Tamboerskloof climbs steeply up the slopes of Lion's Head and Signal Hill above Kloof Street. Old houses, tight streets and the mountain right behind them make it a suburb where rodents and timber pests are a fact of life.
Tamboerskloof: what drives rodents here
Roof rats run along walls and power lines from the slopes into ceiling spaces. Restaurants along Kloof Street need ongoing rodent control because of the food and bins.
Victorian and Edwardian homes with wooden floors, sash windows and pressed-ceiling interiors sit beside newer apartment blocks and converted guest houses. Many older houses have suspended timber floors with a crawl space underneath, which rats and mice use as a highway. Kloof Street's restaurants and shops add a busy commercial layer at the bottom of the suburb.
Signal Hill and Lion's Head are part of the Table Mountain National Park, and the greenbelt reaches right to the top streets. Winter rain runs down the slope and keeps old basements and retaining walls damp.
Rats are the headline issue, coming off the mountain and moving between the restaurants and old homes.
From the technician
The most common mistake we see is bait thrown loose into the roof. It gets dragged around, picked up by pets and leaves dead rodents in the ceiling.
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.
Signs to look for
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.
How we handle rodent control in Tamboerskloof
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
- Seal gaps around pipes, cables and air bricks with steel mesh or cement, not foam alone.
- 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.
- Pick up fallen fruit and do not leave dog food bowls outside overnight.
- 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.
For one or two mice in a house, a few well-placed snap traps can genuinely solve it. Once you are hearing them in the roof every night or running a business, it needs a proper programme, because random poison from the supermarket often leaves dead rats in the ceiling and puts pets and owls at risk.
Questions we get asked in Tamboerskloof
Do you come out to Tamboerskloof for rodent control?
Yes. Tamboerskloof is part of our regular City Bowl & Atlantic Seaboard route, along with Gardens, Higgovale, Bo-Kaap, Schotsche Kloof. Most bookings are done within about 48 hours, and after-hours visits can be arranged.
Do you do rodent control for restaurants?
Yes. We set up a programme with station maps and reports, which is what health inspectors want to see.
Do the rats in Tamboerskloof come from Lion's Head?
Some do, especially in the top streets near the greenbelt, but plenty also move between restaurants, bins and old homes lower down. Sealing roof and floor gaps on your house is the key step either way.
Can you help on a farm or smallholding?
Yes, we cover the Boland and design the plan around livestock, feed stores and wildlife like owls.
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.
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.
Office 021 012 5825 · WhatsApp us
