Rats in my French home: does the mairie have to help?

Reader question: I have a rat infestation in my home in France and have been unable to get rid of them. Is my local mairie responsible for helping me deal with the problem, and can I ask it to cover the cost of pest control?

If rats have invaded your home in France, you should contact your mairie as they may be able to help.

However, what it can or will do depends on the circumstances, including whether the problem affects public health or originates from a public location.

Under article L2212-2 of the Code général des collectivités territoriales mayors are responsible for maintaining public health and safety. This gives them powers to act when rats threaten residents’ health.

Rats can carry and spread diseases, making them a potential public health risk.

To tackle the problem, the mairie can organise a rat-control campaign in public spaces, for example by hiring a specialist company to place poison bait. It may also sometimes distribute rat poison or traps to residents to help them deal with the problem themselves.

Some mairies also use ferrets and dogs to solve their rat problems.

However, if the rats are linked to unsanitary conditions on private property, the mairie can take action against those responsible.

Depending on the circumstances, it may formally require them to clean up their property and address the infestation. This may be useful for those who believe the infestation originates from a neighbour's private property.

Article L1311-4 of the Public Health Code also allows the department’s perfecture to arrange for hygiene measures to be carried out at the responsible person's expense, provided the legal conditions are met.

However, it is important to note that the mairie is not automatically obliged to pay for a pest controller to treat an infestation inside your home or to provide financial assistance towards private pest-control costs.

The first step is therefore to contact your mairie and report the infestation, particularly if you believe it originates from or affects neighbouring properties or public spaces.