Simon's Town is a historic naval town on False Bay, with steep streets climbing the mountain behind St George's Street. Old buildings, the sea air and the mountain on the doorstep make for a very particular set of pest problems.
The local picture in Simon's Town
Roof rats come down from the mountain slopes and up from the harbour, and house mice get into old buildings with gaps in stonework. Proofing old buildings needs care so heritage features aren't damaged.
There are old stone and brick buildings from the naval history, Victorian cottages, guesthouses along the main road and newer homes on the slopes above. Many buildings have timber floors, roofs and joinery that have weathered for a long time. Guesthouses and restaurants serve a steady stream of visitors. Steep sites mean retaining walls and rockeries, which give rodents and spiders plenty of places to hide.
The town sits between False Bay and the mountains of Table Mountain National Park, with Boulders and its penguin colony on the southern side. Winters are wet and windy, and the South-Easter blows hard in summer. The mountain edge brings rodents, baboons and insects, and the sea air keeps buildings damp.
Rats and mice from the mountain edge and harbour are the main issue.
How to tell you have a problem
Tick every sign you have noticed. It takes ten seconds.
Why it matters: Rats and mice contaminate food and surfaces with urine and droppings and can carry diseases such as leptospirosis and salmonella. Their constant gnawing damages wiring, which is a genuine fire risk in roof spaces, and they chew through water pipes and irrigation lines. For food businesses, a rodent sighting by a customer or health inspector can lead to closure and lasting damage to reputation. Left alone, a small population grows quickly, because both rats and mice breed many times a year.
A note from the field
When a technician walks a site, the first thing he checks is the outside of the building at ground level, for burrows, rub marks and gaps around pipes.
With children and dogs in the house, we keep all bait inside locked stations and use traps indoors. Owls and other wildlife are part of the same thinking.
How we handle rodent control in Simon's Town
Our rodent work follows a 6-step regime: we find the harbourage, look at food and water sources, proof entry points, do a bait risk assessment, set a tailored plan and leave you a report. Inside homes we lean on snap traps and sealed stations so there are no dying rodents in the walls. Outside and on commercial sites we use lockable, tamper-resistant bait stations placed and recorded so children, pets and wildlife cannot get to the bait. Proofing is where the long-term win is: steel mesh, door brushes and sealing gaps around pipes and cables. Commercial clients usually go onto a contract with scheduled checks.
Want the full step-by-step? See how our rodent control service works.
Stopping a repeat visit
- Pick up fallen fruit and do not leave dog food bowls outside overnight.
- Keep storerooms tidy and stock raised off the floor so you can see what is going on.
- Keep refuse bins closed and away from the walls of the house or building.
- Seal gaps around pipes, cables and air bricks with steel mesh or cement, not foam alone.
- Store pet food, bird seed and chicken feed in sealed metal or thick plastic containers.
How much will it cost?
The cost depends on the size of the property, how established the rodents are and how much proofing is needed. A house with a few mice in the kitchen is a smaller job than a warehouse or restaurant with rats in the ceiling and drains. Follow-up visits and ongoing contracts for businesses are built into the free quote.
Rodent activity indoors peaks in Cape Town's wet winters, from about May to August, when rain floods burrows and drives rats and mice into roofs and buildings looking for shelter. Harvest time on Boland farms also brings a spike as food sources change.
Questions we get asked in Simon's Town
Do you come out to Simon's Town for rodent control?
Yes. Simon's Town is part of our regular South Peninsula route, along with Glencairn, Fish Hoek, Scarborough. Most bookings are done within about 48 hours, and after-hours visits can be arranged.
Do rats in Simon's Town come from the harbour or the mountain?
Both. Homes near the waterfront tend to get rats from the harbour, while houses higher up get them from the mountain slopes.
Why do the rats keep coming back?
Usually because there is still food or an open entry point. That is why proofing is part of every job.
Will I have dead rodents in the roof?
We use traps in the roof where possible to avoid this. If baiting is needed, placement is planned to reduce the chance.
Can you treat old heritage buildings in Simon's Town without damaging them?
Yes, we choose methods that don't harm old timber, plaster or stonework, and we focus on proofing gaps carefully. We'll talk you through the plan before starting.
How long does rodent control take to work?
You usually see a clear drop in activity within one to two weeks. Proofing then stops new rodents moving in.
Office 021 012 5825 · WhatsApp us
