Schotsche Kloof is the upper, steeper part of the Bo-Kaap, climbing toward Signal Hill. Homes are close together and families have often lived here for generations, so we work with households who know their neighbours and their pest history well.
Rodents in Schotsche Kloof: what we see
Rats come down from the Signal Hill slopes and live in shared refuse areas around the flats. Treating whole blocks together gives the best result.
There's a mix of older flat-roofed terraced cottages, newer renovations and the large blocks of council flats that the area is known for. Shared walls and flat roofs make it easy for rats and cockroaches to move from home to home. In the flats, cockroaches and bed bugs travel through service ducts and shared refuse areas. Renovated homes sometimes trap old pest problems inside new walls.
The area sits on the lower slopes of Signal Hill, which brings strong South-Easter winds and run-off in winter. The hillside's open veld and brush shelter rodents, and stormwater can carry debris down the slopes. Winters are wet and summers hot and windy.
Rats and German cockroaches are the most common calls, especially in the flats. Bed bugs and fleas appear in crowded homes. Pigeons are a constant on rooftops.
Worth knowing
Grey squirrels were brought to Cape Town in the late 1800s and have spread across the Southern Suburbs since then.
Tell-tale signs
- Shredded insulation, leaves and twigs found in the roof space.
- Chewed fascia boards, barge boards or roof edges with fresh wood exposed.
- Dug-up pot plants and bulbs, and nuts buried in garden beds.
- Scratching and running in the ceiling in the early morning and late afternoon, rather than at night.
Squirrels in the roof chew cables, which is a fire risk, and they damage insulation and ceiling boards. Their urine and droppings can stain ceilings and cause smells. They also chew through irrigation pipes, damage fruit trees and dig up gardens. A squirrel that dies in the roof leaves an unpleasant smell for weeks.
How we handle squirrel control in Schotsche Kloof
We do not use poison for squirrels. Our approach is exclusion: we find every entry point and fit one-way exclusion devices so the squirrels can get out but not back in. Where it makes sense, live cage traps are used to remove squirrels from the roof. Once the roof is empty, we close the gaps with steel mesh and repair chewed areas so they cannot get back in. We also advise on trimming branches that give squirrels easy access to the roof.
- Roof inspection
We check the roof space and outside roof line to find nests and every entry point.
- Exclusion or trapping
One-way exclusion devices or live traps are fitted so the squirrels leave the roof.
- Confirm it is empty
We check that no squirrels or babies are left inside before anything is sealed.
- Proofing
Entry points are sealed with steel mesh and repairs, so they cannot chew back in.
- Report
You get a report with details of the work done and any trees to trim.
Keeping them out afterwards
- Pick up acorns and fallen fruit regularly if you have big trees close to the house.
- Use metal mesh, not plastic, over roof vents and gaps.
- Fit squirrel guards on bird feeders, or move them away from the house.
- Check fascia boards and roof edges each year for chewed spots and repair them quickly.
- Trim tree branches so they are at least two metres away from the roof.
How much will it cost?
The cost depends on how many entry points there are, how high the roof is and how much repair and proofing is needed. A single gap is quick to deal with, but an older roof with many chewed areas takes longer. Trapping and follow-up visits are included in the free quote.
You can trim the trees and fix obvious gaps yourself, but sealing a roof with squirrels still inside is a mistake that leads to trapped animals and more damage. Getting them out humanely and proofing the whole roof line properly is a job worth getting professional help for.
Questions we get asked in Schotsche Kloof
How do I know it is squirrels and not rats?
Squirrels are active during the day, especially early morning, while rats are mostly active at night.
Are grey squirrels protected in Cape Town?
Grey squirrels are not an indigenous species. We still remove them humanely and do not use poison.
What if there are babies in the roof?
We check for young before sealing, because sealing them in causes suffering, smells and more damage.
Do the rats in Schotsche Kloof come down from Signal Hill?
Some do, especially in winter. But most rat problems here are fed by shared refuse areas, so keeping bins sealed and treating as a block makes the biggest difference.
Can you treat our whole block of flats for cockroaches?
Yes, treating a whole block at once is the most effective approach. We'll plan the visit with residents and leave a post-treatment report.
Do you come out to Schotsche Kloof for squirrel control?
Yes. Schotsche Kloof is part of our regular City Bowl & Atlantic Seaboard route, along with Bo-Kaap, Malay Quarter, Tamboerskloof, City Bowl. Most bookings are done within about 48 hours, and after-hours visits can be arranged.
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