By Ifan Meredith

A freedom of information request by Gair Rhydd revealed that the university spent £67,826 on pest control between April 2024 and March 2025.

It also revealed that the highest number of pest control matters occur in the Talybont residences area where some 3,000 students reside.

Rats are a regular sighting for students in Cathays and beyond, with concerns often being raised by students in the University’s Halls of Residences.

Bethan Rosser, a first year student living in Senghennydd Court, was relocated from her flat after she found a rat in her room.

“After calling reception, they said that they could not do anything about it other than
relocate me to another flat with pest control not able to attend the flat to inspect for two working days.”

According to her, the team did not follow up to check on the issue following the incident.

“The poison was only put down in my kitchen, not in my room where I found the rat,” she told
Gair Rhydd.

She added that the University had “failed to deal with the issue in my room.”

She also added, “after the Christmas break, I got back to my flat to find another rat dead in the kitchen.”

Frustrated, as “although the bin lorries come to collect the rubbish often, to deal with the prob-
lem, it might be worth them [the University] moving the bins away from the buildings.”

While Cardiff University spent £67,826 on pest control in 2024/25, Cardiff Metropolitan University spent a total of £16,000 – over £50,000 less.

Cardiff University does not have a contractor to deal with pests and therefore is-
sues the jobs “when required.”

A Cardiff University spokesperson said that ‘we don’t comment on individual cases or unsubstantiated claims.”

They said that they “aim to visit within 24 working hours to investigate the issue. If needed, we will arrange for Pest Control to attend.”

Adding, “we recognise this is a matter of great concern for those students impacted. We are committed to doing what we can to manage any reported incidents as soon as practicable.’

Cardiff University stressed that complaints are “not necessarily internal and include the grounds and surrounding areas” and that “waste collection points are regularly checked, emptied and cleaned to minimise the risk of pests.”

The University also said, “we have preventative and proactive pest control measures in place throughout our campus, as well as regular reactive maintenance works.”

Yet this ongoing issue persists and continues affecting student lives.

Thumbnail image: Zeynel Cebeci via Wikimedia Commons.