Survey
Reading the Evidence
A Sweep technician arrives within four hours of your call. They don't knock and spray. They read. Smear marks along skirting boards, gnaw marks on pipe lagging, the particular smell of a rat run — these are the first documents. The survey takes forty-five minutes to two hours depending on the property's complexity. You receive a written report before the technician leaves.
BSI 8902:2022 compliant. Written report issued same visit. No verbal-only assessments.
Brown Rat
Active infestation: 3–5 treatments over 3 weeks
12% require a fourth visit
Rats establish runs within 48 hours of entry. Early survey is the single most effective intervention.
Identification
Species, Scale, Source
Knowing the species determines everything that follows. Brown rat and black rat require different bait formulations. German cockroach and Oriental cockroach live in different microclimates and respond to different treatments. House mouse and wood mouse have different territory sizes. Misidentification is the primary cause of failed treatments — we have seen it in reports from competitors. We do not guess.
BPCA Level 2 qualified technicians. Species confirmed before any treatment commences.
German Cockroach
Restaurant infestation: gel treatment in 2 visits, 10 days apart
28% in commercial kitchens require a third application
Gel bait outperforms spray in 94% of commercial kitchen environments. We do not use aerosol sprays near food prep surfaces.
Treatment Plan
Method Matched to Evidence
The treatment plan is written, not improvised. It names the product, the application method, the target zone, and the expected timeline. Clients receive this document before we begin. Rodenticide placements are mapped. Insect monitor positions are logged. If a treatment requires a gas-safe engineer to access a riser, we coordinate that. Nothing happens without your sign-off.
COSHH data sheets provided for every product used. Full product register on request.
House Mouse
Single-property: 2 visits, 7–14 days apart
9% require a third visit
Trapping is preferred over rodenticide in properties with children or pets. We will always discuss this before treatment.
Proofing
Closing the Entry Points
Treatment without proofing is temporary. Every rat that died in your cavity wall was preceded by a gap under a metre long that a 20mm pencil could pass through. We close them: stainless steel mesh behind air bricks, expanding foam with wire fill in pipe penetrations, door brush strips, drain collars. Proofing is quoted separately and carried out on a third visit once the active infestation is clear.
Materials: 0.8mm stainless mesh, polyurethane foam with wire fill, UPVC brush strips. 12-month material warranty.
Common Wasp
Nest treatment: single visit, same day where possible
4% — typically where nest is inaccessible first visit
Wasp nests under Edwardian eaves require ladder access. We confirm access requirements before booking.
Follow-Up
The Paper Trail That Protects You
Every job closes with a service report: what was found, what was applied, what was proofed, what remains outstanding. Letting agents receive a format compatible with EHO documentation. Restaurants receive a report cross-referenced against their hygiene action plan. Homeowners receive a plain-English summary. We retain records for seven years. If an environmental health officer visits, you have evidence of due diligence.
EHO-compatible reports. Seven-year record retention. Available as PDF within 24 hours of visit.
Bed Bug
Heat treatment: 1 day. Chemical: 3 treatments, 2 weeks apart
18% chemical, 6% heat — heat is recommended where budget allows
Bed bug infestations are not evidence of poor hygiene. They are evidence of travel. We do not include this information in reports without your explicit consent.
Brown Rat
Rattus norvegicus
- Smear marks along skirting boards
- Cylindrical droppings 15–20mm
- Gnaw marks on pipe lagging
- Scratching at night in wall cavities
3–5 treatments over 3 weeks
Do not block entry points before treatment — you trap the animal and create a secondary problem.
Peak activity: October–March as field populations move indoors.
Every London Postcode
Sweep operates across all 32 London boroughs and the City. Response time under four hours from any postcode. Same-day service available for commercial clients and active rodent infestations.
“The EHO was due on a Thursday. Sweep surveyed on Tuesday morning and had a written report in my inbox by 3pm. The officer was satisfied. I have used them for seven of my managed properties since.”
Patricia Okafor
Portfolio Manager, Okafor Residential Lettings
“I found droppings behind the pass at 6am on a Wednesday. We had a full house booked for Thursday evening. Sweep were on site by 10am, the kitchen passed spot-check, and I have not had a problem since. That is the only review I need to give.”
Dmitri Vassiliev
Head Chef & Owner, Vassiliev's, Bermondsey
“I heard scratching in the loft for three weeks before I called anyone. The first company I tried sent someone who sprayed and left. Sweep came, showed me the run with a torch, explained exactly what was happening, and it was clear in a fortnight. I slept properly for the first time in a month.”
Siobhan Brennan
Homeowner
The London Pest Guide
32 pages. Every common London infestation — identification photographs, honest treatment timelines, seasonal risk calendars by borough, and the questions to ask any pest controller before you let them through the door. Written by Sweep technicians. Updated February 2026.
Check Your Postcode
Enter your postcode. We confirm coverage instantly, then open the booking form. Same-day surveys available Monday–Saturday, 7am–8pm.