Birmingham Council axes pest control services
The authority said rat treatments remain a priority as other pest services are scrapped
Last updated 26th Jun 2026
Birmingham City Council has confirmed its pest control services for mice, bedbugs, cockroaches and more have been scrapped for good.
The authority says it will now only tackle rats, after dealing with a huge rise in complaints during last year’s bins strike.
At the time, the council said just focusing on rats was done to “prioritise public health” due to piling rubbish attracting rodents.
Consequently, bookings for other pests such as mice, wasps, bedbugs, cockroaches, and fleas were halted.
A recent council report suggested the authority had struggled to cover costs.
The council reported a significant rise in complaints during the strike, with requests for rat treatment assistance jumping from around 6,500 in the previous year to over 9,400 in 2025/26.
Although a small team of officers conducted area treatments to curb rat issues, the goal to maintain a cost-neutral service was unattainable.
A new operating model, approved for 2026 onwards, limits the service to domestic rat treatments only.
Commercial pest control activities ceased as of March 2023.
In a message to Birmingham's new coalition leadership, which includes the Lib Dems, Greens, and various independents, Tory councillor Robert Alden urged an overhaul of city-wide operations to improve basic services and clean-up efforts.
He said: said: “The new Liberal Democrat-Green administration has inherited a city facing significant challenges and residents will rightly expect to see a different approach.
“Across Birmingham, people have endured over 18 months of disruption to basic services.
“Communities want cleaner streets, reliable waste collections and a council focused on delivering for residents”.
Councillor Roger Harmer, the new Lib Dem leader of the council, has told residents that resolving the dispute “will take a little while”.