EXCLUSIVE: Pest infestations across Croydon’s 13,000 council homes have risen sharply over the past five years, new data reveals
Mice are the most persistent pests bothering tenants in Croydon’s social housing, with pest controllers called out hundreds of times each month to deal with them, new figures show.
The data also reveals a sharp rise in residential infestations across Croydon since 2021, though with callouts seeing a modest decline in the past year for mice, rats and bed bugs. Cockroaches, however, have seen a steady but consistent increase over the last five years.
The data, obtained through a Freedom of Information (FOI) request by the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), shows that mice are by far the most dominant pest, accounting for 11,266 visits, or 57.4% of all residential callouts since 2021/22.
At its peak in January 2024, council contractors carried out 325 visits to deal with mice in residential properties, followed by 323 visits the following month. There were 293 mice-related visits in April 2025, 295 in October 2025 and 238 in February 2026 alone.
Across the 2024/25 financial year, mice callouts reached a peak of 3,235 in that year alone before reducing to 3,083 in 2025/26.
Rats accounted for the second-highest number of callouts during the five-year period, with around 3,780 visits in total, representing 19.3% of all callouts. While rodents accounted for nearly 80% of all residential pest control visits, officers were also called out to tackle a range of other infestations, including cockroaches, fleas, wasps and several species of ants, such as tropical and garden varieties.
Bedbugs were the most prevalent insect, accounting for 9.9% of visits, followed by cockroaches at 5.5%. Squirrels accounted for a further 2.3% of visits.
With more than 13,000 council homes across the borough, the data indicates that pest infestations are an ongoing challenge for Croydon’s housing stock, with recurring peaks pointing to a sustained rather than seasonal issue.
The LDRS has visited many of these properties over the years and spoken to tenants who say pest problems are persistent, with repeat visits often needed to deal with them effectively. Last year, we spoke to a young mother who said she and her son were moved into a mouse-infested council flat at short-notice. She said she was left too scared to use the kitchen.
Croydon Council said the figures reflect the number of visits carried out rather than separate new infestations, explaining in its FOI response that “some properties will have received more than one visit as part of a treatment plan”.
Despite this, the council said it does not record pest control activity by ward or neighbourhood, meaning it is not possible to identify which areas are most affected.
The data also revealed pest issues across the council’s corporate estate, with a total of 340 pest control callouts between 2020 and 2026. The most frequently affected site was Bernard Weatherill House, the council’s headquarters, which accounted for 47 visits.
However, the figures show that the vast majority of pest control activity relates to residential properties, where mice remain the most frequently reported issue across the borough’s housing stock.
A Croydon Council spokesperson said: “We take pest control seriously and are working closely with residents, businesses and housing providers to reduce the conditions that attract pests in our neighbourhoods.
“This includes encouraging simple steps such as storing food in sealed containers, securing waste properly and not leaving food out overnight. Mouse prevention is free to our social housing tenants and available on demand.
“Our teams carry out inspections, respond to reports and take action in public spaces to help keep Croydon clean and healthy.”
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