A suspected rat infestation can affect an apartment, townhouse complex or shared areas of a body corporate. Acting early gives residents and the committee a better chance of identifying the source and arranging the right response.
This guide covers signs of possible rat activity, responsibility for pest control, practical prevention steps and what to do after finding rats or droppings.
What should you do about a rat infestation in a body corporate?
Start by recording what you have seen or heard. Note the location, date and any signs, such as droppings, scratching noises, damaged packaging or activity near rubbish areas.
Tell your body corporate manager or committee if the activity is in common property, or if a problem in your lot may have come from or spread to common property. Photos can help the committee understand where the issue is occurring.
If you are unsure about the maintenance boundary, the body corporate maintenance factsheet provides further information. A qualified pest professional can assess the property and recommend appropriate treatment.
What signs may indicate rats in an apartment or common property?
Possible signs of rat activity include:
- Droppings in cupboards, garages, storage areas, roof spaces or other less-used locations
- Scratching or scurrying sounds, particularly at night
- Damaged food packaging or other signs that something has been feeding in the area
- Nests or shredded material in warm, concealed places
- Burrows or disturbed areas in gardens and around outbuildings
These signs alone do not confirm that rats are present. Other pests or building issues may create similar indications, so avoid disturbing suspected nests or using treatments without appropriate advice.
The location of the signs is useful when reporting the issue. Activity inside a lot may involve different maintenance responsibilities from activity in a bin area, garden, roof space or other common property.
Who is responsible for pest control in a body corporate?
In Queensland, the Body Corporate and Community Management Act 1997, commonly called the BCCM Act, provides the framework for community titles schemes. A body corporate administers common property, while owners and occupiers also have responsibilities within their lots.
The body corporate and lot owners are both responsible for maintenance. The body corporate must maintain common property in a good and structurally sound condition, while a lot owner must maintain their lot in good condition. Maintenance can include work needed to prevent damage. The registered survey plan and the scheme’s regulation module help determine the boundary and responsibility.
The body corporate is generally responsible for pest work needed on common property. A lot owner is generally responsible for pest work needed within their lot. The exact position depends on the plan of subdivision, the location of the activity and the circumstances of the scheme.
For example, treatment may be a body corporate matter if signs are found in a shared roof space, garden or rubbish area. Treatment inside a privately owned lot will generally be the lot owner’s responsibility. If the problem in your lot may originate from, or affect, common property, tell the committee so the maintenance position can be assessed.
The body corporate also administers and controls common property and makes decisions through general meetings and the committee.
If an occupier’s actions are contributing to conditions that affect other residents, the nuisance provisions may also be relevant. In a community titles scheme with a registered community management statement, an occupier must not use a lot or common property in a way that causes a nuisance or hazard, or unreasonably interferes with another lot or common property.
You can also read our guide to pest control in strata properties for more information about coordinating this type of work.
How can residents reduce food, water and shelter for rats?
Residents and committees can take practical steps to make a property less attractive to rats:
- Store food in metal or glass containers with tight-fitting lids.
- Keep apartments clean, especially where crumbs and food may collect.
- Remove clutter from storage areas, balconies, garages and other places where pests could hide.
- Use rubbish bins with securely fitted lids.
- Clean up pet food and bird seed, and store pet food in sealed containers.
- Keep gardens free from debris and excess materials.
- Consider what is placed in compost, particularly food waste, and follow any applicable local requirements.
These steps will not replace professional assessment where rats are already present. They can reduce readily available food and shelter while the source of the activity is being investigated.
Residents should also avoid leaving food or rubbish in shared areas. If one lot’s behaviour is creating an ongoing problem for others, raise the issue with the committee rather than attempting to resolve it through confrontation.
When should the committee arrange a pest inspection or treatment?
The committee should consider arranging an assessment when signs are found on common property, when activity appears in more than one location, or when the source cannot be identified.
A report should include:
- Where the signs were found
- What was observed and when
- Whether the area is inside a lot or on common property
- Any nearby food, rubbish, garden or storage conditions
- Whether other residents have reported similar activity
A qualified pest professional can inspect the relevant areas and recommend treatment. The committee should confirm the scope of work, access requirements and cost responsibility before arranging work inside a lot.
If the issue may involve a nuisance or hazard caused by another occupier, keep communication factual and preferably in writing. Queensland Government guidance recommends trying to resolve a nuisance or hazard with the other person first and documenting the behaviour where necessary.
Where a registered by-law is being breached, the body corporate is responsible for enforcing its own by-laws. The committee may first try to resolve the matter informally, followed by the formal process where appropriate.
What should you do after finding rats or droppings?
Do not handle droppings, nests or other suspected contamination unnecessarily. Keep children and pets away from the area and avoid moving items that may help identify where the activity is coming from.
Then:
- Take a photo from a safe distance if possible.
- Record the location and date.
- Notify the lot owner, body corporate manager or committee as appropriate.
- Check whether nearby residents have seen similar signs.
- Ask for a qualified pest professional to assess the issue where activity is confirmed or suspected.
- Follow the professional’s instructions about cleaning, access and any treatment.
If the activity is in common property, the committee should assess the body corporate’s maintenance responsibility and arrange the next step. If it is confined to a lot, the lot owner should arrange appropriate action while still notifying the committee if common property may be involved.
For more information about how responsibilities can be divided, see our guide to the Commissioner’s Office pest control guidance.
Identifying signs early, reporting them clearly and separating lot and common-property responsibilities can help your body corporate respond to suspected rats in a practical way. If you need help understanding the next step, contact our team at reception@stratacare.com.au.
