Squirrels in the Loft: How to Get Rid of Them Legally (UK)

How to get rid of squirrels in the loft comes down to order. Confirm it is a squirrel, check for bats and young, clear the animals by a lawful method, then seal every gap. Change that order and you can shut a live animal inside your roof.

Two rules surprise most people. A grey squirrel cannot be caught and let go somewhere else, because releasing one is an offence. And although greys are not protected, they are still covered by animal welfare law once they are in your hands or in your trap.

So our recommendation for most households is simple. Do not buy a trap or a repeller yet. Spend ten minutes outside watching the roof, note when you hear the noise, and photograph any gaps from the ground. That gives you what you need, whether you get squirrel pest control in or arrange the roof repairs yourself. The table below sets out the first step for what you have found.

Start with the clock, because it is the cheapest test you have. Keep a note for two or three days of when the noise starts and stops. The National Pest Technicians Association (NPTA) says squirrels are active by day, unlike most rodent pests, and that noise is worst early in the morning. Coventry City Council says it is most noticeable at dawn and dusk, when they leave the nest and come back to it.

Rats and mice work the other shift. Tower Hamlets Council lists mice as active at night and rats as usually active at night, and a Lincolnshire County Council bulletin says rats are usually most active at night-time. Sources do not line up perfectly: Chesterfield Borough Council lists nocturnal disturbance among the signs of squirrels. So treat timing as a strong clue and not as proof, particularly if you only notice noise once the house goes quiet in the evening.

Then listen to the kind of sound. Oldham Council says squirrels in a loft can be very noisy as they keep running around looking for nesting material. Tower Hamlets describes mice as gnawing and scratching, and rats as gnawing, scratching and squeaking. Those descriptions overlap, so go on the pattern over several days and not on one noise.

Lambeth Council makes a helpful point for anyone who has assumed the worst: noises from the loft are often caused by squirrels or birds, not rats or mice. If you see birds going in and out of a gap, and not squirrels, read our guide to pigeon control instead.

Droppings are the best evidence of all. Lambeth describes rat droppings as the size of a kidney bean and mouse droppings as the size of a grain of rice. Oldham says squirrel droppings are larger and rounder than rat droppings, and the NPTA agrees they are rounder. Our guide to mice vs rats has a scale drawing if you need to compare. If it does turn out to be rodents, go straight to how to get rid of rats or how to get rid of mice, because the treatment is quite different.

Squirrels need less room than you would think, and they climb well. Richmond Council says a hole need only be as big as a squirrel's head. Coventry says they can climb vertical walls, and Fareham Borough Council says they can jump up to 12ft, which is about 3.7 metres. That means a tree can be a bridge to your roof even if no branch touches it.

Rugby Borough Council lists the usual routes as loose roof tiles, damaged fascia boards or soffits, gaps around rooflines, openings around pipes or vents, and lifted lead flashing. Richmond adds slipped slates, rotten soffits and missing bricks. Chesterfield warns that squirrels will enlarge a gap they find, so a small problem you noticed last year may be a usable hole now.

To find the hole, stand outside at dawn or late afternoon with a cup of tea and watch. Fareham's test for a suspected hole is to stuff it with newspaper and see whether it gets pulled out. That only works on a hole you can reach safely from the ground or from inside. It is a test and not a repair, so remove the paper afterwards, and do not climb a ladder onto the roof to do it.

This is the main reason not to leave them. The noise is a nuisance, but the gnawing costs money. Haringey Council says squirrels in a loft may chew woodwork, strip insulation from electrical wiring and tear up fibreglass insulation. Oldham says they can chew through soft metals and hardwood, and that fascia boards, tiles, insulation and joists are often damaged. Harrow Council's 2026 pest policy adds cables, wires and roof tiles.

Electrics are the part to take most seriously. Rushmoor Borough Council says gnawing electrical cables can cause fires, and the NPTA also lists fire risk from gnawed wires. If you see chewed cable, do not touch it or try to tape it up. Keep out of that part of the loft and ask a qualified electrician to check it before anyone works around it.

