Insect nuisance

For general information and advice on statutory nuisances, please visit our main statutory nuisance page. It provides background information on what the requirements are for something to be a statutory nuisance, information on how we investigate and seek remedy, and what information we would require from complainants.

The Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005 amended the Environmental Protection Act 1990 to bring some problems with insects under the statutory nuisance regime.

The legislation only relates to insects emanating from relevant trade or business premises. It does not apply where the source of the problem is a domestic property.

Working out the source of nuisance can sometimes be a difficult and lengthy process. Likely sources of insect nuisance include:

• poultry houses/farms (buildings on agricultural land are not exempt)

• sewage treatment works

• manure/silage storage areas

• animal housing

• stagnant ditches and drains

• landfill sites, refuse tips and waste transfer stations*

*For premises that hold a permit from the Environment Agency, such as waste management sites, we may refer any complaint to them.

This nuisance provisions do not apply to insects listed in Schedule 5 to the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, unless they are included in that Schedule solely to prevent their trade or sale.

The law is not intended to deal with most naturally occurring concentrations of insects. There are therefore exemptions for certain types of land, including:

• land used as arable, grazing, meadow or pasture

• ponds, lakes and rivers

• reed beds

• woodland

• sites of special scientific interest

• orchards and plant nurseries

Although this particular statutory nuisance does not apply where the source of the insects is a domestic home, other statutory nuisances relating to the condition of houses, how an animal is kept or accumulations of waste may address any health hazard or interference.