Arrange pest control for the problem you have
In short
Choose a pest controller who services your Sydney suburb and can explain how they will assess and manage your particular pest. Check the individual technician's authority to use pesticides through the NSW EPA, including timber pest work where relevant. Compare the areas, pests and visits covered in writing, then confirm preparation and safe return instructions before treatment. For an apartment building, establish whether the problem involves your unit or shared areas so the right person can organise access and notices.
Step 1
Separate inspection, treatment and shared-area work
You do not need to identify a species yourself. Describe the insect, droppings, damage or sounds and where you noticed them. Ask the company whether an inspection is needed before it can recommend a treatment or give a firm price.
Which service should you ask about?
| What you need | What to clarify when booking |
|---|---|
| Cockroaches, ants or rodents inside the home | Ask for assessment of the affected rooms, likely entry points and a plan for the identified pest. Confirm whether return visits are included. |
| Possible termites or other timber pests | Ask about a timber pest inspection and written findings. Establish whether the booking covers inspection only or a separately quoted treatment plan. |
| Pests in a shared roof space, garden, hallway or car park | Contact the strata or property manager to coordinate authority, access and the required pesticide notices for common areas. |
Step 2
Check the person who will apply pesticides
Ask for the attending technician's name and licence number, then use the NSW EPA public register linked from its customer guidance. On arrival, check the photo licence card against the person and its expiry date. Ask the company to explain any trainee supervision or recognised interstate licence arrangement; contact the EPA if you cannot establish the person's authority.
Chemical termite treatment has a separate timber pest licence pathway. Some older five-year pest management licences can still cover timber pest treatment until their expiry under transition rules, so confirm the particular licence covers the proposed work. An inspection without pesticides, or installation of a barrier containing no pesticides, does not require an EPA pesticide licence. That exemption alone does not demonstrate inspection experience or competence.
Ask about experience with the same pest and property type, relevant insurance and who will provide the report. Keep the business details with the quote.
Step 3
Give each company the same observations and access details
Include your suburb, property type, affected locations, how often you see activity and previous treatments. Photos can help show what you mean. Mention any existing termite system and provide its records if available.
For Sydney apartment bookings, include the floor, lift arrangements, parking and whether roof or underfloor access is controlled by strata. Tell the company about children, pets, aquariums and any household concerns that could affect its proposed method or preparation instructions.
Example brief: Cockroaches seen beside the dishwasher most evenings in a second-floor Ashfield unit. Photos attached. No recent treatment. A cat lives here. Lift access; visitor parking needs booking. Please quote inspection and treatment inside the unit, identify any follow-up visits and tell us if shared areas need separate assessment.
Step 4
Compare what the treatment and follow-up actually cover
Request a written scope naming the target pest, treatment locations, proposed method, visit charge and total price including GST where applicable. Establish whether the initial price covers an inspection, treatment or both. Ask how inaccessible areas and additional findings will be handled before accepting extra work.
For a termite proposal, ask for the inspection findings, areas the proposed system protects, installation details and ongoing monitoring or servicing costs. For any warranty or free return offer, read the covered pests, duration, exclusions and actions you must take to keep it valid. A general pest treatment offer should not be assumed to include termite management.
Read cancellation and payment terms before booking or paying a deposit. NSW Fair Trading recommends written agreements because verbal arrangements can be difficult to prove. Keep the accepted scope and any approved changes.
Step 5
Plan safe access and keep the treatment instructions
Ask for the full pesticide product name, safety data sheet and instructions for preparing rooms, protecting food and managing pets. The technician must provide relevant safety data sheets on request. Confirm when people and animals can return to each treated area, based on the product label or permit; do not assume a universal waiting time.
For common-area pesticide treatments in a multiple occupancy residential complex, the organiser generally must give residents at least five working days' notice. The technician must also display notices during application and the restricted entry period. There is an emergency exception for dangerous or biting pests, but notices during treatment still apply. Coordinate this with the strata or property manager before setting a date.
After the visit, retain the invoice, findings, product details and any written follow-up plan. Ask when activity should reduce, what signs mean you should call again and which cleaning, sealing or maintenance actions the company recommends for your property.
Sources and useful links
Sources checked 7 October 2026
- NSW EPA: engaging a pest management technician
Customer licence checks, public register access, product information and safe pesticide use.
- NSW EPA: pest management technicians, fumigators and training permits
Timber pest licence transition, trainee requirements and inspection-only pesticide licence exemptions.
- NSW EPA: common area prior notification
Five working days' prior notice, treatment notices and the emergency exception in residential common areas.
- NSW Fair Trading: contracts and your consumer rights
Written agreements, checking terms before acceptance and the implications of paying a deposit.
