KNOWLEDGE

Lack of knowledge about rat control in Sweden

Almost three out of four Swedes are unaware of whether their home insurance covers damage caused by rats. In most cases, such damage is not included in the insurance, which can lead to an unpleasant surprise for single-family homeowners when the problem arises.

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Large knowledge gap regarding technical solutions against rats

In comparison with Denmark, it also appears that the proportion of Swedes who are aware of the costs of preventive measures against rats is significantly lower. Only 12 percent in Sweden state that they are aware of the costs, compared to 26 percent in Denmark. The same pattern is seen when it comes to insight into what it costs to remedy damage that has already occurred – there, the level of knowledge is twice as high among Danes.

The data comes from a new survey conducted by YouGov on behalf of Nordisk Innovation, which was presented at a lunch seminar in Malmö today.

– Denmark is clearly ahead of Sweden when it comes to working against rats in urban environments. This is confirmed both by the statistics and by the level of knowledge of the residents, says David Ravnkilde, CEO of Nordisk Innovation.

The problem with rats has grown in Swedish cities. According to the survey, 45 percent of respondents have at some point seen a rat near their home. Almost a third have seen rats at home several times.

The seminar also presented the results of the Danish municipality of Frederiksberg’s long-term work on rat control. During the 2000s, the number of rat cases in the municipality increased sharply and peaked in 2017 with 1,880 reported cases. Since then, targeted efforts have led to the number decreasing to 752 cases in 2023, more than halving and the lowest level in twelve years.

An important explanation for the development in Denmark is the preventive regulations. In 2012, Denmark concluded that it is not enough to combat rats above ground, but that the rats need to be stopped underground, where they live and reproduce. The introduction to the Danish rat regulation also states that anyone who discovers rats must immediately report this to the municipality. The next paragraph states that property owners are obliged to secure and maintain their properties in such a condition that the rats’ opportunities to live and reproduce are limited as far as possible. The Swedish National Board of Housing, Building and Planning’s regulations contain a similar provision regarding property owners’ responsibilities, but there is no corresponding reporting obligation.

There is much evidence that the Danish legislation has had an effect. The proportion of Swedes who report that they have repeatedly seen rats near their homes is 50 percent higher than in Denmark. At the same time, only just over one in five Swedes is satisfied with the municipality’s work with rat control.

A long-term investment

At Nordisk Innovation, we supply carefully tested rat barriers, which sewer managers and municipalities across the country use as an effective and non-toxic solution. The barriers prevent rats from moving up service pipes and into buildings – and play a key role in any long-term control strategy.

Time for action

Rat problems will not resolve themselves, and they cannot be combated with temporary solutions. A thorough and systematic approach involving authorized sewer engineers, the use of documentation, and the right technical solutions is the way forward.

Do you also want to be at the forefront of rat control?

At Nordisk Innovation, we help municipalities implement non-toxic, intelligent, and documentable solutions.

We recommend that you use a partner who is approved for both sewage and pest control – we will help you get started.