Second Homes Targeted

Second homeowners may find their vacation properties have become home to such crib crashing critters as squirrels, mice, birds, spiders, ants and wasps.

With the purchase of holiday homes on the rise, especially those situated in natural settings, more and more second homeowners are starting their vacations with a common creepy crawly problem – ridding their getaway of unwanted pests.

The vast majority of holiday homes are left vacant during the colder months, and so it is only natural to discover that Mother Nature has moved in while they were out.

"People are upset when they open up their cabin or beach house for the season to find garden ants in the kitchen, spiders in the bathroom, and small wildlife in the chimney or loftspace," said Cindy Mannes, Vice President of the NPMA. "If you don't properly pest-proof your home, nature will find its way in through cracks, crevices, holes, vents and chimneys and can create a really dangerous situation."

Insects can sting and bite, cause minor skin irritations and extreme allergic reactions in some cases, while grey squirrels can cause thousands of pounds in property damage. Animals that seem cute and harmless in their natural environment can attack and become defensive if they are trapped or have set up camp indoors.

"It's not something you expect to deal with when you are on holiday and it can be an overwhelming and unsafe situation," said Mannes. "If possible, second homeowners should try to open their home for the season prior to the whole family coming for their holiday, but either way, they should at least go prepared with the phone number of a local pest professional to safely remove their pest and wildlife problem."

This is not just a problem for homeowners with properties in exotic locations. Attack Pest Control have recently become aware of a surge in calls to our hotline from people with properties on the Norfolk Broads and along the east coast.