Check your water tank and pipework as well. The NPTA lists pipes among the things squirrels gnaw, so look for damp patches on bedroom ceilings. Stored items can suffer too, particularly anything in cardboard boxes.

Insulation is often the largest bill, because Coventry says squirrels build their nests from it. Flattened or torn insulation will not work as well. Our recommendation is to leave it until the squirrels are out and the holes are sealed, or you may pay twice. Our loft insulation removal and installation page covers that work.

Councils are fairly calm on this. Spelthorne Borough Council says squirrels are not thought to carry human diseases, and Fareham calls them a nuisance and not a health hazard. They can still hurt you. Spelthorne says they can bite if cornered or frightened, and says to seek medical advice if you are bitten, as you may need a tetanus injection. Richmond says they can attack when frightened or defending their young, and suggests making noise to frighten any squirrel out of the loft before you go in.

Spelthorne also notes that squirrels may pass fleas to pets. If your cat or dog starts scratching around the time the noise began, see our guide on how to get rid of fleas. If you need to clear droppings or spoiled insulation, wear gloves and wash your hands afterwards, and do not go near a nest.

The two species sit on opposite sides of the law. A GOV.UK guidance page says plainly that, unlike the red squirrel, the grey squirrel is not a protected species. That does not mean anything goes. The same page says any control must follow animal welfare legislation, including the Wild Mammals (Protection) Act 1996 and the Animal Welfare Act 2006.

The grey squirrel is treated as an invasive species. It was introduced from North America in 1876, and GOV.UK gives an estimate of 2.7 million in the UK in 2018. Schedule 2 of the Invasive Alien Species (Enforcement and Permitting) Order 2019 lists it in the part covering the offence in article 3(2), which is releasing an animal, or allowing it to escape, into the wild. That part of the schedule came into force on 1 December 2019.

The red squirrel is listed in Schedule 5 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. Under section 9, it is an offence in England and Wales to intentionally kill, injure or take one, or to possess one, alive or dead. It is also an offence to intentionally or recklessly damage, destroy or obstruct a place it uses for shelter, or disturb one while it is there.

In London, you can expect a grey. The Wildlife Trusts place surviving red squirrels in parts of northern England, Scotland and on islands in Poole Harbour, and UK forestry guidance says greys have displaced them through most of England and Wales. If you do live near a red squirrel area, or you think the animal in your loft is red, stop. Do not trap, block or disturb anything, and get advice first.

The table below sets out what each law does in plain terms. It describes the position in England as we read it on legislation.gov.uk and GOV.UK, and it is not legal advice. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have some different wording.

This is the question we most need to answer clearly, because the kindest-sounding idea is the one that breaks the law. Humane cage traps are sold online, and plenty of people assume the plan is to drive the squirrel to a park and open the door. That is a release. GOV.UK's page on pest control says it is an offence to keep or release some wild animals, naming grey squirrels, and says you must kill them humanely if you catch them alive.

The law closes the other routes too. Natural England used to issue release licences, but GOV.UK's licence page now says it no longer grants a licence to release non-native species, and it names grey squirrels. GOV.UK recorded that grey squirrels were taken off that licence on 15 November 2019. Before then, releasing one without a licence was already an offence under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, according to a government news story from March 2019. The same story says importing and keeping them has been illegal since 1937 legislation.

Keeping one is not a way round this either. The retained EU regulation behind the Order says listed species must not be intentionally kept, including in contained holding. It also bars transport, with an exception for moving them to facilities in the context of eradication. GOV.UK says anyone who needs to move or keep them for welfare purposes must use licence IAS A01. That licence is aimed at premises such as rescue centres, animal hospitals and wildlife sanctuaries, which must be secure and pass a veterinary inspection. It is not for a householder with a cage.

There is a small defence in article 19 of the Order. A person charged under article 3(2) can show they took all reasonable steps and exercised all due diligence to avoid committing the offence. That helps someone who took real care and still had an escape. It would not help someone who opened a trap on purpose.

