Cockroaches in a flat. Why they keep coming back, and what fixes it

In a house, a cockroach problem is yours to fix. In a block of flats, your kitchen is joined to every other kitchen by pipe runs, risers and heating voids. That is why flats so often get a treatment, a quiet month and then the first sighting again.

Where they come from

German cockroaches live where it is warm and wet: behind fridges, under dishwashers, inside the boxing around pipes and the boiler cupboard. In a block, those spaces connect. A colony two floors down can reach you along the riser in a night.

Treating your flat properly

We place gel bait into the hinges, cracks and voids where they spend the day, and seal around every pipe entry we can reach with sealant or filler. The sealing matters as much as the bait: it closes the route between your flat and the next.

A follow-up at two weeks catches the young that hatch from protected egg cases. If there are still sightings then, a third visit is included.

Getting the block treated

If neighbours have them too, the block needs treating as a whole. We can write a short note for your managing agent or landlord explaining what we found and recommending a block treatment. Most agents act on it, and it is the only thing that stops the cycle for good.

Between visits

Keep food in sealed tubs, do not leave dishes in the sink overnight and fix dripping taps. Do not use shop-bought sprays while the bait is down; they drive cockroaches away from the bait and into your neighbours’ flats.