic, so ask before you sign.
  • Our rating: 8.5/10
  • Price: Free site survey; quote-based.
  • Link: en-uk.ecolab.com/pest

6. Metro Rod: Best for Blocking Drain-Borne Rats

Best for: Businesses with recurring rats linked to defective or open drains.

Metro Rod is a national drainage franchise, not a pest control company, but it earns a place because drains are a major route for rats into buildings. It offers 24/7 drainage services, including CCTV drain surveys, and works with RatGate, a supplier of rat blockers that stop rodents climbing up through sewer pipes.

  • Worth knowing: It fixes the entry route, not the infestation already inside, so pair it with a pest control provider.
  • Our rating: 8.2/10
  • Price: Quote-based.
  • Link: metrorod.co.uk

Which Approach Should You Choose?

The strongest rodent programmes combine all three strategies, but the order matters. Finding comes first: without knowing where live rodents are harbouring, monitoring devices are placed on guesswork and proofing works may seal the wrong gaps. Once the source is confirmed, monitoring catches reinvasion early and blocking closes the routes for good.

Before you appoint a rodent control provider, ask:

  • Can you confirm live activity, or only signs of past activity?
  • How will you reduce rodenticide use in line with CRRU UK guidance?
  • Will I receive a written report with locations, a treatment plan and costs?
  • Have you checked the drains as a possible entry route?

Final Thoughts

Monitoring and drain proofing both have a place, but they work best once you know exactly where the problem is. Merlin Environmental ranks first because its rodent detection dogs answer that question directly, giving businesses a chemical-free, evidence-based starting point for every other part of their rodent control.

To book a rodent detection survey, contact Merlin Environmental on 0800 037 7332.