Nobody should have to share their home with vermin. Whether your landlord is responsible depends mainly on why the pests are there. If they are getting in through holes, broken drains or other defects, or the infestation was there when you moved in, the landlord is likely to be liable.
In blocks of flats, infestations spread through risers, ducts and bin stores. Treating one flat at a time rarely works, and the landlord of the block needs to deal with the whole building.
Signs your landlord should be dealing with
- Droppings, gnawed food packets or scratching in walls and ceilings
- Live or dead mice, rats or cockroaches
- Holes around pipes, under kitchen units or in skirting boards
- Bites, blood spots on bedding or a sweet musty smell from bed bugs
- Pests coming from communal areas, bin stores or neighbouring flats
Why it happens and who is responsible
Pests exploit gaps around pipes, broken air bricks, damaged drains, holes in floors and poorly managed communal bin areas. Damp and rotten timber make things worse.
The landlord must repair the structural defects that let pests in under section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985. Separately, the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018 requires the home to be fit to live in, and a serious infestation can make it unfit. Landlords of blocks are responsible for the common parts. From 30 November 2026, domestic hygiene and pests are among the hazards covered by Awaab's Law for social housing. A landlord is not usually responsible where the infestation has been caused by how the tenant keeps the home.
How it affects you
Rodents and cockroaches spread disease and contaminate food. Bed bugs cause bites and lost sleep. Infestations are distressing and often force people to throw away food, bedding and furniture.
Evidence that helps your claim
- Photos and video of pests, droppings, damage and entry holes
- A diary of sightings
- Reports to the landlord and records of pest control visits
- Receipts for traps, treatments and replaced items
- Statements from neighbours with the same problem
You can send photos and documents to us through the secure evidence upload page.
What you can claim
A successful claim for pest infestations usually has two parts. First, an agreement or court order that the landlord carries out the repairs by a fixed date. Second, compensation for the period you lived with the problem after the landlord knew about it, worked out as a share of your rent, plus the cost of damaged belongings and any extra expenses. If your health has suffered, that is assessed separately. Our compensation calculator gives an illustration.
What to do next
- Report it in writing to your landlord if you have not already, and keep a copy.
- Keep recording the problem with dated photos.
- Use the complaints process if you rent from Haringey Council or a housing association. You do not have to finish it before getting legal advice.
- Ask us for a free assessment. If you have a claim, it can be run on a no win no fee basis.
Not sure whether you have a claim? It takes two minutes to find out and costs nothing.
Questions tenants ask
Is my landlord responsible for getting rid of mice?
They are if the mice are getting in because of disrepair, such as holes around pipes or a broken air brick, if the problem comes from the common parts, or if it was there when your tenancy began. They must block the entry points as well as arrange treatment.
Pest control has visited several times and the mice come back. What now?
Baiting without proofing does not solve the problem. A surveyor's report can identify the entry points and the works needed, and a claim can require the landlord to carry them out.
Can I claim for food and furniture I had to throw away?
Yes, where the loss was caused by the landlord's failure to deal with the infestation after being told about it. Photograph items before you dispose of them.
