In addition to transmitting disease, rats and mice can cause a host of other problems:
When rats and mice take up residence in buildings, including people’s homes, there will usually be a build-up of droppings, straw, and other bedding material. These can harbour disease and other pests, and are also a potential fire risk.
Rats and mice will gnaw at timber structures and even copper water pipes, which can have costly consequences for building owners.
The parasites they carry include fleas, mites and a range of other insects – which can also transmit disease and make life extremely unpleasant for humans, domestic animals and livestock.
Mice in particular are able to access food areas easily and contaminate the surfaces they cross over and food they access.
If this isn’t enough, rats and mice will breed in ceiling insulation - rats have enough body mass to compress some insulation materials, reducing their insulation properties.