Pest Inspection in Derby
A full property pest survey before you buy, let, or move in, with a written report so you know exactly what you're dealing with.
A pest inspection is a straightforward way to know what you're actually dealing with, whether that's confirming a property is clear before you buy it, establishing a baseline before letting it out, or settling uncertainty about something you've noticed. It's a survey, not a treatment, so there's no assumption you'll need further work.
This page also covers something worth knowing before you book anything, whether a pest inspection is what you actually need, or whether it's a RICS home survey instead, since the two get confused fairly often and they're genuinely different services.
Pest Inspection vs a RICS Home Survey: Which Do You Need?
A RICS Home Survey, Level 2 (previously called a HomeBuyer Report) or Level 3 (a full Building Survey), looks at the whole property, structure, roof, damp, electrics, and everything else a chartered surveyor checks. Pest or infestation activity is usually noted as one line among many, since it's a small part of a much broader structural assessment, and these surveys typically start from around £325 to £400 depending on the property.
A pest inspection is narrower and more specific: a full, dedicated check of loft space, airbricks, brickwork and entry points, carried out by someone who does nothing but pest control, at a fraction of the cost of a full structural survey. Plenty of buyers get both, a RICS survey for the overall structural picture and a separate pest inspection for a proper, thorough pest check, particularly on an older property, one with a known history, or one where the RICS report has flagged something worth a closer look.
Why Book a Pest Inspection
Buying or letting a property without knowing its pest history is a real gap in due diligence. Rodent damage to wiring or insulation, for example, isn't always visible on a standard viewing, and a pest problem inherited from a previous owner or tenant can be an expensive surprise if it isn't picked up early.
For landlords, a baseline inspection before a new tenancy also protects against disputes later about whether an infestation was already present before a tenant moved in. Responsibility for a pest problem in a rented property generally follows the cause rather than defaulting automatically to the landlord, issues linked to the condition of the property are typically the landlord's responsibility, while problems a tenant has caused or brought in themselves, fleas from a pet being a common real-world example, usually aren't. Derby's own social housing provider treats fleas exactly this way in its published policy, as something tenants bring in rather than something the landlord is automatically liable for. A clear baseline inspection before a tenancy starts is the simplest way to avoid that argument happening at all.
What a Pest Inspection Covers
An inspection covers the usual entry points and signs across a property: loft space, airbricks, external brickwork, kitchen and utility areas, and any evidence of current or historic activity from rodents, insects, or other common pests.
It's a survey, not a treatment, so there's no assumption you'll need further work. If anything is found that does need treating, we'll price that separately so the inspection itself stays a fixed, known cost.
Signs You Might Need an Inspection
- Buying a property and wanting peace of mind before completion
- Letting a property out and needing a baseline before a new tenancy
- Noticing something but not being sure if it's an active issue
- A mortgage lender or landlord asking for evidence of a pest check
- Taking on a commercial unit and needing a starting point for compliance records
- A RICS survey has flagged a concern worth a closer, pest-specific look
How Does the Inspection Process Work?
The inspection itself takes 45 minutes to an hour for most residential properties, depending on size. A technician checks the loft, external brickwork, kitchen and utility areas, and any spot flagged as a concern, looking for both current activity and historic signs like old droppings or damage.
Everything found, or not found, is written up afterwards in a short report, rather than left as a verbal opinion on the day.
What You Get From Our Inspection
You'll get a written report covering what was checked and what, if anything, was found, suitable for sharing with a buyer, landlord or letting agent. If treatment is recommended, that's priced and explained separately, so the inspection itself stays a fixed, known cost with no obligation to book further work.
This is commonly used by landlords ahead of a new tenancy, and by buyers wanting a dedicated pest check alongside their RICS survey rather than relying on a single line item within it. For ongoing commercial compliance rather than a one-off check, see our commercial pest control page instead. We cover the whole of Derby, roughly the DE1 to DE24 postcode area, plus a wide area of Derbyshire and South Derbyshire beyond it.
Other services
Dealing with something else? We cover these too.
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Tell us what you're dealing with and we'll call you back with a straight price, usually within the hour.
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Common questions
How long does an inspection take?
Most residential inspections take 45 minutes to an hour, depending on the size of the property.
Will I get something in writing?
Yes, a short written report covering what was checked and what, if anything, was found, suitable for sharing with a buyer, landlord or letting agent.
Can this be used for a landlord or EHO compliance check?
Yes, this is commonly used by landlords ahead of a new tenancy. For ongoing commercial compliance, see our commercial pest control page instead.
Do I need this as well as a RICS survey, or instead of one?
It depends what you're trying to find out. A RICS Home Survey looks at the whole property, structure, damp, roof, electrics, and checks for pest activity as one item among many, usually without going into detail. A pest inspection is narrower and specifically focused, a full check of loft, brickwork and entry points by someone who does nothing but pest control. Many buyers get both, a RICS survey for the structural picture and a pest inspection for a proper, dedicated pest check, particularly on an older property or one with a known history.
As a landlord, am I always responsible for pest problems?
Not automatically. Responsibility generally follows the cause: issues linked to the condition of the property, disrepair, damaged airbricks, gaps in brickwork, are typically the landlord's responsibility, while problems a tenant has caused or brought in themselves, fleas from a pet being a common example, usually aren't. A baseline inspection before a tenancy starts is the clearest way to establish which is which if a dispute ever comes up. See our guide on landlord pest control responsibilities for more detail.