So what does a person who dislikes killing animals do? You have one lawful non-lethal route, and it is exclusion: making sure the squirrels leave of their own accord, then sealing the roof. Our reading is that a free squirrel going out to feed has not been caught or released, so no offence under the Order arises from closing the hole behind it. That is our interpretation and not legal advice. It only works if every animal is out and there are no young inside, which is the hard part, and the next sections explain how to judge it. If you want this route, say so before you book, so that it is discussed before anything is quoted.

You are allowed to control grey squirrels on your own property. Chesterfield Council says occupiers can shoot or trap them, and the British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC) says the control is legal and does not need a licence. The difficulty is doing it lawfully and humanely inside a house, and for most households we recommend against it.

Once a squirrel is in your trap, the Animal Welfare Act applies. Section 2 covers an animal under human control, whether permanently or temporarily, and section 3 says being responsible includes being in charge of it. On that wording, a trapped squirrel is your responsibility. Section 4 makes it an offence to cause unnecessary suffering, and section 9 requires you to meet its needs, which include protection from pain, suffering, injury and disease. Humane destruction in an appropriate manner is outside sections 4 and 9. Drowning is not humane: BASC says it can lead to prosecution, and the Wild Mammals (Protection) Act names drowning among its cruel acts.

Timing matters as much. BASC says to check traps at least once a day, twice in very hot weather, and to close the trap if you cannot check it. Chesterfield also says daily. UK forestry guidance, written for woodland, goes further, saying that where possible squirrels should not be held for more than 12 hours. It also says live traps must be covered, kept out of direct sun and provided with enough bait to feed the animal. A trap in a hot loft while you are at work for ten hours can fail that test.

Killing a trapped animal humanely is a skill, and the guidance is direct about that. The forestry note says an inexperienced user should seek training, particularly for spring traps and shooting. We have left the method out of this guide on purpose: if you are not trained, do not try to learn it on a live animal. Call someone who is.

Sources differ here, and older pages can mislead you. Chesterfield and Fareham councils still mention poison as a restricted professional option, and Richmond's leaflet says poison use is strictly for professionals. The UK forestry technical note, which is the most specific of these, says the licence for warfarin as a grey squirrel bait ended in 2014, making it illegal to use against grey squirrels as a plant protection product in woodlands. That note is about woodland, not houses.

For a householder the answer is simple, whichever page you read: do not use it. Rugby Borough Council says rat poison, rat traps and sticky boards must not be used to get rid of squirrels. GOV.UK says you must protect other animals from traps or poison you set. And a poisoned squirrel that dies under your floor or in a wall leaves you with the problem Richmond warns about, which is smell and insect infestation as it decomposes.

If you have already put rat bait in the loft, tell whoever comes to look at the job, and note the product name and where you put it. Keep pets and children away from it.

Young squirrels are the reason this job goes wrong. Grey squirrels generally have two breeding seasons, says Richmond Council, one in late winter or early spring and one in summer or autumn. Coventry says young are usually born in February or March, with a second litter possible in June or July. It gives a litter as three or four. Better Planet Education gives March or April and sometimes June or July, so treat those months as a guide.

Kittens depend on their mother for a long time. WildlifeOnline, a UK natural history site, says they are born blind, deaf and naked, have fur by about three weeks and open their eyes about a week later. They start venturing out at six to seven weeks and are fully weaned by 10 to 12 weeks. Better Planet puts the end of nursing at about 10 weeks. In practice, a nest found in March could still hold dependent young in late May.

Why this matters: if the mother is trapped or shut out, the young left behind are likely to starve. That is a welfare problem, and it is your problem too, because you end up with dead animals in the roof. UK forestry guidance recommends checks every four hours in the breeding season where red squirrels may be caught, to reduce the chance of holding a mother with dependent young. The rule is written for reds, but the reason applies to any squirrel.

