Liverpool City Council says it is turning the tide on pests in the city after new figures showed a sharp decline in the number of call outs to deal with complaints.
The data, compiled through Freedom of Information requests made by Confused.com, shows that in 2024 the city council received 9,165 complaints about pests like rats and bugs from residents. That number had come down from the 9,749 reports in 2023. By 2025, the number had dropped significantly to 7,320.
Proactive approach to pest control
According to the data, Liverpool is still in third position in the league ranking for most pest complaints of councils around the country across the last three years, but the direction of travel looks a positive one based on the most recent results.
Asked what was behind the recent drop in complaints, Liverpool Council told the ECHO it has taken a "proactive approach" to tackling pests across the city, focusing "not only on treatment but also on addressing the environmental factors that can attract and sustain infestations."
A spokesperson said: "As part of this work, we have stepped up preventative measures, including targeted sewer baiting, baiting in alleyways and co-ordinated action in areas where there are known issues."
Investment in frontline services
The council said its teams work together to "identify concerns, respond to reports from residents and take preventative action in communities where support is needed." This includes targeted neighbourhood initiatives and free pest control for residents across the city.
The spokesperson added: "We are continuing to strengthen these efforts through a £7.5 million investment in frontline environmental services over the next two years. This investment has enabled us to recruit around 100 additional staff who are helping to keep neighbourhoods clean and support preventative work across the city."
According to the research by Confused.com, the two councils with more pest complaints than Liverpool over the same three-year period were Newcastle and Glasgow.
