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What the Rules Expect

There is no CQC accreditation for pest control companies, and CQC's premises guidance does not mention pests by name. However, several requirements apply indirectly:

• Regulation 12 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 requires providers to assess and control the risk of infection.
• Regulation 15 requires premises to be clean, properly maintained and kept to appropriate hygiene standards.
• The government's Code of Practice on infection prevention and control has listed pest control among the environmental policies providers should have in place.
• NHS England's National Standards of Healthcare Cleanliness 2025 state that pest activity "can pose unacceptable risks to patients, staff and visitors" and expect a written service report after every contractor visit.

Care home kitchens are also inspected under the Food Hygiene Rating Scheme, where pest control forms part of the assessment.

Comparison Table

Company	Best for	Coverage	Approach	Our rating
Merlin Environmental	Bed bugs and low-chemical treatment	UK and Ireland	Detection dogs, heat and steam	9.2/10
Fantastic Services	Hospitals, clinics and care in London	London	Out-of-hours visits, digital records	9.0/10
Integrum Services	Multi-site healthcare contracts	Nationwide	Pest control bundled with cleaning and waste	8.8/10
MJ Backhouse Pest Control	Yorkshire healthcare sites	Yorkshire	Infection control focus	8.6/10
Youngs Pest Control	Healthcare in the North West	Greater Manchester, Cheshire, Merseyside	Transparent, planned treatment	8.5/10

1. Merlin Environmental

Best for: Care homes dealing with bed bugs or wanting to minimise chemical use.

Merlin Environmental is a commercial-only pest control company, incorporated in 2011 and operating across the UK and Ireland from West Sussex. Its care home service uses integrated pest management, with chemicals as a last resort.

What stands out:

• Bed bug detection and treatment: Sniffer dogs locate bed bugs, which are then treated with targeted heat or steam.
• Minimal disruption: Technicians can visit while residents are out of their rooms.
• Staff training: Housekeepers and carers are taught to recognise early signs such as blood spots, bites and shed skins.
• Response: A stated 24-hour response, with a free site assessment.

Worth knowing: Merlin's care home page does not name care clients or publish case studies, and it does not reference CQC or infection control standards directly. It does not publish prices.

• Accreditations: BPCA, BS EN 16636, ISO 9001, 14001 and 45001 (Bureau Veritas), UK Housekeepers Association
• Price: Free site assessment; quote-based
• Our rating: 9.2/10
• Website: Merlin Environmental

2. Fantastic Services

Best for: Hospitals, GP surgeries, dental clinics and care homes in London.

Fantastic Services is a London-based multi-service company that delivers work through a franchise network. Its healthcare pest control service covers hospitals, nursing homes, medical practices, dental clinics, supported housing and care homes across all London boroughs.

What stands out:

• Out-of-hours working: Visits can be scheduled around clinics and care routines, using unbranded vehicles.
• Chemical-free heat treatment: Offered specifically for clinical and care environments.
• Digital records: Treatment records and pest activity logs that can support inspections.
• Vetted staff: Technicians are DBS-checked and receive ongoing infection control training.

Worth knowing: BPCA membership is not stated on its healthcare page, and its large Trustpilot review base covers all Fantastic Services work, not pest control alone.

• Accreditations: SafeContractor, CHAS, RSPH, Prompt Verified
• Price: Free survey; quote-based
• Our rating: 9.0/10
• Website: fantasticservices.com

3. Integrum Services

Best for: Healthcare groups that want pest control, cleaning and waste handled by one contractor.

Integrum Services is based in Sutton, Surrey, and works nationwide, including multi-site contracts. It serves hospitals, emergency care, rehabilitation centres, clinics, surgeries, nursing homes and care homes.

What stands out:

• Qualified staff: All technicians working in healthcare hold RSPH Level 2 as a minimum, and some also hold the BPCA Diploma Part 2.
• Bundled services: Pest control can be combined with specialist cleaning, disinfection, fly screens and waste removal.
• Work at height: Technicians hold IPAF and PASMA qualifications for proofing and bird work.
• Reporting: Proactive monitoring, guaranteed treatments and detailed reporting documents.

Worth knowing: Integrum does not publish response times or name healthcare clients, and it uses traps, baits and chemicals as part of its standard toolkit rather than positioning itself as low-chemical.

• Accreditations: BPCA, CEPA, ISO 9001:2015, CHAS, Checkatrade
• Price: Free survey; quote-based
• Our rating: 8.8/10
• Website: integrumservices.co.uk

4. MJ Backhouse Pest Control

Best for: Hospitals, surgeries and care homes in Yorkshire.

MJ Backhouse Pest Control is based in Selby and was established in 1988. It covers Leeds, York, Harrogate, Wakefield, Huddersfield, Hull, Bradford and the surrounding areas, and says it has worked with hospital trusts and other healthcare facilities for many years.

What stands out:

• Infection control focus: Its healthcare service is framed around reducing infection risk in clinical settings.
• Prevention advice: Technicians advise on entry points, building repairs and food waste management.
• Regular inspections: Scheduled visits by accredited technicians.
• Range of pests: Covers bed bugs, rodents and birds in healthcare premises.

Worth knowing: Coverage is limited to Yorkshire, BPCA membership is not shown, and its website gives limited detail on reporting or response times.

• Accreditations: NPTA, CHAS, SafeContractor, ISO (standard not specified)
• Price: Quote-based
• Our rating: 8.6/10
• Website: mjbpestcontrol.co.uk

5. Youngs Pest Control

Best for: Care homes and clinics in Greater Manchester, Cheshire and Merseyside.

Youngs Pest Control is a Manchester-based firm with more than 30 years of experience, serving hospitals, clinics, GP surgeries and care homes across the North West.

What stands out:

• Candid compliance guidance: Its website states plainly that CQC does not accredit pest control companies, and advises clients not to assume an audit pack is automatically included.
• Planned treatment: Work is scheduled around patients, staff and clinical areas.
• Discretion: Unmarked vehicles for sensitive sites.
• Fixed pricing: Fixed prices across many services, although figures are not published.

• Accreditations: NPTA, Think Wildlife
• Price: Fixed pricing on request
• Our rating: 8.5/10
• Website: youngspestcontrol.co.uk

Questions to Ask a Care Home Pest Control Provider

• Will every visit produce a written report showing areas inspected, activity found and actions taken?
• Can you supply COSHH data sheets and a risk assessment and method statement for our site?
• Which non-chemical options do you use, and when would chemicals be necessary?
• How do you handle bed bugs arriving with a new resident's belongings?
• Can visits be planned around residents' routines and mealtimes?

Final Thoughts

The right provider depends on your location, the size of your estate and the pests you deal with most often. A single care home in Yorkshire, a London clinic and a national care group will each need something different. Shortlist providers that cover your area, ask for a site survey, and compare how each one documents its work, because clear records are what inspectors and families will rely on.

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