Councils give slightly different safe windows. Richmond says young may be found in the nest at any time except October to January. Spelthorne says proofing in November or December avoids the breeding season. The forestry note adds a warning: in good seed years, winter breeding can be high. So no month is a guarantee, but our recommendation is to aim for November or December and still check for young first.

If young are present, Richmond's advice is to leave them until they are old enough to leave the nest, and to do repair work when the family is out foraging. Waiting a few weeks feels bad when you can hear them, but it is cheaper than dealing with what happens otherwise. If you find a baby squirrel, leave it in place, do not handle it, and get advice before you close anything.

What about an injured squirrel? A government statement from 2019 said there is no requirement for vets to put down injured or healthy squirrels because of the Order. However, a rescue cannot simply release it, because release licences have ended. Ask a vet or wildlife rescue what they can do before you take the animal in.

Proofing is what actually ends the problem, because removing one family from an open roof only leaves room for the next. Councils agree on this: Fareham calls prevention the best cure, Richmond says the same, and Chesterfield says gaps should be dealt with during routine maintenance. Spelthorne and Fareham both insist on one thing above all, which is to make sure no squirrels are inside before you block anything.

Be careful about materials, because sources vary. Spelthorne says securely fixed chicken wire. Richmond, passing on RSPCA advice, says strong wire netting with a mesh no larger than 25 mm, plus repairs to slipped slates, rotten soffits and missing bricks. Fareham says wire mesh or mortar, and the NPTA says wire mesh or metal flashing. Given that Oldham says squirrels can chew through soft metals and hardwood, our recommendation is strong, well-fixed mesh or a proper repair, and not lightweight chicken wire. Foam and wood filler are not on any council's list.

Keep ventilation in mind. Roofs have soffit vents for a reason, so cover those with mesh and do not fill them. Do not seal a chimney flue still in use without proper advice. And if you are not comfortable at height, this is a job for a roofer or a builder. Chesterfield says the same: if the work is beyond you, local builders can do it.

One-way doors are sold for this job, but we did not find any official UK guidance on them, so we cannot tell you they are reliable. Their main risk is the same as for any exclusion, which is young left inside.

They disappoint for a simple reason: none of them closes the hole. A squirrel with a warm, dry nest and possibly young inside has a strong reason to stay, and a smell or noise does not change the roof. If you do drive it out, the gap is still there for it or the next one. Our advice is to spend the money on finding and fixing the entry points.

The evidence we could find is thin. No UK government or council page we read recommends a repeller for a loft. Every council that gives advice on squirrels in roofs, from Fareham to Richmond, points to proofing. The Internet Center for Wildlife Damage Management, a US resource, reviews ultrasonic devices and says several studies found them ineffective against rodents, and it cites one study in which control programmes worked just as well with the units switched off. That research is on rodents in general, not squirrels in lofts, so treat it as a warning and not a verdict.

Smell products and pepper mixes get mentioned too. Richmond notes that pepper additives in bird seed can keep squirrels off feeders, which is a garden fix for a garden problem. It does not follow that they will shift a nest. Do not put mothballs, ammonia, or strong chemicals in a loft. They are not meant for that, the fumes can drift into the bedrooms below, and they can make things unsafe for anyone working up there.

Before anyone starts proofing, make sure squirrels are the only residents. GOV.UK says all bat species and their breeding and resting places are fully protected by law. It lists repairing or replacing a roof and insulating or converting a loft among the activities that can affect them. Blocking access to where bats rest or shelter is an offence, and penalties can include up to six months in prison, an unlimited fine, or both.

This matters for squirrel work, because a job that seals holes could also seal in bats. If you see bats, or find small droppings or staining you cannot place, stop. The National Bat Helpline, run by the Bat Conservation Trust for Natural England, gives free advice and can arrange a volunteer roost visitor.

A loud night-time noise with squirrel-like animals in the roof could also be the edible dormouse, known as glis glis, which has its own legal considerations. Do not try to remove one yourself. Our glis glis control page sets out what to tell us. If you find bees or wasps at the same gap, keep clear and see our guide to wasp nest removal first.

