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There are pests in my tower block

No-one wants to live with cockroaches, fleas or vermin. But getting rid of them may require a whole-tower block effort, not treating each flat individually.

Valmor 'Bed bug murder' label

There are several pests which can be common in tower blocks. These include:

  • mice/rats
  • fleas
  • cockroaches
  • moths
  • bedbugs
  • silverfish

It’s important to take action when there’s an infestation, and even more so within a tower block where the pests can easily spread from flat to flat. The earlier you deal with it, the easier it will be.

What does the law say?

Your landlord is responsible for ensuring that your flat is ‘fit for habitation‘. Pests of all kinds might be a risk to human health, and if they are causing ill health or might do so, your landlord must do something about them. 

It is your responsibility as a tenant to make sure you are not doing anything that encourages pests, such as leaving food uncovered or keeping pets without treating them for fleas.

See also the more advanced information at the foot of this page.

A real life example

The story of how the North Peckham estate came together to insist on action against pests.

A diagram of the different stages of a cockroach's lifecycle, 1908

What action can I take?

What to do first

  • Check that your living conditions are not attracting the pests. Make sure your food is tightly stored away, and rubbish is contained in bins. If you have a pet, they should be regularly treated for fleas.
  • Chat with your neighbours to find out whether they are affected by the same issue. If so, you may all need to tackle it at once for any action to be effective.
  • Contact your landlord and notify them of the problem. They may make any repairs required, or they might call in a pest control service.

Not sure what to say? There’s a letter you can copy here.

  • If you have a moth infestation, it is your responsibility to deal with it. There is a range of moth products in most hardware shops and lots of advice online.
  • You could ask the Environmental Health department of your local council to assess your home. They have the power, in some circumstances, to take enforcement action. See more advanced information below.

Read more about contacting Environmental Health.

If that doesn’t work

It may be time to get organised. You could join or start a resident’s action group, which allows you to work together to get things changed. See the case study below for an example of how one group got rid of cockroaches in their estate.

You might also consider getting the media interested, contacting your representatives or escalating your complaint.

Further information

  • The Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018 amended the law which was already set out in the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, so you might need to look at section 9A to 10 of the 1985 Act for the basic detail that underlies the current rules.
  • The Housing Health and Safety Rating System can be enforced by you through the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018 or by Environmental Health unless your landlord is the local authority.

    Even if your landlord is the local authority, there is a duty on the local housing authority (LHA) under the Housing Act 2004 to keep housing conditions in their area under review with a view to identifying any action that may need to be taken by them under the Act (section 3(1)).

    Any deficiencies identified will contribute to a hazard under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS). This does not exclude the LHA’s own property.

Links to read