24 August 2020

To: Building owners / Owners' Corporations of housing estates / Property management companies / Flat owners / Occupants

A guide to rodent control for building management

Owing to environmental factors and habitual practices, buildings may be susceptible to rodent infestation mainly attributable to the existence of numerous food sources and hiding places.  To eliminate handy food sources and harbourage for rodents, the building management should take proactive measures to deal with irregularities like blatant dumping of refuse containing food, improper disposal of food remnants and accumulation of miscellaneous articles in communal areas of buildings.  Buildings with structural and design problems are more prone to rodent intrusion if no appropriate rodent proofing measures are taken in the premises.  Therefore, the building management should actively follow up on work such as filling up rat holes and installing rat guards.

To prevent rodent nuisance, it is crucial to maintain cleanliness in buildings.  Refuse should be disposed of every night and accumulation of miscellaneous articles inside the communal areas of buildings should be avoided.  Moreover, stored articles should be moved regularly to prevent rodents from harbouraging inside.  You are advised to review the rodent prevention and control measures taken in buildings in accordance with the guidelines at Annex I and make improvements as appropriate.

Besides, proper installation of rodent proofing measures could effectively prevent rodent infestation in buildings, in particular places like food premises where large amount of food is stored.  You are advised to review the rodent proofing work of your building according to the rodent proofing measures set out at Annex II and carry out improvement works as appropriate.

At present, the "Integrated Building Rehabilitation Assistance Scheme", launched by the Urban Renewal Authority, provides building owners with all-in-one services from financial assistance to technical support.  Under the scheme, owners can make multiple applications simply by completing one set of application forms to carry out building and window repair works.  Building owners may consider installing appropriate rodent proofing measures when repair works are carried out for long-standing efficacy in rodent control.  For more information relating to the “Integrated Building Rehabilitation Assistance Scheme”, please browse the following webpage: https://www.bd.gov.hk/en/safety-inspection/financial-assistance/index_ibras.html