Do not assume it does. Policies differ, and some exclude vermin, so the wording in yours decides this. The clearest UK evidence we found is a Financial Ombudsman decision from January 2023 (reference DRN-3860622), involving an NFU Mutual buildings policy. The insurer said the policy excluded damage or loss caused by vermin and that squirrels are regarded as vermin. The ombudsman said that if squirrels had taken the items, the exclusion for vermin would apply.

Keep that in proportion. It was a dispute about missing jewellery after other damage to a property, not a loft claim. One decision does not set a rule for every policy, and we could not find a reliable UK source on whether a resulting fire or water leak is treated differently from the gnawing itself. So ask that question directly.

Report it in writing first, with photos and dates. Citizens Advice says you may be responsible if you caused an infestation, for example through poor rubbish disposal. Your landlord is likely to be responsible if the tenancy agreement says so, if the problem comes from repairs they failed to make, or if it makes your home unsafe. Landlords are usually only responsible once they know, so tell them straight away.

Squirrels are often a repair question, since a rotten soffit or a slipped tile is usually the way in, so that is the point to make to your landlord. Rugby Council's advice is similar: private renters should check the tenancy agreement or contact the landlord. Do not set traps, and do not arrange roof work yourself without permission.

In a flat, the roof usually belongs to the freeholder, so top-floor tenants and leaseholders should contact the landlord or managing agent, who can give access to the loft. Council and housing association tenants should report it to their landlord. Citizens Advice notes that if an infestation is an emergency hazard under Awaab's Law, the landlord must make the home safe within 24 hours. Landlords can read our page on commercial pest control for managed blocks.

Most people looking for pest control for squirrels need a squirrel exterminator or a pest controller who will also deal with the roof, and the first question is your borough. Councils differ widely. Redbridge tells residents to try a local pest control contractor. Fareham and Spelthorne do not run a squirrel service either, although Spelthorne passes details to its contractor. Haringey and Hounslow do offer one. Coventry only deals with squirrels inside the home, and says access to the roof space must be available from inside. Check your own council's page, because these lists change.

Compare what the fee includes, not only the amount. Ask whether proofing or repairs are included, because you may need a builder as well. Coventry's service, for example, includes two follow-up appointments on consecutive days to check traps, and someone must be home each day. Hounslow aims to finish four visits within 35 days. Allow for that time off work when you compare prices. Our guide to pest control costs explains how to read a quote.

Who to choose: pick a council if it offers squirrels at a fair price and you are happy to arrange proofing separately. Pick a private firm if you want one provider to look at the roof, the loft and the entry points together. DIY is reasonable for one part only: finding the gaps from the ground, cutting back plants and paying a roofer for repairs in the safe months. Ask any provider what training and insurance they hold.

Our squirrel control starts from £149 as a starting rate. That includes reviewing access and entry points. Because every roof is different, the final price depends on loft or roof access and height, the evidence of entry points and damage, and the treatment and exclusion work needed. We confirm the price, the visits and what is included in writing before booking.

Tell us where you hear the noise and when, whether you have a loft hatch, and what you have seen from the ground. Photos taken from a safe spot are ideal. Please do not block an active hole before we have spoken. We will tell you plainly that a caught grey squirrel cannot be released, so you can make an informed choice before any work begins.

If you are not sure what you have, a pest inspection starts from £60 and reviews signs and entry routes. Rodent proofing is quoted for each property, based on the number and location of entry points, the materials and access. Dead pest removal starts from £80 per incident if an animal has died in the roof. Where a job is sold as a package, 2-visit packages carry a 1-month written guarantee and 3-visit packages a 3-month one, and packages include follow-up and proofing advice. You also get a safety report.

We are based on Clements Road in Ilford, cover London, and carry public liability insurance. Our phone lines are open Monday to Saturday, 8am to 8pm. See our prices, read about pest control in Ilford, browse all pest control services or contact us with your photos.