If you are moving to Dubai from the UK, the pests you grew up around will not be the ones you meet here. Brown rats, wasp nests and clothes moths are familiar in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Here the list changes, and so does the way pest control is organised. This guide covers what to expect and how to choose a company.
The pests you know from the UK
Rats and mice, wasps and clothes moths are what many households back home think of first. Help from the local council varies. In Northern Ireland, for example, NI Direct says every council provides a different pest control service: Belfast offers appointments for rats and mice only, while Antrim and Newtownabbey does not provide a service and gives advice. Dubai has no council service to call, so you will be choosing a private company.
Moths are a good example of what is specific to home. BPCA says that of the roughly 2,500 moth species in the UK, only a small number are considered pests, and that it is the larvae that damage wool and fur. If wardrobe worries came with you, washing clothes before storing them and keeping woollens in sealed bags is a habit worth keeping.
The one you probably never met: termites
Termites are essentially absent from UK homes. BRE describes a Devon infestation first found in 1994 as the only known established infestation of subterranean termites recorded in the UK, and says the eradication programme was declared a success in 2021. That is why many British newcomers have never thought about them.
In the UAE the situation is different. A 2005 survey by a UAE University researcher, published in the Journal of Agricultural and Marine Sciences, recorded six termite species in the country. All are subterranean, they reach wood through earthen galleries, and all six were found in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Termites are not a reason to panic, but they are a reason to ask for an inspection when you take on a villa. See our termite control page for what an inspection involves.
Cockroaches: a heated-building pest at home, a household one here
A Watford Borough Council information sheet says cockroaches rarely survive outdoors in the British climate, but thrive around the heating ducts and boiler rooms of large centrally heated buildings such as hospitals, bakeries, hotels, restaurant kitchens and blocks of flats. It adds that in flats they can move between homes along shared plumbing and pipes. Many people who grew up in Britain have never seen one at home.
Dubai's air-conditioned buildings are a different setting, so do not assume a kitchen pest stays in kitchens. If you rent an apartment, shared drains and building services are part of the picture. Our cockroach control page explains the treatment and the follow-up.
Mosquitoes, flies and balcony birds
Dubai Municipality's Public Health Pest Control Section says it targets disease-transmitting pests such as mosquitoes, flies and rodents using integrated pest management (Dubai Municipality). For a household, that means standing water on balconies and in plant trays is worth checking. See mosquito and fly control.
Pigeons will be familiar from any town centre back home. If they start visiting your balcony, read about bird control early, before nesting material builds up.
Rules in the UK and the UAE side by side
At home, buying professional rodenticides depends on proof of competence. CRRU, the Campaign for Responsible Rodenticide Use, says pest controllers, farmers and gamekeepers must be qualified to access professional products under a "no proof, no supply" rule.
In Dubai, the regulator is Dubai Municipality. Its Public Health Pest Control Section regulates and qualifies pest control companies, and a company needs a No Objection Certificate from that section before it obtains its trade licence (Dubai Municipality). When you hire here, ask which activities the approval covers, because general pest control and termite work are different jobs. Our guide to checking a pest control licence in Dubai shows how.
Where BPCA and NPMA fit in
If you know the British Pest Control Association from home, this section is for you. BPCA is a trade body for UK pest management. It says its members must follow its Codes of Best Practice (BPCA), and it requires its servicing members to pass audits against the European standard EN 16636 (BPCA).
MUMTAZ is a member of BPCA and of the US National Pest Management Association (NPMA). To check our BPCA membership, contact the association at membership@bpca.org.uk or ask us for proof. NPMA's member directory is members-only, so for NPMA contact the association, or ask us for proof.
Trade association membership is not a Dubai licence and does not replace one. Our certifications page lists everything we hold, including ISO 9001, 14001 and 45001 and our municipality approvals.
What surprises newcomers
- Heat all year. There is no cold season to slow pests down, so a problem is worth raising early.
- Villa gardens and drains. Outdoor space and drainage are worth including when a technician inspects.
- Building management. In an apartment, the management company may control common areas, so tell them about a problem as well as your pest control company.
- Treatment aftercare. Ask any company how long to stay out of treated areas and what to cover, before the visit.
- Move-in checks. If you are arriving with your belongings, a pest check before unpacking is easier than after.
What to expect from MUMTAZ
MUMTAZ is a UAE company, founded in Sharjah in 2006, with offices in Sharjah, Dubai (Deira) and Abu Dhabi. It holds Dubai Municipality and Abu Dhabi pest control approval and is on the Sharjah Municipality pest control register, Category A.
Every job starts with an inspection, the treatment is chosen for what the inspection found, a follow-up visit is scheduled and you receive a written service report. For the residential package, the gel bait follow-up is within 3 days and there is a 6-month re-treatment warranty on the pests treated. You can reach us on toll-free 800 688 or WhatsApp +971 50 760 0343.