Squirrel removal from lofts and roofs across Fareham, Gosport and south Hampshire, carried out by James from NJS Pest Control. The councils in Fareham and Gosport don’t deal with squirrels. We do.
James finds how they’re getting in, clears them from the loft and seals the gap so they can’t get back in.
James finds where the squirrels are getting into the roof, clears them from the loft, checks until there is no more activity, then seals the way in.
Squirrels get in high up, so James looks at the roof from outside first: the eaves, fascia boards, soffits, the gaps where gutters meet the roof, vents and any branches touching the roof. Then the loft, where droppings, chewed insulation and stained boards show him where they are nesting and how they get in and out. He checks wiring and the water tank too, and tells you what he has found before anything starts.
James uses kill traps, set in the loft along the routes the squirrels are using. Grey squirrels are an invasive species, and under Schedule 9 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 it’s illegal to release one, so catching and releasing isn’t an option.
James checks the traps every week and keeps going until there are no more signs of squirrels using the loft.
Only once the loft is clear does James seal the way in. It’s against the law to knowingly shut an animal inside, and a trapped squirrel will chew a new way out through the roof. The gaps are closed with metal mesh or plates fixed firmly in place, because squirrels are strong enough to pull out anything loose.
Most squirrels get into homes in Fareham and Gosport at roof level: through gaps at the eaves, damaged fascias and soffits, vents and where gutters meet the roof.
They climb brickwork, drainpipes and trees easily, so a gap two storeys up is as easy for a squirrel as one at the back door is for a mouse. Where depends on the house.
Around Gosport and Fareham town centres. Timber fascias rot and shrink with age, opening gaps at the eaves, and squirrels can run along a terrace’s roof line from house to house.
Parts of Portchester, Stubbington and Fareham’s suburbs. Gaps where the roof meets the gable end, and old vents and soffit boards that have worked loose.
Such as Whiteley and Locks Heath. Plastic soffits and roof vents can be chewed through, and gaps behind the edge of the roof tiles give a way into the loft.
Homes on the edge of town or with mature gardens. Branches touching the roof give squirrels a bridge, and they move indoors to nest from autumn.
Squirrels sound heavier than rats: running, thumping and rolling across the loft, often early in the morning. Rats tend to scratch and gnaw, mostly at night.
You may also see squirrels on the roof, along the gutters or jumping from nearby trees. It matters because the treatment, the law and the gaps that need sealing are all different. James does squirrel and rat control, so if you’re not sure, describe what you’ve heard or send a photo and he’ll tell you.
James clears the squirrels and seals the gaps they were using.
Running or scratching in the loft, droppings, shredded insulation, a urine smell and squirrels seen on the roof are the commonest signs of squirrels.
Squirrels chew wiring, wreck loft insulation and foul water tanks. Grey squirrels have two litters a year, in early spring and summer, of three to seven young each, according to the British Pest Control Association.
Squirrels strip the coating off electrical cables, and bare wires in a loft are a hazard nobody wants.
They tear up insulation, gnaw timber and ceilings, and foul the loft and cold water tank with urine and droppings.
Yes. NJS Pest Control removes squirrels for landlords, letting agents and commercial premises across Fareham and Gosport, as well as homes.
A tenant reports noises in the loft, James goes out, clears the squirrels and seals the way in, and you get one contact from first call to the end of the job. Squirrels usually get in through a defect in the roof, so who pays often comes down to the tenancy agreement and the landlord’s repair obligations. It’s worth checking yours.
Squirrels in the roof space of a building you’re responsible for chew wiring, damage insulation and disturb the people working below. James can deal with a one-off problem and proof the building so it doesn’t happen again.
Squirrels in the roof above a kitchen or store room leave droppings and urine where food is kept, and food businesses are expected to keep pests out. James can clear them and seal the building, then come back to check it stays clear.
Real reviews left on Google by NJS Pest Control customers.
The questions we get asked most about squirrel control.
Every squirrel job gets a free remote quote, usually within ten minutes. Tell James what you’ve heard or seen and he gives you a fixed price before work starts.
The price depends on how many ways in there are, how high up they are and how much proofing is needed. A photo of the roof line or the loft makes the quote quicker.
No. Fareham Borough Council says it does not provide a pest control service for squirrels, and Gosport Borough Council says it is unable to provide a service for squirrels. James covers both.
James uses kill traps. Grey squirrels are an invasive species, and under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 it’s illegal to release one, so catching and releasing them isn’t an option.
It depends on how many squirrels there are. James checks the traps every week, and seals the way in once there are no more signs of squirrels in the loft.
Not until the squirrels are out. It’s against the law to knowingly shut an animal inside, a trapped squirrel will chew a new way out, and young left in the loft will die there. James checks the loft is clear before sealing the gaps.
Fareham, Gosport and across south Hampshire, including Portchester, Stubbington, Lee-on-the-Solent, Titchfield, Warsash, Park Gate, Whiteley and Locks Heath. If you need a squirrel catcher or exterminator anywhere in that area, the phone is answered 24 hours a day.
Fareham
Gosport
Portchester
Stubbington
Lee-on-Solent
Titchfield
Warsash
Park Gate
Whiteley
Locks Heath
Need squirrel removal in Fareham or Gosport? Tell us what you’ve heard, seen or found.
Practical answers to the questions James gets asked most, from scratching in the walls to wasp nests in the roof. Written by James, BPCA trained and certified.
If you’re hearing mice or rats in the loft, the time of day is the quickest clue. Scratching at night is usually mice or rats. Thumping early in the morning is usually squirrels, chirping in spring is birds, and bats often go unnoticed for years. The droppings settle it.
Squirrels in the loft are almost always grey squirrels that have got in through a gap at the roof line. You’ll usually hear them early in the morning, and they chew wiring and shred insulation. They can’t legally be released, so they have to be removed by a trained pest controller, and the gap sealed once they’ve gone.
We will respond to your request as soon as possible and no later than 4 working hours.
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